Reusing time machine backup after clean install of Lion.

[ZebraineZ]

Hi.

Can I still reuse my time machine backup if I do a clean install of Lion?

I want to start out fresh again, but still want to continue using my time machine backup the way it is with delta backups and whatnot, I don't want to upgrade and I don't want to restore from my backup because that will just bring back the bloat.

I plan on doing a clean install and then using migration assistant, will my computer then recognize the time machine backup the way it is, or will it make a completely new backup and back everything up? I don't want it to make a whole new backup AGAIN, I just want it to continue backing up on past backups and stuff.

If none of that is possible, will it at least work if I restore from the time machine backup? Or will it again still make a whole new backup instead of a delta backup (which would just backup new lion stuff but keep stuff the same).

I hope i made sense.

 

[r0k]

Hi.

Can I still reuse my time machine backup if I do a clean install of Lion?

I want to start out fresh again, but still want to continue using my time machine backup the way it is with delta backups and whatnot, I don't want to upgrade and I don't want to restore from my backup because that will just bring back the bloat.

I plan on doing a clean install and then using migration assistant, will my computer then recognize the time machine backup the way it is, or will it make a completely new backup and back everything up? I don't want it to make a whole new backup AGAIN, I just want it to continue backing up on past backups and stuff.

If none of that is possible, will it at least work if I restore from the time machine backup? Or will it again still make a whole new backup instead of a delta backup (which would just backup new lion stuff but keep stuff the same).

I hope i made sense.

One alternative you have is to do a "migrate" from your most recent TM backup. This brings back your files and applications but log files, temp files and the like do not come back. This method would allow you to continue to use the same TM backup. I do NOT recommend this if your TM backup is performed via Wifi.

Even if your TM backup is to a local drive, shut down TM, mount the drive manually as if TM was about to begin (you will see "time machine backups" on your desktop), and use disk utility to "check" the sparsebundle. If Disk Utility takes a long time or reports any errors, START OVER with a FRESH NEW TM backup and use it to migrate or you might find all your data is pretty much inaccessible. I've had this happen more than once because I used to back up several of our machines over wifi. I now shut down network backups and use a local USB or FW disk unless the machine is on gigabit ethernet or at least on 802.11n and reporting at least 200 MBPS throughput (option click the airport icon and look for "transmit rate").