Options for Restoring after Erase & Install

[drarrex7]

I have an iMac that is about 2 and 1/2 years old. It's been acting sorta weird for a while now. Nothing major, just some strange little quirky problems that didn't used to be there. Because of that, and because I would just like to start fresh, I've been considering doing an erase and install when I install Snow Leopard.

The thing is, I've never done that on a Mac before, and I want to make sure I don't screw it up, for obvious reasons. I feel pretty confident I can get my music, photos, and other files back without a problem, but I am really concerned about getting all my applications back. Is it as simple as copying the contents of the application folder over to the clean drive? Or do I have to track down registration information for all the programs I've purchased? And will programs I've purchased allow me to reinstall them, even if I have the registration information?

Also, what's the best way to pull back the information. I have 1 external hard-drive and a stack of blank DVDs that I would like to employ, I'm just not sure the best way to do it. Should I just use my Time Machine backup to restore music, photos, etc.? Or should I use Carbon Copy Cloner to clone my drive and pull things back manually from the copy?

I would really appreciate any guidance you guys can provide. I've googled and googled but most things I find simply tell you how to erase and install. I'm not worried about that part; I'm worried about recovering everything afterward!

 

[brn2ski00]

x2 - wondering the same thing

 

[DdMac679]

I used Time Machine the other day when I upgraded my HDD and others prefer different solutions like CarbonCopy. I had Time Machine perform a backup, did the deed, and once the operating system was installed I had TM restore my info. The only thing I needed to do was perform a software update and I was good to go. All my programs I had installed were fully restored.

 

[uaecasher]

I have an iMac that is about 2 and 1/2 years old. It's been acting sorta weird for a while now. Nothing major, just some strange little quirky problems that didn't used to be there. Because of that, and because I would just like to start fresh, I've been considering doing an erase and install when I install Snow Leopard.

The thing is, I've never done that on a Mac before, and I want to make sure I don't screw it up, for obvious reasons. I feel pretty confident I can get my music, photos, and other files back without a problem, but I am really concerned about getting all my applications back. Is it as simple as copying the contents of the application folder over to the clean drive? Or do I have to track down registration information for all the programs I've purchased? And will programs I've purchased allow me to reinstall them, even if I have the registration information?

Also, what's the best way to pull back the information. I have 1 external hard-drive and a stack of blank DVDs that I would like to employ, I'm just not sure the best way to do it. Should I just use my Time Machine backup to restore music, photos, etc.? Or should I use Carbon Copy Cloner to clone my drive and pull things back manually from the copy?

I would really appreciate any guidance you guys can provide. I've googled and googled but most things I find simply tell you how to erase and install. I'm not worried about that part; I'm worried about recovering everything afterward!

just choose the update option

 

[drarrex7]

I used Time Machine the other day when I upgraded my HDD and others prefer different solutions like CarbonCopy. I had Time Machine perform a backup, did the deed, and once the operating system was installed I had TM restore my info. The only thing I needed to do was perform a software update and I was good to go. All my programs I had installed were fully restored.

If you restore from Time Machine, can you pick and choose what you want brought over, or is it an all-or-nothing thing?

 

[dandaman2]

If you restore from Time Machine, can you pick and choose what you want brought over, or is it an all-or-nothing thing?

Yeah, that can be done with time machine.

What I usually do (and it's not usually the recommended option, someone mind explaining why?) is an archive and install. That way everything is on the HD and I manually drag preferences files and apps, as well as personal data, from the .sparseimage the archive and install creates.

Although, I have to mention, the $30 update is only available as an update -- there is no erase+install or archive+install option, so I'm manually going through my stuff this week and I'm just doing a standard install. I'm more likely to miss stuff, but it's the best I've got. Lifehacker posted a great piece on preparing the mac for a Snow Leopard install:

http://lifehacker.com/5345690/prep-your-mac-for-snow-leopard

 

[brn2ski00]

Although, I have to mention, the $30 update is only available as an update -- there is no erase+install or archive+install option

This is false. Just like any other copy of OS X, it will have all the options when installing the OS for the first time.

The "Leopard" up-to-date had all of them....