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iOS If I delete Xcode, could I lose my projects?

M

moonman239

Cancelled
Original poster
Mar 27, 2009
1,541
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I tried updating Xcode, but the update failed. I want to delete Xcode, but I don't want to lose my projects without having backed them up first. It probably would be a good idea to back them up, but I don't want to have to do so.
 
Last edited:
If you've never backed up your project before, now is a good time.

If you have backed them up before but not recently, now is a good time.

If you've backed them up recently, but you're unsure if you've made any changes, now is a good time.

I honestly can't think of a good reason not to back them up now. All I can think of are foolish reasons like impatience or laziness.

If you lack the backup storage space, then that's something you should fix before doing a backup. Only after backing up would I even consider an Xcode update. I realize you've already done that, which means you've already put the cart before the horse. Unexpected things can go wrong in any update, where the best solution is a restore from a backup.
 
moonman239 said:
I tried updating Xcode, but the update failed. I want to delete Xcode, but I don't want to lose my projects without having backed them up first. It probably would be a good idea to back them up, but I don't want to have to do so.
Click to expand...

Don't bother to back up anything. Just boot from an OS X install DVD, run disk utility, and erase your hard disk. That way you won't lose anything when your hard drive eventually fails.

There are those who have experienced hard drive failure, and those who haven't experienced it yet. It sounds like you are in the second category.

If you back up regularly, you can recover from a hard drive failure quickly and easily. If not, see the first part of my post to get a jump on your future experience.
 
Deleting the program won't delete the projects. They'll just be sitting in whatever folders you left them in.

That said, you should always back up your code regularly. GitHub is good for this, though a regular flash drive is good too. :D
 
Certificates and provisions can be requested again, Xcode can be downloaded again,
and Apple will happily sell you another Mac.
As far as I'm aware you can smash your Mac as long as your project folder is on an SD card correct?
 
Duncan C said:
Don't bother to back up anything. Just boot from an OS X install DVD, run disk utility, and erase your hard disk. That way you won't lose anything when your hard drive eventually fails.

There are those who have experienced hard drive failure, and those who haven't experienced it yet.
Click to expand...

What reason is there to actually erase your internal hard disk?
Just to force the Mac to boot it's OS from an externally connected drive?
You can set the startup disk, so I'm not sure that would be the reason.
Maybe the Mac puts the external drive to sleep then, and it stops producing
any heat inside that small case.

I read that, first, from the point of view that if it all went to hell I could get
another Mac mini fairly cheaply, but it occurred to me that if only the internal
HDD failed, I don't have anything to copy Mac OS from, so I went ahead and
got a SATA adapter, and now have that bootable clone drive :)

Still don't seey why deleting the internal one is a good idea.
Looks like Macs with USB 2.0 only boot Windows 7/8 from the internal drive.
 
dejo said:
I believe the reason is: sarcasm! :D
Click to expand...

I suspected that, but there are close to viable reasons to disable the internal
drive if you were only running Mac OS because the PSU in in that same case
as the SATA drive in that small Mac mini case. You might achieve a lower temp.
Deleting it would be a bit extreme.
 
xArtx said:
What reason is there to actually erase your internal hard disk?
Just to force the Mac to boot it's OS from an externally connected drive?
You can set the startup disk, so I'm not sure that would be the reason.
Maybe the Mac puts the external drive to sleep then, and it stops producing
any heat inside that small case.

I read that, first, from the point of view that if it all went to hell I could get
another Mac mini fairly cheaply, but it occurred to me that if only the internal
HDD failed, I don't have anything to copy Mac OS from, so I went ahead and
got a SATA adapter, and now have that bootable clone drive :)

Still don't seey why deleting the internal one is a good idea.
Looks like Macs with USB 2.0 only boot Windows 7/8 from the internal drive.
Click to expand...


My post was OOZING with sarcasm. The point was that if you're not going to back up your data, you might as well just proactively erase it all and get a jump on your eventual destiny.
 
Duncan C said:
My post was OOZING with sarcasm. The point was that if you're not going to back up your data, you might as well just proactively erase it all and get a jump on your eventual destiny.
Click to expand...

The computer that I use automatically backs up my data to a hard drive, via Time Machine, now that the backup functionality has been restored.
 
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