Fresh install of Yosemite questions.

[David T.]

Hey everybody,

Still new to my rMBP (and enjoying it very much).

Anyhow, I plan on doing a fresh install of Yosemite soon. I have my Yosemite install disk (USB flash drive) already created (actually two of them just in case), and my Mavericks backups in Time Machine are up to date

My questions...

After I install Yosemite, I know I can restore my documents, but what apps can I restore from the Mavericks backups? I'm assuming I can restore Firefox, Opera web browser, Alfred, and apps like that.

But what about Mail? Can I restore the Mail App to get all my email accounts and settings back, or will I (or should I) recreate them from scratch?

What about system preferences? Will I have to go through them all again?

TIA, and any other help appreciated.

 

[David T.]

Anybody?

 

[Weaselboy]

After I install Yosemite, I know I can restore my documents, but what apps can I restore from the Mavericks backups? I'm assuming I can restore Firefox, Opera web browser, Alfred, and apps like that.

Typically apps that do not have installers and you install by just dragging from the DMG to the Applications folder can be restored like you said directly back. You will of course lose any settings that went with those apps though. Apps like MS Office for example, use installers that install various support files and you cannot move them back in this way.

But what about Mail? Can I restore the Mail App to get all my email accounts and settings back, or will I (or should I) recreate them from scratch?

No the Mail app is just the app and not the actual mail messages that go with it.

What about system preferences? Will I have to go through them all again?

Yep. A true clean install means manually moving everything back and manually entering all settings again.

A clean install is rarely needed and as you are seeing can be a lot of work, and if you don't know exactly what you are doing you can lose data. What exact problem are you trying to fix by doing this?

 

[David T.]

Thanks,

Not really trying to fix anything, I just thought a clean install would eliminate any possible issues. My experiences with "upgrading" an OS in the Windows world has made me very skeptical that upgrading is the best way to go. Maybe the in the Mac world it is better.

Perhaps I will wait until Apple has released at least one update to Yosemite to work out any bugs. Then, upgrade from Mavericks to Yosemite, get whatever Yosemite updates that are available and go from there. It nothing else, I have the Yosemite install disk and I can do a clean install if I'm not satisfied.

Sound like a better plan?

 

[Weaselboy]

Thanks,

Not really trying to fix anything, I just thought a clean install would eliminate any possible issues. My experiences with "upgrading" an OS in the Windows world has made me very skeptical that upgrading is the best way to go. Maybe the in the Mac world it is better.

Perhaps I will wait until Apple has released at least one update to Yosemite to work out any bugs. Then, upgrade from Mavericks to Yosemite, get whatever Yosemite updates that are available and go from there. It nothing else, I have the Yosemite install disk and I can do a clean install if I'm not satisfied.

Sound like a better plan?

Yes... that is what I would do. OS X segments user data/files pretty well from the OS and normally does not require clean installs unless something is wrong.

Even then, almost all the issues you see people having with upgrade installs are related to incompatible apps or utilities that can easily be diagnosed and removed.

 

[David T.]

Weaselboy,

That's the way I go.

Thanks a bunch for your time and help.

 

[glenthompson]

Thanks,

Not really trying to fix anything, I just thought a clean install would eliminate any possible issues. My experiences with "upgrading" an OS in the Windows world has made me very skeptical that upgrading is the best way to go. Maybe the in the Mac world it is better.

Perhaps I will wait until Apple has released at least one update to Yosemite to work out any bugs. Then, upgrade from Mavericks to Yosemite, get whatever Yosemite updates that are available and go from there. It nothing else, I have the Yosemite install disk and I can do a clean install if I'm not satisfied.

Sound like a better plan?

I've upgraded my MBP from Snow Leopard to Lion, Mt Lion, Mavericks, and Yosemite over 3 years with no problems. Could never do that under Windows. Just one of the reasons I prefer the Mac.

 

[David T.]

Could never do that under Windows. Just one of the reasons I prefer the Mac.

Thanks, and I agree.