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When I install Leopard...

I recently spent about 5+ hours installing FCP Studio 2 and Adobe Master Collection CS3, and the CS3 apps needed to be activated. I also installed Office 2004 which allows me to install on 3 home computers.
What is the best way to install Leopard so that:

1. I get the most stable installation.
2. I avoid having to reinstall and/or reactivate my CS3 apps?

Are these two desires incompatible?

With Windows, I would never, ever, upgrade over the previous versions.
I would reformat all drives, do a fresh install of the OS, antivirus, firewall, internet broadband and all peripherals and drivers. Once that was all up and running correctly, I would then spend a day or more installing and activating all of my software.
This was the only sure way of avoiding conflicts.
I would dearly appreciate some sound advice on this because the thought of having to do it all over again for Leopard simply puts me off upgrading the OS anytime soon.
Thanks.
 
Upgrading would keep everything as is. There may be some issues, but more than likely, unless you have a lot of system hacks, you won't have anything major going wrong. Archive and Install may be your best bet, but you may need to reactivate CS3. Don't know, it's hit and miss with me with Adobe apps. We use a site license at work, so it's usually easier. The other option is Carbon Copy Cloning to an external drive and running the Migration Assistant from an erase and install, but that's a lot more complicated than it should be.

My advice, try the Upgrade. If it works, great. If not, Archive and Install. Either way, back up your stuff.
 
Luis Ortega said:
...

With Windows, I would never, ever, upgrade over the previous versions.
I would reformat all drives, do a fresh install of the OS, antivirus, firewall, internet broadband and all peripherals and drivers. Once that was all up and running correctly, I would then spend a day or more installing and activating all of my software.
This was the only sure way of avoiding conflicts.
...
Click to expand...
You have been given sound advice, but seem reluctant to accept it. Now understand this: MacOS X is not Windows. The reason that people supposed switch from Windows is so they don't have to put up with Windows crap. Why put yourself through the Windows crap if it is not necessary--and it is not?

A simple upgrade gives you a stable installation.

A simple upgrade does not create conflicts.

Take it from someone who has gone from System 6.0.1 to MacOS X 10.4.10, you have nothing to worry about. Get Windows off your brain.
 
solvs said:
Upgrading would keep everything as is. There may be some issues, but more than likely, unless you have a lot of system hacks, you won't have anything major going wrong. Archive and Install may be your best bet, but you may need to reactivate CS3. Don't know, it's hit and miss with me with Adobe apps. We use a site license at work, so it's usually easier. The other option is Carbon Copy Cloning to an external drive and running the Migration Assistant from an erase and install, but that's a lot more complicated than it should be.

My advice, try the Upgrade. If it works, great. If not, Archive and Install. Either way, back up your stuff.
Click to expand...


What sort of system hacks are you talking about?
 
MisterMe said:
You have been given sound advice, but seem reluctant to accept it. Now understand this: MacOS X is not Windows. The reason that people supposed switch from Windows is so they don't have to put up with Windows crap. Why put yourself through the Windows crap if it is not necessary--and it is not?

A simple upgrade gives you a stable installation.

A simple upgrade does not create conflicts.

Take it from someone who has gone from System 6.0.1 to MacOS X 10.4.10, you have nothing to worry about. Get Windows off your brain.
Click to expand...

Well, you know what they say= once burned, twice shy.
And with Windows, once is not even close.:D
At the end of the day, it's not really that critical.
If I upgrade and it proves problematic I can always resort to the wipe it all off and start again method. All I'll really lose is time since I would always back up personal data and files anyway.
Thanks for your advice.
I will keep learning everything I can about the Mac OS through study and trial and error. I hope to become as knowledgeable about Macs as I am with Windows.
 
I want to 100% wipe my computer clean and do a new install so everything's pristine. When I got my first Mac a year ago, I was rushed and didn't manage things right - hence, I have bits of garbage/tidbits of files all over the place, duplicates, and perhaps wrong paths, etc.

I've been on Apple's support area and am still unclear how this all has to work.
I've already backed up 'documents', 'movies', 'pictures', bookmarks (I think/hope done right), and 'keychains' (though I question the need for that). I figure I'll just re-download my 3rd party apps.

What I don't know is: How to totally wipe clean my computer for Leopard. Do I have to do this 'somehow' prior to Leopard or will Leopard ask me what to do and I can tell it to do this? I also have a partition for windows that I need to wipe away.
 
meagain said:
I've been on Apple's support area and am still unclear how this all has to work.
Click to expand...

The reason this is so unclear is because you're doing something which is totally unnecessary. I guess some people like to bang their head against the wall because it feels so good when they stop.
 
Craiger said:
What sort of system hacks are you talking about?
Click to expand...
xUKHCx said:
Shapeshifter, Uno et al.
Click to expand...
Actually didn't have any issues with Uno. Just didn't work in Leopard, but no system instability. Witch and Application Enhancer also seemed to work fine. Default Folder needed to be updated. FruitMenu doesn't work as of yet, but I just had to uninstall it.

I'd just be wary of any programs that changes your system, but in my experience, all it does it overwrite them when upgrading.
 
question i had. if i upgrade from 32 bit 10.4 to 64 bit 10.5 will all the extension etc be installed and configured correctly? and yes i do have a c2d
 
If I can just muddy the waters slightly....

I'm going to put a new HD in my MacBook and using the arrival of leopard as a good excuse to do it. Eyeing up a nice 250GB which will be a big improvement on the 60GB in there at the mo! I've also just bought iLife '08 but have left it in the box while I ponder. I reckon my options are these, would welcome your thoughts.

1 - Backup using iBackup to external, reinstall Tiger from system discs on new HD and restore usign iBackup so I have all my docs, pictures and so on. I used iBackup to migrate from my old iMac when I got my MacBook so I know it does this well. I can then straight upgrade to Leopard when it turns up and plonk iLife '08 on there.

2 - Backup to external, install Leopard straight up on brand new drive then put docs back on. Not sure how this will all pan out (never done it before).

Which is the best move?
 
aswitcher said:
I know - but I dont trust computers so a backup would be nice to have.
Click to expand...
I suggest cloning up your entire HDD to another drive, either internal or external firewire, with a utility like SuperDuper (free for cloning) . That way when you install Leopard, you will be able to use your Setup Assistant to port over all the network settings, preferences, third party applications, AddrressBook data, iCal data, the whole enchilada.

If you want to do it the long and difficult way (migrate by hand) Here is a list of where your important data is stored
("~" stands for "Home"):

Your data in ~/Documents
~/Library/Application Support/AddressBook (copy the whole folder)
~/Library/Application Support/iCal(copy the whole folder)
Also in ~/Library/Application Support (copy whatever else you need)

~ /Library/Keychains (copy the whole folder)
~/Library/Mail (copy the whole folder)
~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.mail.plist This is a very important file which contains all email account settings and general mail preferences.

~ /Library/iTunes (copy the whole folder)
~/Library/Application Support/Safari (copy the whole folder)
~/Library/Application Support/iMovie (copy the whole folder)
~/Pictures/iPhoto library
~/Music/iTunes
~/Movies/iMovie

If you want cookies:
~/Library/Cookies/Cookies.plist
~/Library/Application Support/Webfoundation/HTTPcookies.plist

For Entourage users:
Entourage is in Documents/Microsoft user data
Also in ~ /Library/Preferences/Microsoft

-mj
 
sunfast said:
2 - Backup to external, install Leopard straight up on brand new drive then put docs back on. Not sure how this will all pan out (never done it before).

Which is the best move?
Click to expand...

IMO #2. Clone it with a utility like SuperDuper onto a firewire drive, Then install the new cat and use setup assistant to port over all your apps and settings. Two advantages:
1: You have a bootable backup in case of any issues with the new install.
2: It is much easier than re-installing all your third party software and registration codes and re-doing all your settings.

-mj
 
MisterMe said:
If a simple upgrade goes bad, then you still have the option of using a radical procedure. In 99.99% of the cases, everything will go fine. You will be using your Mac running the new OS for hours before your erase-and-install friends restore everything.
Click to expand...


I am a new Mac user (6 mos old). I have never upgraded a Mac OS.
So what concerns me above is the business of if a simple upgrade goes bad, you can do the radical archive and install.
If the simple upgrade goes badly- wouldn't you lose all your data on your drive?
Or are these upgrades traditionally foolproof with Apple?

Also, isn't apple going to use a new disk system- ZFS or something? If so, isn't that more than just a new OS- doesn't it need to remap or do some sort of gigantic rewrite of every file on the HD making a far more invasive OS upgrade than ever in the past? (sorry for my non-tech lingo)
 
macjack1 said:
I suggest cloning up your entire HDD to another drive, either internal or external firewire, with a utility like SuperDuper (free for cloning) . That way when you install Leopard, you will be able to use your Setup Assistant to port over all the network settings, preferences, third party applications, AddrressBook data, iCal data, the whole enchilada.

If you want to do it the long and difficult way (migrate by hand) Here is a list of where your important data is stored
("~" stands for "Home"):

Your data in ~/Documents
~/Library/Application Support/AddressBook (copy the whole folder)
~/Library/Application Support/iCal(copy the whole folder)
Also in ~/Library/Application Support (copy whatever else you need)

~ /Library/Keychains (copy the whole folder)
~/Library/Mail (copy the whole folder)
~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.mail.plist This is a very important file which contains all email account settings and general mail preferences.

~ /Library/iTunes (copy the whole folder)
~/Library/Application Support/Safari (copy the whole folder)
~/Library/Application Support/iMovie (copy the whole folder)
~/Pictures/iPhoto library
~/Music/iTunes
~/Movies/iMovie

If you want cookies:
~/Library/Cookies/Cookies.plist
~/Library/Application Support/Webfoundation/HTTPcookies.plist

For Entourage users:
Entourage is in Documents/Microsoft user data
Also in ~ /Library/Preferences/Microsoft

-mj
Click to expand...

macjack1 you're a legend. Thats what I was after.
I might superduper clone as well just in case Leopard changes stuff.
 
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