Procedure to do a totally fresh install.

[Milltek]

Hi,
I would like to re-format my HDD and do a completely fresh re-install of Mavericks. I've had the iMac since January 2011 and have loaded every release Apple has produced over top of the original system. I'd like to start from a clean slate. Is there somewhere I could find a procedure to do this? I can have Time Machine make a total backup to use as a place to restore my personal files from.

If I make one of the USB boot drives is that the best way to start the re-installation of the OS?

Any assistance appreciated.

 

[Alrescha]

The simplest way to re-install a clean copy of Mavericks would be:

Boot into Recovery with Command-R
Start Disk Utility and erase the boot partition (usually "Macintosh HD")
Reinstall Mavericks.

See:

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH14243

Note that you must be connected to the Internet for this solution. If your Internet connection is unreliable you could build a USB key and update from there (you will be downloading a copy of Mavericks either way).

A.

 

[Milltek]

Thanks Alrescha. Will this automatically start the migration assistant to load all my iTunes, iPhoto and personal files?

 

[leventozler]

Command+Option+R to force Internet recovery, otherwise you won't be able to format the drive

 

[Alrescha]

Thanks Alrescha. Will this automatically start the migration assistant to load all my iTunes, iPhoto and personal files?

Once the installation is complete, your machine will reboot and act like a brand-new machine and go through the whole new-machine startup sequence. Just make sure you have backup. Preferably multiple backups.

Command+Option+R to force Internet recovery, otherwise you won't be able to format the drive

He does not need to format the drive, he just needs to erase the current Mavericks partition.

A.

 

[leventozler]

He does not need to format the drive, he just needs to erase the current Mavericks partition.

A.

You're right, I always repartition the drive.

 

[majordude]

http://mashable.com/2013/10/23/clean-install-os-x-mavericks/

 

[Milltek]

Hi,
All went well. Created the boot USB and installed Mavericks onto empty drive and then copied all my files and data in form my TM backup.

Thanks for all the suggestions!!

 

[MatsSkoe]

I have a follow-up question.

Does restoring a TimeMachine backup after the clean install not defeat the purpose of a clean install? Since a TimeMachine restore is in fact a fully bootable backup.

Won't you get (all) the abundant files back you want to get rid of with a clean install?

Greetings!

 

[fartheststar]

I would think its redundant, better to load all from scratch - that's what I'm doing this weekend with a new ssd. Curious as to what others have to say on this

 

[satcomer]

Follow the steps Apple suggests Creating a bootable OS X installer in OS X Mavericks. This is the only method I found to make a Fresh install that also makes the recovery partition.

Another way is to use the free application DiskMaker X.

 

[Weaselboy]

I have a follow-up question.

Does restoring a TimeMachine backup after the clean install not defeat the purpose of a clean install? Since a TimeMachine restore is in fact a fully bootable backup.

Won't you get (all) the abundant files back you want to get rid of with a clean install?

Greetings!

Yes it does. To get the true benefit of no left of clutter, one would need to erase the disk and install a fresh OS, then manually reinstall all apps and manually move any documents and music etc back over.

 

[rwilliams]

http://mashable.com/2013/10/23/clean-install-os-x-mavericks/

I did a clean install following the steps on that site just last night. I was about to post the same link.

 

[HenryDJP]

Yes it does. To get the true benefit of no left of clutter, one would need to erase the disk and install a fresh OS, then manually reinstall all apps and manually move any documents and music etc back over.

That's the way I did it and my Mavericks install not only went perfect everything is running super smooth and fast. Rule of thumb when doing a complete erase and install is to not do a Time Machine restore. It just puts the drama files back on the machine slowing it down. I had slow performance with Mavericks before my erase and install. I installed each application manually after the clean install and it feels like I just bought a brand new Mac from the Apple Store with the latest OS installed. Mavericks is a great OS. It just needs to be installed onto an empty drive. Upgrade installs suck.

 

[Weaselboy]

Upgrade installs suck.

I have always only done the upgrade installs and never had a problem.

I think what you and others experience with these clean installs is you have something installed on your system that was incompatible with Mavericks (maybe an old kext file or utility) and by doing a clean install, you eliminated that conflict.

 

[HenryDJP]

I have always only done the upgrade installs and never had a problem.

I think what you and others experience with these clean installs is you have something installed on your system that was incompatible with Mavericks (maybe an old kext file or utility) and by doing a clean install, you eliminated that conflict.

Well I certainly won't disagree with that. I will admit I had 2 years of files packed on my hard drive. I am a power user and I use my Mac for business as well as personal. This is exactly the reason I always end up doing an erase and install when upgrading to the latest OS. I will say though that when I was on Windows years ago I could have a fresh install of the older system with no additional files installed, then upgrade to the newest OS and still got an unstable upgrade. But then again, that was Windows...

All I can say is Mavericks is super amazing now. No more Spotlight indexing, no slow performance and very stable.

 

[Milltek]

Me again. Presuming that the remarks above are correct about a time machine restore after a clean install also restoring some junk that I don't want, how do I go about copying all the Apple-specific file structures. I am referring to the iTunes library, the iPhoto library and the backups etc. of my iPhone and iPad?
Equally important, how would I ensure that I got all my Mail files to copy back in? (And any others that you may think I need but haven't mentioned.)

I have no issues copying my personal files from the TM drive and reloading each app from scratch but am unsure how to do it for the items I mentioned above.

Are there any scripts available to manage this procedure?

Thanks.

 

[Weaselboy]

Me again. Presuming that the remarks above are correct about a time machine restore after a clean install also restoring some junk that I don't want, how do I go about copying all the Apple-specific file structures. I am referring to the iTunes library, the iPhoto library and the backups etc. of my iPhone and iPad?
Equally important, how would I ensure that I got all my Mail files to copy back in? (And any others that you may think I need but haven't mentioned.)

I have no issues copying my personal files from the TM drive and reloading each app from scratch but am unsure how to do it for the items I mentioned above.

Are there any scripts available to manage this procedure?

Thanks.

You can pull that data back in using Time Machine, but manually, not with Migration Assistant.

So lets say you did a clean install and setup your account and now want to move data in.

Open Finder and go to your Pictures folder then open the Time Machine interface (Time Machine menulet then "Enter Time Machine") then and scroll back in time to the date you want to import from and click the iPhoto library then click restore at the bottom right of the screen. That will put your old iPhoto library in place.

Now repeat the same process in Finder in your Music folder for the iTunes library.

For Mail restore the contents of this folder. Open Finder then Go menu then Go to folder and paste in this path.

~/Library/Mail/V2

Repeat for the folder below to get your iOS backups.

~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/

I have never seen a scripts to automate this.

 

[Milltek]

Very good. Thanks. I'll give it a shot later today or this evening.

 

[Gjwilly]

You can pull that data back in using Time Machine, but manually, not with Migration Assistant.

I did this myself for the first time last night.
Worked great.
If you have any iBooks not purchased through Apple they can be found here

~/Library/Containers/com.apple.BKAgentService/Data/Documents/iBooks/Books