Fresh install - new user - copy apps and files

[PackFan]

I am thinking of doing a fresh installation of Mountain Lion on my rMBP. It seems that some of the settings that carried over from my previous MBP are occasionally causing some weird issues.

When I originally set it up - I just used the initial set up to transfer my files, apps, user and everything. If I do a fresh installation - and want to set up as a 'fresh' new user - can I still copy over the applications, files, and even things like Mail - without pulling over all of the plist files and the such that may be messing things up a bit?

Thanks.

 

[mrapplegate]

I am thinking of doing a fresh installation of Mountain Lion on my rMBP. It seems that some of the settings that carried over from my previous MBP are occasionally causing some weird issues.

When I originally set it up - I just used the initial set up to transfer my files, apps, user and everything. If I do a fresh installation - and want to set up as a 'fresh' new user - can I still copy over the applications, files, and even things like Mail - without pulling over all of the plist files and the such that may be messing things up a bit?

Thanks.

Yes, as long as you don't copy ~/Library/Preferences or ~/Library/Application Support, the apps will make new copies of everything when launched. That should be all you need to avoid. To be extra safe don't copy any of ~/Library since you don't know what was wrong in the first place.

Edit. Of course bring over Mail since you mentioned it. You will need it.

 

[PackFan]

Should I use Migration Assistant? Or just manually copy?

 

[Weaselboy]

Should I use Migration Assistant? Or just manually copy?

You will need to do it manually. Using MA brings in other settings and defeats the purpose of a clean install.