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RobT

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Dec 20, 2007
679
163
Ohio, USA
I've been running the GM since it was released on my MacBook Pro late '08. Just want to post a few thoughts as helpful advice (random thoughts) as well as to hopefully generate some excitement.

1. I'm really liking Mountain Lion a lot, NOT because of added features or new apps (like Reminders) but because it runs so well. I was all ready to look at getting new hardware because I was counting on Mountain Lion to drag...not so. Best OS performer in a long time. can keep my '08 MacBook Pro a little longer. Highly recommend this upgrade if for nothing else than the performance improvement. And at $19.99, why not?

2. The new dock is nice but not (at this time) easily changed (skinned). If someone knows of an app that allows changes to the dock appearance in ML, I'd love to hear about it. Apps like Dock Library don't work in ML.

3. Overall, app compatibility in my experience is great. Other than Dock Library, all the apps I'm bringing over from Lion work fine (with possible exception of Carbon Copy Cloner, which now has a paid upgrade. Current (not upgraded) version of CCC seems to work, but I can't guarantee it).

4. Do a clean install. Clean install works just like Lion EXCEPT won't fit on standard DVD (need dual layer this time). I personally use USB stick (8GB) and it works like a charm. Use app Lion Diskmaker if you need help with this process (found here: http://blog.gete.net/lion-diskmaker-us/http://blog.gete.net/lion-diskmaker-us/

5. Try Safari (again). If you've been using Chrome or other browser (like I have) use the version of Safari that comes with ML (at least give it a try). I'm not a real Safari fan but have found it runs much smoother than Chrome in ML. Future updates to Chrome may change all this but for now Safari is the best running browser in my experience on ML.

6. Rejoice that LaunchPad doesn't keep screwing up app order anymore after a reboot.

7. Rejoice that mouse tracking speed with the Magic Mouse doesn't need Magic Prefs anymore to work worth a crap.

8. Get excited that your (even older) computer will run great (at least a lot more smoothly) again and the update is coming your way tomorrow.
 

mogwat

macrumors newbie
Jul 7, 2011
24
0
SMB broke....again.

Loaded ML up yesterday and everything I expected to work worked plus some. One or two didn't but I expect an update on release day will fix those. HOWEVER, I haven't had a chance to delve deeply into the reason but I can no longer connect to my Windows Home Server Shares!! How freakin' difficult can this be Apple! Either fix it properly or release a Mac I can stick 8TB of Hard Drives in!
 

eagandale4114

macrumors 65816
May 20, 2011
1,011
1
Thanks for all the info! When you say to do a clean install, what exactly do you mean by that? Save and restore all your user data, reinstall all your apps, that kind of thing?

Create bootable USB disk. Reformat hard drive. Erase all data on the main partition. Then install. Then manually move over data. DO NOT USE TIME MACHINE for the last step.
 

cambookpro

macrumors 604
Feb 3, 2010
7,228
3,365
United Kingdom
Create bootable USB disk. Reformat hard drive. Erase all data on the main partition. Then install. Then manually move over data. DO NOT USE TIME MACHINE for the last step.

I don't think this is necessary. Sure, if you have the time then it may be useful to clear out old and unused plists/prefs, but it's not like we're upgrading Windows ;)
I've always just upgraded with no problems.
 

Nermal

Moderator
Staff member
Dec 7, 2002
21,007
4,588
New Zealand
HOWEVER, I haven't had a chance to delve deeply into the reason but I can no longer connect to my Windows Home Server Shares!!

What version of WHS are you running? I'm still on v1 and can still connect to my shares from both of my ML systems.
 

smirk

macrumors 6502a
Jul 18, 2002
694
56
Orange County, CA
Loaded ML up yesterday and everything I expected to work worked plus some. One or two didn't but I expect an update on release day will fix those. HOWEVER, I haven't had a chance to delve deeply into the reason but I can no longer connect to my Windows Home Server Shares!!

Are you upgrading from Lion or SL? Because Lion introduced some SMB issues that perhaps are just continued into ML.
 

Icaras

macrumors 603
Mar 18, 2008
6,344
3,394
This will be the first OSX upgrade in which i will not perform a clean install. I think I've been paranoid all these years, after having been with Windows for such a long time. Upgrading OS X shouldn't have to be like upgrading Windows. Apple has clearly designed the process to be as streamlined and painless as can be.

Come tomorrow, I'll upgrade, and restore data from my Time Capsule. Easy.

Edit: Oops, not restoring data. Just upgrading.
 
Last edited:

yaymath

macrumors regular
Jan 8, 2011
131
0
4. Do a clean install. Clean install works just like Lion EXCEPT won't fit on standard DVD (need dual layer this time). I personally use USB stick (8GB) and it works like a charm. Use app Lion Diskmaker if you need help with this process (found here: http://blog.gete.net/lion-diskmaker-us/http://blog.gete.net/lion-diskmaker-us/

Do you mean that the installation file is more than 4 GB? I really don't want to buy a new USB flash drive, because the one I have is 4 GB. And I think that the guide "Migrating to Mountain Lion" that someone posted on this forum says that 4 GB. Is it?
 

RobT

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Dec 20, 2007
679
163
Ohio, USA
Do you mean that the installation file is more than 4 GB? I really don't want to buy a new USB flash drive, because the one I have is 4 GB. And I think that the guide "Migrating to Mountain Lion" that someone posted on this forum says that 4 GB. Is it?

Yes, a little larger than 4GB.
 

Dorv

macrumors 6502
Feb 11, 2008
373
425
I experienced a significant hit to battery life when I upgraded to Lion on my Mid 2010 MBP.

Can anyone speak to the battery life I should expect comparatively under ML?
 

gumblecosby

macrumors 6502
Jun 22, 2010
300
6
Similar to Lion, you will see mdworker (spotlight) run for a while to index your files. It will calm down after a period of time.
 

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modoCosmo

macrumors newbie
Jul 24, 2012
15
3
I used to run Windows machines and always performed clean installs..... However since i used Macs (since Panther) i have only once clean upgraded and since Snow Leopard i havent bothered and to be honest never noticed a difference....

I think all this clean upgrade advice is given by paranoid ex Windows users.......
 
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