Superduper and Snow Leopard

[EV0LUTION]

I just received a copy of snow leopard (the WWDC preview) from work and I would like to upgrade my mac, however I'm scared I will loose all my data in the process and the world as I know it will end. (I have a time machine though)

I was thinking, can I make a bootable copy of my current disk (which is leopard) with SuperDuper, boot into that hard drive and upgrade it to snow leopard; with out any changes being made to my MBP's hard drive? Basicaly have no changes made to my MBP's internal HDD so I can boot back into leopard.

Just to clarify, this procedure in theory should work:

1. User SuperDuper to make a Clone of internal HDD to External HDD

2. Boot into Cloned External HDD

3. Install Snow Leopard on Cloned External HDD

4. Have fun in Snow Leopard Land on Cloned External HDD

5. Restart and boot back into Leopard (10.5) on internal HDD

 

[slpdLoad]

Yes.

 

[Eidorian]

A Time Machine backup and/or a clone beforehand is fine.

 

[vansouza]

Of course you should backup. When I installed SL it was automatically and update install. Nothing was deleted... but search these forums for advice before you install.

 

[Sky Blue]

Why is your work giving out copies of 10.6 when you have no idea how to install it?

 

[EV0LUTION]

Why is your work giving out copies of 10.6 when you have no idea how to install it?

Because I, being the curious person I am, asked for it.

We have 2 copies and they let me have one overnight to install it or try this, which I hope works.

 

[EV0LUTION]

Just to clarify, this procedure in theory should work:

1. User SuperDuper to make a Clone of internal HDD to External HDD

2. Boot into Cloned External HDD

3. Install Snow Leopard on Cloned External HDD

4. Have fun in Snow Leopard Land on Cloned External HDD

5. Restart and boot back into Leopard (10.5) on internal HDD

 

[Eidorian]

Just to clarify, this procedure in theory should work:

1. User SuperDuper to make a Clone of internal HDD to External HDD

2. Boot into Cloned External HDD

3. Install Snow Leopard on Cloned External HDD

4. Have fun in Snow Leopard Land on External HDD

5. Restart and boot back into Leopard (10.5) on internal HDD

Why not install Snow Leopard on the external and migrate over your user instead?

 

[EV0LUTION]

Why not install Snow Leopard on the external and migrate over your user instead?

I tried around 5:30, Formatted External to GUID and what now, half way through the process SL rebooted my system or something and the whole upgrade quit

 

[Eidorian]

I tried around 5:30, SL rebooted my system or something and the whole upgrade process quit

Bring up the installer log and have it show everything when you're booted off of the DVD.

 

[slpdLoad]

When at all possible, avoid Migration Assistant.

The OP's original plan was perfectly sound, and will work great. When you are confident that SL is going to work for you, clone the external over to the internal drive and use the external for TM.

 

[Eidorian]

When at all possible, avoid Migration Assistant.

The OP's original plan was perfectly sound, and will work great. When you are confident that SL is going to work for you, clone the external over to the internal drive and use the external for TM.

What wrong with Migration Assistant for the user space?

 

[EV0LUTION]

Bring up the installer log and have it show everything when you're booted off of the DVD.

I think it tried to boot off the dvd, but instead ended up doing a normal restart.

I started the upgrade while my mac was on, should I boot into the CD?

Sorry I sound so newbish here guys, I'm a web designer and hardly ever do anything like this.

 

[Eidorian]

I think it tried to boot off the dvd, but instead ended up doing a normal restart.

I started the upgrade while my mac was on, should I boot into the CD?

Unless they've completely changed the installer it'll have you boot off of the DVD if you use Finder to change your startup disk and reboot.

Otherwise holding down Option or 'C' after the boot tone does effectively the same thing sans privileges.

 

[EV0LUTION]

When at all possible, avoid Migration Assistant.

The OP's original plan was perfectly sound, and will work great. When you are confident that SL is going to work for you, clone the external over to the internal drive and use the external for TM.

TM?

 

[slpdLoad]

What wrong with Migration Assistant for the user space?

In theory nothing, but I've seen it screw up plenty of machines in one way or another. You're transplanting a user into a new system.

It certainly has its uses, but if you don't need it's functionality, it is inferior to a clone.

 

[slpdLoad]

TM?

Time Machine

 

[Eidorian]

In theory nothing, but I've seen it screw up plenty of machines in one way or another. You're transplanting a user into a new system.

It certainly has its uses, but if you don't need it's functionality, it is inferior to a clone.

The clone is going to be much more time consuming though in this case and not really necessary with Migration Assistant and Time Machine.

 

[EV0LUTION]

Unless they've completely changed the installer it'll have you boot off of the DVD if you use Finder to change your startup disk and reboot.

Otherwise holding down Option or 'C' after the boot tone does effectively the same thing sans privileges.

ah OK, I did boot off the DVD, however half way through the process it decided to reboot, (i'm assuming to the DVD) but instead of booting to the DVD it went back to my desktop.

I have removed the DVD since as I gave up at one point, until I had this little epiphany, so I don't know how to get at the installation data.

 

[Eidorian]

ah OK, I did boot off the DVD, however half way through the process it decided to reboot, (i'm assuming to the DVD) but instead of booting to the DVD it went back to my desktop.

I have removed the DVD since as I gave up at one point, until I had this little epiphany, so I don't know how to get at the installation data.

If the installer fails, since you booted off of the DVD using the keyboard shortcuts, it will default back to your original startup volume which is going to be the onboard disk in this case.

 

[EV0LUTION]

If the installer fails, since you booted off of the DVD using the keyboard shortcuts, it will default back to your original startup volume which is going to be the onboard disk.

Crap...

OK well I guess I'll give this Clone Idea a go, and let you guys know how it works out.

From the posts above, it sounds like a clone is the best way to go here.

 

[Eidorian]

Crap...

OK well I guess I'll give this Clone Idea a go, and let you guys know how it works out.

From the posts above me it sounds like a clone is the best way to go here.

It is if you have the time to spare.

 

[EV0LUTION]

It is if you have the time to spare.

I do, nothing but Calc homework and TV watching to do

 

[badgolfer]

I just received a copy of snow leopard (the WWDC preview) from work and I would like to upgrade my mac...

Just did it myself:

1. Updated Leopard backup to Time Machine
2. Superduper Clone of existing Leopard to external USB HDD - Make sure it boots - test it!
3. Install Snow Leopard on MBP internal drive
4. Migrated everything (if you want everything) over from Time Machine

It worked for me without having to reinstall many applications. The only application I did have to reinstall was Littlesnitch. Cyberduck also did not load (I might have an old version) .

Definitely seems snappier booting & loading applications.

Good luck!

 

[EV0LUTION]

I just received a copy of snow leopard (the WWDC preview) from work and I would like to upgrade my mac...

Just did it myself:

1. Updated Leopard backup to Time Machine
2. Superduper Clone of existing Leopard to external USB HDD - Make sure it boots - test it!
3. Install Snow Leopard on MBP internal drive
4. Migrated everything (if you want everything) over from Time Machine

It worked for me without having to reinstall many applications. The only application I did have to reinstall was Littlesnitch. Cyberduck also did not load (I might have an old version) .

Definitely seems snappier booting & loading applications.

Good luck!

I want to install snow leopard on my EXTERNAL HDD not the internal...

It's installing now, hopefully nothing bad will happen that I can't fix