Brand new MacBook. Upgrade or Clean Install?

[smallguy]

Hi. I have just bought the Retina MBP from Apple online (UK) and wondered whether OS X Yosemite will be shipped with it.

If this isn't the case should I just simply upgrade to Yosemite or clean install it straight away even though I would of just got it?

Thanks

 

[cjmillsnun]

Depending on stock levels it is a 50/50 chance that you'll have Mavericks on it.

If that's so, then then do the upgrade immediately.

You should be fine with that.

 

[smallguy]

Oh okay thanks. Any other ideas guys?

 

[robo74]

purchased a refurb imac that came 2 days ago, I had the USB stick ready to go with the installer. I am a clean install believer.

Works good, moved data over via external drive (didn't restore anything). No regrets.

Everyone has their own opinions with this, but then again, I see threads of issues that I have not experienced.

Rob

 

[smallguy]

Would you guys clean install if the system was brand new with Mavericks? As I ordered a new retina MBP do I need to do a clean install (as I won't have any data on it) or just upgrade?

 

[fcortese]

Let us know what you get Yosemite or Maverick. I'll be purchasing a new MBP probably by the end of next week of the first week of November. I'd prefer a native Yosemite.

 

[robo74]

Would you guys clean install if the system was brand new with Mavericks? As I ordered a new retina MBP do I need to do a clean install (as I won't have any data on it) or just upgrade?

Mine was a refurb from Apple, so it came with mavericks, I didnt need to do a clean install, but I wanted to.
Again, its my personal preference and I believe by doing this avoids some issues. Can I prove it? Nope, but its nice reading about issues I do not have.

While I was waiting for the UPS guy, I downloaded 10.10, then liondiskmaker, ran it so it made my USB drive.
When the iMac arrived, it was a very quick install once I booted from the USB drive.
In my opinion, you will spend nearly the same amount of time downloading and upgrading Mavericks.

Again, my .02

Rob

 

[smallguy]

Did you set the iMac up normally and then do the usb clean install? How did you do it.

 

[robo74]

Did you set the iMac up normally and then do the usb clean install? How did you do it.

-unpacked iMac, set it up on my desk. Made sure batteries in keyboard and mouse were good. Plugged in proper cables.
-Inserted 10.10 USB Flash drive
-Pressed power button and held "C" to boot from USB
-Erased HD
-installed 10.10

End of story

Rob

 

[smallguy]

ahh okay. Do you never need the usb again after that? A little confused as hopefully my Mac comes with Yosemite but it's 50/50.

 

[robo74]

ahh okay. Do you never need the usb again after that? A little confused as hopefully my Mac comes with Yosemite but it's 50/50.

I'll save it for a few days. Friend was talking about me doing his macbook this weekend, but after that, it will be formatted for other uses.

If I need it again, I will download it... no biggie.
At some point I will make sure the recovery partition is updated to 10.10 if possible.

Rob

 

[smallguy]

any other opinions guys?

 

[deviant]

any other opinions guys?

clean install the **** out of it. seriously, why upgrading if it's brand new and has a total ZERO of your data on it. just format/clean install

 

[smallguy]

clean install the **** out of it. seriously, why upgrading if it's brand new and has a total ZERO of your data on it. just format/clean install

Slightly confused what you said sorry. Can you explain it more?

 

[deviant]

Slightly confused what you said sorry. Can you explain it more?

What's confusing about that? Clean install is always better. It just is. And considering the machine is absolutely new and you don't have to backup your data and then transfer it again which is time consuming i can't find a reason for you to not just format/clean install it instead of updating.

 

[KALLT]

If it’s a new system, then either option is good. An upgrade will be quicker for you, but a clean install is typically better because you won’t bring any obsolete files or data with you that are left behind in Mavericks. There might be some very minor issues as well if Apple didn’t do the upgrade process perfectly, but that is usually not much of a concern.

What you could also do, to avoid using a USB stick, is upgrading to Yosemite first. This will also update the recovery partition on your hard drive, which contains the Yosemite installer as well. Once the update is completed, you can reboot your Mac into Recovery Mode and start a clean install of Yosemite. Of course, this whole process might take an hour or so, but you’d have an absolute clean slate when you first use your Mac.

 

[smallguy]

If it’s a new system, then either option is good. An upgrade will be quicker for you, but a clean install is typically better because you won’t bring any obsolete files or data with you that are left behind in Mavericks. There might be some very minor issues as well if Apple didn’t do the upgrade process perfectly, but that is usually not much of a concern.

What you could also do, to avoid using a USB stick, is upgrading to Yosemite first. This will also update the recovery partition on your hard drive, which contains the Yosemite installer as well. Once the update is completed, you can reboot your Mac into Recovery Mode and start a clean install of Yosemite. Of course, this whole process might take an hour or so, but you’d have an absolute clean slate when you first use your Mac.

Ahh really? The second paragraph seems good. Thanks for that. I'll have to wait and see anyway.

 

[Sital]

Over the years, I've done both - upgrades and clean installs. I've never had a problem with either, although I still think a clean install is better.

For a brand new system I would do a clean install. Why? Because it takes an easy process and makes it that much easier since you don't have any data to worry about.

 

[Weaselboy]

any other opinions guys?

IMO doing a clean install on a new system is a complete waste of time. The whole idea of a clean install is to get rid of cruft left over from old applications and utilities etc you have installed over the years. With a new system none of this exists, so there is no need for a clean install.

 

[smallguy]

Will there be any difference in battery life if I did a simple upgrade vs a clean install? Bearing in mind this will be a brand new macbook pro retina.

Thanks

 

[Weaselboy]

Will there be any difference in battery life if I did a simple upgrade vs a clean install? Bearing in mind this will be a brand new macbook pro retina.

Thanks

Zero difference. Newer OS X upgrades actually set aside the old OS version and replace it with the new one, so if you don't have junk on there interfering with things (and you would not on a new machine) the end result is the same.