what happens to the data when i install lion?

[saadali]

i m not using time machine.

 

[awer25]

i m not using time machine.

Start using it

Never do something like upgrade an OS without a backup. To answer your question, the data should still be intact after upgrading. Key word is should.

 

[-tWv-]

Well you should make a backup before upgrading, but what happens is that it just replaces the OS and leaves everything else intact. Some of your apps may not work if they were designed for PowerPC, but everything else should be fine. When I did my upgrade I decided to do a clean install and using Time Machine to restore my crucial apps, documents, and settings, but I left everything else behind. I would recommend doing a clean install just because it will make everything run much quicker without all the clutter of your previous system.

If you decide to just do the upgrade from the Mac App Store, all your data should stay intact but it's always better to have backups just in case.

 

[Macjames]

Well you should make a backup before upgrading, but what happens is that it just replaces the OS and leaves everything else intact. Some of your apps may not work if they were designed for PowerPC, but everything else should be fine. When I did my upgrade I decided to do a clean install and using Time Machine to restore my crucial apps, documents, and settings, but I left everything else behind. I would recommend doing a clean install just because it will make everything run much quicker without all the clutter of your previous system.

If you decide to just do the upgrade from the Mac App Store, all your data should stay intact but it's always better to have backups just in case.

So your saying that you pulled a Snow Leopard backup from time machine on to Lion?

 

[saadali]

Well you should make a backup before upgrading, but what happens is that it just replaces the OS and leaves everything else intact. Some of your apps may not work if they were designed for PowerPC, but everything else should be fine. When I did my upgrade I decided to do a clean install and using Time Machine to restore my crucial apps, documents, and settings, but I left everything else behind. I would recommend doing a clean install just because it will make everything run much quicker without all the clutter of your previous system.

If you decide to just do the upgrade from the Mac App Store, all your data should stay intact but it's always better to have backups just in case.

how do u clean install lion?

 

[awer25]

So your saying that you pulled a Snow Leopard backup from time machine on to Lion?

Obviously not a full backup - you can use Migration Assistant to transfer your SL account data to Lion without restoring to SL.

 

[-tWv-]

Obviously not a full backup - you can use Migration Assistant to transfer your SL account data to Lion without restoring to SL.

Right, you use migration assistant after lion has been installed..

how do u clean install lion?

You clean install by having a backup and erasing your old installation.

Afterwards you can use migration assistant to restore your files or you can just manually transfer files you want to the lion install and completely start over (this is what I did).

 

[Macjames]

Obviously not a full backup - you can use Migration Assistant to transfer your SL account data to Lion without restoring to SL.

You see I did that, used Migration Assistant to pull back all my data on Lion. The only trouble is Lion cannot see any of it! The 'About This Mac' > Storage Information shows that my files are on the HDD but Finder, iPhoto, iMove all refuse to show anything.