Clean Install Question

[bushido]

Many people recommend a clean install every once in a while so i was wondering ... if i do a clean install of yosemite using cmd + r on start up to erase and reinstall it on my ssd and decide to restore my time machine backup from an external harddrive, isnt it kinda redundant as it will put all the crap i had before the clean install back on the ssd?

i havent done a clean install since my old mac book pro in 2009 whos time machine backup i immediately restored on my retina macbook pro in late 2012 and was wondering if its time to maybe try a new clean install for a change

thx!

 

[johnnnw]

Yes you are right it is redundant which is why some people recommend to do what you were saying, but instead of doing a full TM reinstall, you should instead select just file directories and leave the system reinstall out of the process.

That is the best way to do a "clean" install without manually moving everything.

 

[bushido]

Yes you are right it is redundant which is why some people recommend to do what you were saying, but instead of doing a full TM reinstall, you should instead select just file directories and leave the system reinstall out of the process.

That is the best way to do a "clean" install without manually moving everything.

so i can select to only restore files and programs and their settings from the TM?

like photoshop would still work and itunes / iPhoto would still have my stuff in it?

 

[Weaselboy]

so i can select to only restore files and programs and their settings from the TM?

like photoshop would still work and itunes / iPhoto would still have my stuff in it?

Partly. Some simple apps are fully self contained, so you can just restore the app file itself on the new install and it will work. Other apps like all the iLife and iWorks app and anything from MS or Adobe will require a full reinstall and reentry of registration info.

Things like the iPhoto library itself in the Pictures folder can easily be individually restored to get your photos back.