Performing minor surgery on Big Apple 2011

[revelated]

As mentioned the current build of Snow Leopard is a multiple-time carryover from like 2009. I want to do some cleanup as I think some of the system files might be screwed. My boot time has slowed down somewhat, and general bizarre behavior, i.e. startup apps disappearing mysteriously. I did a clean install and then restored files from Time Machine, as my Time Machine backups do not include the system folder...I figured that should clean stuff up, but as I look in \Library\Preferences\SystemConfiguration, it's clear to me that things just aren't right. A number of files are renamed as "plist~orig" and "plist~save" and stuff.

I thought about a clean install, but the problem is I don't want to track down serials for all of my apps, especially ones like VMWare where I have to log into the website to get it. I also have a customized HOSTS file that I'd rather not recreate, unless I have to. And then there's the passwords - oh my, the passwords.

So, here's the question.

If I do Archive and Install will that clean up the system files and restore them to their proper working order, but leave my apps and registrations and whatnot intact? OR is there a cleaner way to do what I'm trying to do?

 

[JediMeister]

Archive and Install is only an install option selectable for 10.5 and before. 10.6 just has install or erase & install. The latter you'd have to boot to the DVD, run Disk Utility and format the drive before going forward with the install. Archive and Install has traditionally broken non-Apple applications, and sometimes some of the more complex Apple ones like iLife and Final Cut Studio, etc, so no guarantees that the serials and registration won't be affected. As far as a fix, perhaps someone else can offer their expertise in that regard...

 

[revelated]

Archive and Install is only an install option selectable for 10.5 and before. 10.6 just has install or erase & install. The latter you'd have to boot to the DVD, run Disk Utility and format the drive before going forward with the install. Archive and Install has traditionally broken non-Apple applications, and sometimes some of the more complex Apple ones like iLife and Final Cut Studio, etc, so no guarantees that the serials and registration won't be affected. As far as a fix, perhaps someone else can offer their expertise in that regard...

Good to know.

I actually fixed the majority of weirdness. Deleted the whole SystemConfiguration folder and let it regenerate. Things seem to be working as intended. I no longer can change the boot image since it's 64 bit, but eh well.