Mountain Lion and Clean Install, and then TM?

[MagicThief83]

When ML is released, is it preferable to install the update over Lion? Or is it better to wipe the HD, and perform a fresh install through a bootable USB? What are the advantages of clean installing versus installing over Lion? Also, if one clean installs the ML, but then uses a Time Machine back up to transfer settings, does that defeat the purpose of a clean install? Should the system be set up new or is it ok to use a TM backup to reconfigure the system? Thanks!

 

[Lance-AR]

All of those options will work . I believe Migrating from a TM backup after a fresh install is a little step back. I will do a fresh install and manually restoring specific data.

 

[markrox7]

All of those options will work . I believe Migrating from a TM backup after a fresh install is a little step back. I will do a fresh install and manually restoring specific data.

I was thinking of doing this. I have a time machine backup, so I wanted to clean install ML, and then restore my important files (iTunes and iPhoto libraries, etc.) All my files are on Dropbox, so I'd only get some apps and other stuff from my Time Machine backup. I want to do a clean install because I have a lot of junk files I want to get rid of quickly. I wouldn't have to manually restore much from my backup because like I said, my files are on Dropbox, and I'd only restore a few, important, things.

Any downside to doing this?

 

[eagandale4114]

Also, if one clean installs the ML, but then uses a Time Machine back up to transfer settings, does that defeat the purpose of a clean install? Should the system be set up new or is it ok to use a TM backup to reconfigure the system? Thanks!

Yes, it defeats the purpose of clean installing.

 

[jnl1211]

I did a wipe from 4 to GM. TM didn't see any of my backups so I had to manually copy stuff I wanted over from my backup folders.