How to custom install OSX without unwanted apps and all

[Matra V12]

Hello everyone, I'm new member to this forum.

I found this article on this forum that does exactly what I want, but it has not been updated to work with present OS Xs.
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...an-os-x-reinstall-on-your-macbook-air.427768/

I know how to clean install High Sierra from a bootable USB drive, but I want to be able not to install unwanted apps. (Safari, Garage band, Photo Booth, Mail, Printer drivers, ...)

I am preparing a 2010 iMac 27" with a small SSD to become a dedicated Photoshop machine. I need all the space I can salvage.

Anyone can help?
Thank you all

P.s. Yes, «Plan B» could remove the unwanted installed apps afterwards, but it is not as clean and it does not recover as much space as «Plan A».

 

[Nermal]

I don't think there is a custom option anymore. Several of the bundled apps like GarageBand and iMovie are now distributed through the App Store and are not part of the base install*, and I think that printer drivers are also distributed via download. I'm not sure how much you can clean out without "hacking" around in the installer.

*To head off any nitpicking: Yes, I know that these were technically not part of the OS, but they were still included on the grey "OEM" install DVDs and installed though the same installer.

 

[simonsi]

P.s. Yes, «Plan B» could remove the unwanted installed apps afterwards, but it is not as clean and it does not recover as much space as «Plan A».

How critical is it to recover every last byte of space? Seriously after you've removed Garageband and iMovie it is a very rapidly-declining return for the time investment - and I used to run a 64GB MBA...

 

[fisherking]

forget about removing contacts, or chess. IF you have garageband, go into HD>Library>Audio, and remove the apple loops. then go to HD>Library>Application Support, and remove any garageband files there. those 2 things should remove a couple of gigs...

you could also run Monolingual (find the latest version), and remove all foreign language files... if you disable (temporarily) SIP, then run monolingual, you can get rid of more files. while you're there (SIP disabled), delete all the Voices in the folder in System>Library>Speech. (remember to re-enable SIP when you're done).

before doing any of this, backup first.

u can also empty the User library Cache folder regularly...

 

[dsemf]

Assuming that you will want a browser, keep Safari (20MB), don't install Chrome (345MB) or Firefox (118MB).

DS

 

[Matra V12]

So I assume that it is not possible anymore to customize OS X at installation.

Thank you all

 

[hallux]

So I assume that it is not possible anymore to customize OS X at installation.

Thank you all

It is not. To piggyback on what @Nermal said. Apps like Pages, Numbers and Keynote are not included when you install a clean OS, despite being included in the build from the factory (speaking of OS X/macOS since Yosemite here).

 

[brownbird]

Pure curiosity... if you don't install Safari how are you going to download your browser of choice?

 

[Bart Kela]

Pure curiosity... if you don't install Safari how are you going to download your browser of choice?

You can always download the installer on another machine, move it over with a USB thumb drive.

That said, the Safari.app in the Applications folder is only 20 megabytes. But one shouldn't delete Safari, it's really part of the operating system and other Safari parts and components are sprayed around in system folders. At one point, the Help documentation system relied on Safari, not sure if that is the case, but something to consider.

Google Chrome currently takes up 174 megabytes, so there would be a net loss of disk space anyhow if the OP uses a different browser like Chrome. Some Google software sprays other files around the system folders.

Deleting Mail.app doesn't do much either, it's only 20 megabytes as well.

More importantly, not configuring iCloud will save some disk space as a lot of files are cached locally.

And don't use other cloud services. No Dropbox, no Google Drive, no Microsoft OneDrive, none of that. They all cache data locally.

Don't install iTunes or use it. The library files can get big and it will download and cache album art.

The wisest course of action would be to retain the applications that are installed by the base system installation but never use them.

 

[Matra V12]

Pure curiosity... if you don't install Safari how are you going to download your browser of choice?

We have a few other computers in our studio for that.
The idea is to give this old iMac a second life to become a dedicated Photoshop. I am no geek, but expérience demonstrated that the less unnessesary softwares, drivers, fonts, update reminders, and other CPU consuming distractions, the more efficient the computer is.

I have just replace the dead HDD with a spare SSD and +4Gb of RAM, and it is already a bomb. But space is tight for large files.
[doublepost=1510948616][/doublepost]Than

You can always download the installer on another machine, move it over with a USB thumb drive.

That said, the Safari.app in the Applications folder is only 20 megabytes. But one shouldn't delete Safari, it's really part of the operating system and other components are sprayed around in system folders.

Google Chrome currently takes up 174 megabytes, so there would be a net loss of disk space anyhow if the OP uses a different browser like Chrome. Some Google software sprays other files around the system folders.

Deleting Mail.app doesn't do much either, it's only 20 megabytes as well.

Not configuring iCloud will save some disk space as a lot of files are cached locally.

Don't install iTunes or use it. The library files can get big and it will download and cache album art.

The wisest course of action would be to retain the applications that are installed by the base system but never use them.

Thanks, I will probably do that.

 

[brownbird]

Download and run Monolingual too, periodically. You can claim back some disk space by removing languages and legacy architectures from the installed apps and base os.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

There are apps that simply can't be deleted, as they're considered integral to the OS. Safari is one of them. The code is used by other apps for purposes that have nothing to do with web browsing, so it has to be present.

The notion of removing "unnecessary features" to improve performance is an old one. As OSes have evolved, they've become more tightly integrated, with a lot of shared code to prevent bloat. The result is it's harder to pick apart.

 

[Matra V12]

There are apps that simply can't be deleted, as they're considered integral to the OS. Safari is one of them. The code is used by other apps for purposes that have nothing to do with web browsing, so it has to be present.

The notion of removing "unnecessary features" to improve performance is an old one. As OSes have evolved, they've become more tightly integrated, with a lot of shared code to prevent bloat. The result is it's harder to pick apart.

Understood.
In the link I refered to, clayj's step by step instructions, it was just a matter of CHECK or UNCHECK your options. We cannot stop progress...

 

[NoBoMac]

Re: monolingual: make sure you have a clone of the system and or be prepared to possibly re-install all over again. Seem to recall a thread a few years ago where someone got overzealous with their clean-up. Deleted what appeared to be an innocuous package (Chinese base or similar; since user was not Chinese, did not need) but that was needed for some core Apple functionality.

 

[brownbird]

Re: monolingual: make sure you have a clone of the system and or be prepared to possibly re-install all over again. Seem to recall a thread a few years ago where someone got overzealous with their clean-up. Deleted what appeared to be an innocuous package (Chinese base or similar; since user was not Chinese, did not need) but that was needed for some core Apple functionality.

Wow, I've never done that in several years of using Monolingual. I can't fathom why a Chinese package would be needed on a US English machine... but yes, definitely proceed with caution.

 

[fisherking]

Wow, I've never done that in several years of using Monolingual. I can't fathom why a Chinese package would be needed on a US English machine... but yes, definitely proceed with caution.

here too, no issue, ever. and i delete everything except US english. also, did u see my suggestions above?

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-unwanted-apps-and-all.2089092/#post-25481326

 

[Bart Kela]

Re: monolingual: make sure you have a clone of the system and or be prepared to possibly re-install all over again. Seem to recall a thread a few years ago where someone got overzealous with their clean-up. Deleted what appeared to be an innocuous package (Chinese base or similar; since user was not Chinese, did not need) but that was needed for some core Apple functionality.

Sounds like a pretty fishy story.

You are vaguely recalling a story from years ago told by someone else about something that might have happened if the storyteller was truthful and knew what they were doing.

Or more likely the storyteller didn't know what he/she was doing, screwed something up, didn't know what happened and blamed it on a third-party utility instead of him/herself.

I think the latter is more likely.

I've been using Monolingual for years without issue and yes, I always delete everything except English and American English resources (the application default).