Clean reinstall: can I use the Recovery Partition?

[xTRIGGER092x]

Having problems with ML, so I'm gonna do a clean reinstall. Instead of making a bootable flash drive to do it, can I just use the Recovery Partition?

Also, I'm wanting to keep my iTunes library after my clean install, but I don't feel comfortable with using Time Machine to get it back. Can I reformat my external HDD and turn off Time Machine (to get rid of my backups and to stop TM from backing up the fresh HDD), copy the iTunes folder to it, do the reinstall, and then just plug the external HDD back up and copy/paste the iTunes folder like I would with a flash drive?

EDIT - One more question: will I lose FaceTime in the reinstall?

 

[eagandale4114]

Having problems with ML, so I'm gonna do a clean reinstall. Instead of making a bootable flash drive to do it, can I just use the Recovery Partition?

Also, I'm wanting to keep my iTunes library after my clean install, but I don't feel comfortable with using Time Machine to get it back. Can I reformat my external HDD and turn off Time Machine (to get rid of my backups and to stop TM from backing up the fresh HDD), copy the iTunes folder to it, do the reinstall, and then just plug the external HDD back up and copy/paste the iTunes folder like I would with a flash drive?

EDIT - One more question: will I lose FaceTime in the reinstall?

Go ahead. You should be fine. The RC was designed for stuff like this.

 

[xTRIGGER092x]

Go ahead. You should be fine. The RC was designed for stuff like this.

Great. Any idea on the stuff about the external hard drive and FaceTime?

 

[wethackrey]

Having problems with ML, so I'm gonna do a clean reinstall. Instead of making a bootable flash drive to do it, can I just use the Recovery Partition?

Also, I'm wanting to keep my iTunes library after my clean install, but I don't feel comfortable with using Time Machine to get it back. Can I reformat my external HDD and turn off Time Machine (to get rid of my backups and to stop TM from backing up the fresh HDD), copy the iTunes folder to it, do the reinstall, and then just plug the external HDD back up and copy/paste the iTunes folder like I would with a flash drive?

EDIT - One more question: will I lose FaceTime in the reinstall?

Remember that the Recovery Partition does not have a copy of the OS on it. It's only 650MB and has the installer but not the OS. The fastest way to reinstall is to make a bootable USB flash drive.

My personal suggestion would be to use Carbon Copy Cloner to clone your drive to the external. Then do a clean install and use the migration assistant to migrate your user data back from the clone.

As for losing Facetime, help me out. I'm not following you. Why would you lose Facetime?

 

[eagandale4114]

Great. Any idea on the stuff about the external hard drive and FaceTime?

Facetime is now integrated into the OS. I assume you are moving from snow leopard and bought FaceTime of the MAS. It was integrated in Lion.
It shouldnt touch the external, but to be absolutely sure, disconnect while using recovery partition.