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Snow Leopard - Fresh Install?

V

VaatiKaiba

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 12, 2008
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I'm wondering whether or not to do a fresh Snow Leopard install (ie, back up everything, wipe my Mac, reinstall Leopard, and then install SL on top of the fresh install). I've heard that it can help boost speed - is this true?

Also, if I have everything backed up via Time Machine, will everything (including all my apps, etc) be brought back down through the Migration Assistant in Snow Leopard? Or will I encounter problems?

Thanks!
 
VaatiKaiba said:
I'm wondering whether or not to do a fresh Snow Leopard install (ie, back up everything, wipe my Mac, reinstall Leopard, and then install SL on top of the fresh install). I've heard that it can help boost speed - is this true?

Also, if I have everything backed up via Time Machine, will everything (including all my apps, etc) be brought back down through the Migration Assistant in Snow Leopard? Or will I encounter problems?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

No need to install Leopard first, just run Snow Leopard disc, erase hard drive with disk utility, install Snow Leopard.

Yes, everything will be brought back with Time Machine, it will take ages though, make sure you hook up with a cable, not via Airport otherwise it could take days :D

Not sure if the end result is better than an upgrade, but it can't be any worse :confused:
 
I upgraded from Leopard to SL.
I notice there are problem with expose, and the first boot is extremely slow.

Thus, I did a fresh install. Erase the hdd, then install SL. After I load back my backup from Time Machine. The first boot is much faster.

Everything seems fine, but there is still problem with expose. I guess its a bug in SL..
 
I upgraded my MacBook to Snow Leopard, didn't notice much difference in speed.

I did a clean install of Snow Leopard on my iMac and there's a huge difference! Plus, I've got rid of 200GB worth of junk that was floating around in the process. Doing a fresh install is worth, because you only put back on what you need. I'd say go for it :)
 
my iLife09 comes preinstalled in my MBP 2009. will iLife still be there if i do a clean install of snow leopard up-to-date disc? if not, how to i get it back? can i just pop back the leopard disc after installing SL to install iLife09? im not sure if it works that way. THANKS!!!
 
You do not need the 10.5 Leopard DVD any more.

As stated already you just boot from the 10.6 DVD, wipe the HDD with Disk Utility then proceed with the Installation.

I did a Video Guide, its uploading to Youtube as we speak. Checkout my sig.

:)
 
christurbo said:
You do not need the 10.5 Leopard DVD any more.

As stated already you just boot from the 10.6 DVD, wipe the HDD with Disk Utility then proceed with the Installation.

I did a Video Guide, its uploading to Youtube as we speak. Checkout my sig.

:)
Click to expand...

thank you so much. hope the video answers all my questions. im getting a new HD to install SL, and im so afraid of screwing it up, as im also a recent switcher. i dont wanna lose everything on my macbook.

i'll be waiting for the video. :eek:
 
I did upgrade in Friday but boot time was like 5 minutes and some apps were extremely slow, so did a clean install last night.

Install time was half, took about an hour to upgrade but clean install was only 25 minutes. Restored my files from TM backup, 30 minutes (about 100GB, USB drive). Total time: Same. I still have some files in my other externals which needs to be transfered but that I'll do when I need them. IMO, clean install is worth it.
 
christurbo said:
You do not need the 10.5 Leopard DVD any more.

As stated already you just boot from the 10.6 DVD, wipe the HDD with Disk Utility then proceed with the Installation.

I did a Video Guide, its uploading to Youtube as we speak. Checkout my sig.

:)
Click to expand...

Yeh, thanks for your guide on changing the HDD in the unibody Macbook Pro, it helped me a lot. Thanks!
 
Tilpots said:
^^Did you use Migration Assistant for the Time Machine restore, or just Time Machine?
Click to expand...

Migration Assistant or whatever it is which asks you do you want to transfer files from other Mac, TM backup when you first time boot..... Everything is the same, I mean everything. All single settings etc. This is the reason why I love Macs, easiness. :p
 
So if I restore from a (Leopard) Time Machine backup, will I notice any difference? Would TM / Migration Assistant restore all the old junk that would cause the Mac to be slow?
 
i think what you can do, is to do a 'user backup' using superduper. it will only clone the 'user' folder in the macintosh HD. leaving out any 3rd party applications i think. so its just your personal data
 
VaatiKaiba said:
So if I restore from a (Leopard) Time Machine backup, will I notice any difference? Would TM / Migration Assistant restore all the old junk that would cause the Mac to be slow?
Click to expand...

Depends what junk you have there. It's the easiest way to get everything as they was.
 
I don't know why EVERYONE is having so many problems. I put in SL, did the upgrade and everything is working fine just as I expected. I wonder what the difference is that you folks are having to do a fresh?

Do you guys constantly install and remove programs or otherwise introduce alot of junk to your Macs?
 
Hellhammer said:
Migration Assistant or whatever it is which asks you do you want to transfer files from other Mac, TM backup when you first time boot..... Everything is the same, I mean everything. All single settings etc. This is the reason why I love Macs, easiness. :p
Click to expand...

This is a bit scary for me. SL disc looks as though not going to be here until tuesday. If I do an erase and install, my time capsule is on my wireless network, how will SL know where to find it?

How do I know my time capsule disk is backing up properly and contains all the data I need. It's difficult to believe all the apps would work and all my data would be restored - with windows (moved 18 months ago) all the apps need to be installed into the OS, not just plonked on top.

If I connected my time capsule with a cable ? which one? do I do that before I erase my system or when it asks if I already own a mac.

All stupid questions I know but it's my first time - I'm still tempted to do an upgrade, but I would really like to do an erase and install and start afresh.

Thanks for any help and reassurance.
 
gwmac said:
If I do an erase and install, my time capsule is on my wireless network, how will SL know where to find it?
Click to expand...

There is an option when you choose restore from TM backup, "Join". I recommend hooking it with a cable because it can take days with wireless. Use Ethernet cable for that.

How do I know my time capsule disk is backing up properly and contains all the data I need. It's difficult to believe all the apps would work and all my data would be restored - with windows (moved 18 months ago) all the apps need to be installed into the OS, not just plonked on top.
Click to expand...

If you've set TM to backup to it, it'll. You can check it by clicking the TC in your desktop and take a look does it have backups. All my apps are 100% working, including Photoshop, Aperture even Little Snitch had all rules.
 
gwmac said:
This is a bit scary for me. SL disc looks as though not going to be here until tuesday. If I do an erase and install, my time capsule is on my wireless network, how will SL know where to find it?

How do I know my time capsule disk is backing up properly and contains all the data I need. It's difficult to believe all the apps would work and all my data would be restored - with windows (moved 18 months ago) all the apps need to be installed into the OS, not just plonked on top.

If I connected my time capsule with a cable ? which one? do I do that before I erase my system or when it asks if I already own a mac.

All stupid questions I know but it's my first time - I'm still tempted to do an upgrade, but I would really like to do an erase and install and start afresh.

Thanks for any help and reassurance.
Click to expand...

Time Capsule has always backed up my data perfectly, no problems, nothing lost along the way.

When you restore from Time Capsule it will take a long time, but that is because it is effectively putting all of your files where they should be, not just 'plonking them on top'.

By cable we mean an ethernet cable, so you are making a wired network connection between your Mac and TC.

If you are still worried about trusting your backup, you could always do another time machine backup to an external drive, or you could clone your harddrive as it is now to an external drive, and then migrate from that copy using migration assistant.

You could also just burn those files you can not live without to a dvd, or ipod, or any other data storage device.
 
Thanks, and will it also restore my vmware fusion disk and where in the process will it ask for my system password - the one I have to enter before anything gets installed? Otherwise I could install any old time capsule backup?

edit cross posted with the post above - thanks to both of you very good advice and i may just try to copy this drive to another external hard drive before i start
 
gwmac said:
Thanks, and will it also restore my vmware fusion disk and where in the process will it ask for my system password - the one I have to enter before anything gets installed? Otherwise I could install any old time capsule backup? ... i may just try to copy this drive to another external hard drive before i start
Click to expand...

when you access your Time Capsule it will ask for your Time Capsule password, which is different to your system password.

Copying your system to an external will give you peace of mind definitely.

Another option, would be to take this opportunity to install a new hard drive, then you can keep your 'old' one intact and access it by putting it in a hard drive caddy.
 
I did an upgrade install on Friday, went fine save for a few bugs in Spaces and Spotlight.

I then tried a fresh install using TM Migration Assistant after and the few bugs are still there, so I'll have to wait a while for Apple to fix them. It's nothing earth shattering, just a couple of odd glitches.

I'd advise people to try the upgrade install first. If that doesn't go well then try erase & install.

Good luck :)
 
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