My New iMac Plan... Help?

[Locker]

In two days time I will own my first ever iMac. Once I boot into Tiger I plan on inserting my Up-To-Date DVD right away. Once the computer restarts and the installer comes up, I'm looking to go into "Utilities > Disk Utility" and then re-format the entire drive with single pass zeroing (formatting as Mac OS Extended - Journaled). Then I will proceed to install a fresh copy of Leopard.

First off, is this possible with the "Up-To-Date" DVD? Or does it only let you upgrade?

If it is possible, then once Leopard is installed I'll want to put iLife 08 back on, and only iLife 08. I believe that this is on the second "system restore" disc you get? How would I go about installing iLife 08 onto my fresh copy of leopard from this disc?

Any help would be greatly appreciated as always

 

[Sped]

From your post you sound like you've come from the land of windows. Although nothing you mentioned is incorrect or invalid, none of the safety precautions are required. There's no reason to zero the hard drive. You speak of installing iLife only. Why? There are quite a few utilities and other interesting apps that you get when you purchase a mac. At the same time, it's not the same experience at all as buying a Dell, Gateway, HP, etc. You won't get multiple ISPs trying to sell you something. You won't have a desktop full of clutter and junk (bloatware). You can do what you like, but if my original suspicion is correct, my advice to you would be to relax. There is no registry to screw up. There won't be any viruses or other malware. You won't have to defrag every week and do a clean install every 6 months. You're getting a Mac. Enjoy!

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

First empty your Windows cup, then do a straight upgrade to Leopard.

 

[Locker]

Can someone confirm 100% to me that an Archive & Install installs a FRESH copy of Leopard... Or does it simply overwrite Tiger? In which case it'll probably leave the odd redundant file...

Also, my Apps such as iLife will be in the "Previous System" folder right? Would I simply need to drag it across into Leopards Apps folder and then delete the "Previous System" folder all together?

 

[skubish]

OSX doesn't leave the odd redundant file. Just archive and install and relax.

 

[slu]

1. You cannot use an "Up to Date DVD" to do a clean install of Leopard (or at least you couldn't do it with the Tiger Up to Date DVD). Tiger will be required to use that disk.

2. You are making this unnecessarily complicated. Simply plug the iMac, go through the setup process, then upgrade to Leopard. This will work fantastically. I said Upgrade, not Archive and Install.

3. Once Leopard is installed, copy your data over and enjoy!

 

[Sun Baked]

The Up-to-date and Drop In DVDs only contain the OS upgrade.

Anything beyond that, and you will need to reinstall the apps off the iMac Restore DVDs.

Even the retail Mac OS X DVDs do not contain anything beyond the OS.

So you will have Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard (includes Time Machine, Quick Look, Spaces, Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat, Safari, Address Book, QuickTime, iCal, DVD Player, Photo Booth, Xcode Developer Tools)

Not Included in Leopard ...

And the restore DVD will need to be used for iLife ’08 (includes iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, GarageBand) iWork ’08 (30-day trial) Front Row & Photo Booth

 

[Locker]

Right, well I'd like basically a fresh copy of Leopard with JUST iLife on, no Microsoft trials or other bloatware. So, if I do an archive and install and then simply drag the iLife Apps across from the "Previous System" folder in to my current Applications folder, will that just work? And then I can delete my "Previous System" folder?

 

[Sun Baked]

Right, well I'd like basically a fresh copy of Leopard with JUST iLife on, no Microsoft trials or other bloatware. So, if I do an archive and install and then simply drag the iLife Apps across from the "Previous System" folder in to my current Applications folder, will that just work? And then I can delete my "Previous System" folder?

It would be easier to just drag the programs you don't want to the trash, since not all files can be cherry picked.

MS Office trial and iWork are easy to get rid of. Or you can just can just right click and compress/archive them in case you might need them later.

But there isn't alot of trial ware left ...

NOTE: if you get things in the wrong folder, take them out of their folders, or rename folders or apps, software update like won't work for those applications anymore.

 

[janitorC7]

let me try to summerize

there is no trialware (with the exception of MS office and iWork)

Both of these (if you dont want iwork) just need to be dragged to the trash.

welcome to the same system that you would have if you had wiped your hard drive and done a fresh install.

Again, on a mac, there is no need because in our world, there is no pre-installed trial ware, no 2 million ISP's trying to get you. or anything like that

just insert your disk, drag MS office to the trash, try out iwork, and enjoy your new virus free world full of ultra fast computing.

JC7

 

[byocrysis]

it only comes with a leopard dvd

I recently purchased a new Al iMac a week ago. My iMac came preinstalled with 10.4 and the only piece of software that came with it was a Leopard DVD, which I immediately installed. So I am assuming if I ever want to reformat it, that is the only thing that I will need.

 

[Locker]

It would be easier to just drag the programs you don't want to the trash, since not all files can be cherry picked.

That's confusing. I don't think I quite understand what Archive & Install does then... Does it put the applications you had installed on Tiger back into Leopard? I thought it gave you a fresh copy of Leopard but copied all of your Apps into a "Previous System" folder, hence why I thought you could drag them back out into Leopard Applications folder...

 

[emptyCup]

Right, well I'd like basically a fresh copy of Leopard with JUST iLife on, no Microsoft trials or other bloatware.

Friend, take off the bulletproof vest, unlock the windows and let the sunshine in. No bloatware, adware or crapware comes with the Mac. There is a Microsoft Office trial and an iWork trial. Trash them if you wish. Just update to Leopard. Customize the install to leave out languages and printer drivers you don't need. That's it. Really.

 

[Eddiestein]

I don't know if the up-to-date disc is the same as the "CPU Drop-In" disc that's included when you buy a new AL iMac. If it is, you will need Tiger to be installed on the system, BUT the installer gives you the option to do an "erase and install" (provided Tiger is on the machine).

Eddie

 

[slu]

PLEASE, just do an upgrade. Just do it before you add any data and if you don't want the iWork Trial or Office Trial, then, as others have said, drag them from the applications folder to the trash and empty your trash before you upgrade.

To be blunt, doing anything else, on a brand new machine, is a complete and utter waste of time. This is a Mac, not a Windows machine.

 

[Sun Baked]

PLEASE, just do an upgrade. Just do it before you add any data and if you don't want the iWork Trial or Office Trial, then, as others have said, drag them from the applications folder to the trash and empty your trash before you upgrade.

To be blunt, doing anything else, on a brand new machine, is a complete and utter waste of time. This is a Mac, not a Windows machine.

Add to that.

If you want to start making it more complicated ... please read the "Changing a tire with a shotgun" thread.

 

[kflook]

That's confusing. I don't think I quite understand what Archive & Install does then... Does it put the applications you had installed on Tiger back into Leopard? I thought it gave you a fresh copy of Leopard but copied all of your Apps into a "Previous System" folder, hence why I thought you could drag them back out into Leopard Applications folder...

An archive & install, does not do anything to your applications. It just replaces the operating system. It gives you a fresh copy of Leopard, the old Tiger files are in a "Previous Systems" folder. You can just drag it to the trash.

You have no need to archive & install on a new machine. An upgrade will do fine.

 

[Locker]

I just think that a plain upgrade will leave some parts of Tiger behind, I mean out of the thousands of changes made surly some stone must be unturned? Or that some Tiger files which aren't used in Leopard just get left out? I'm sure even if that's the case it's no cause for concern what so ever, but I'm just picky and like to have a clean slate.

Could I not just pop in disc one of my Tiger system disc and click "Install Bundled Applications Only" and then drag office and iLife trials into the trash? Maybe I shouldn't, but could I?

 

[Sun Baked]

Could I not just pop in disc one of my Tiger system disc and click "Install Bundled Applications Only" and then drag office and iLife trials into the trash? Maybe I shouldn't, but could I?

iLife isn't a trial app. You get the full copy.

The trials are iWork and Office.

---

Just do an erase and install and then add back iLife ’08 (includes iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, GarageBand) Front Row & Photo Booth

Just remember this isn't part of the OS, since there are lots of thread of why they cannot find these apps after an erase and install.

---

And zeroing out the drive is useful, since this is when the bad sectors are locked out -- i think.

 

[Locker]

Thanks for that Sun Baked. I meant iWork, it's getting late here...

Really the only thing I'd like to know is whether I can easily install iLife back onto my iMac via the Tiger system disc(s). With that knowledge I'll apply zero out my HDD with Disk Utility and install a fresh copy of Leopard. Even if it's thought to be a bit OTT.

Thanks for everyone's help so far

 

[pubjoe]

I'm sure even if that's the case it's no cause for concern what so ever, but I'm just picky and like to have a clean slate.

There is no cause for concern... An imac is your "clean slate".

Honestly, just upgrade straight away as everyone is saying, otherwise you will just be formatting 1.4, and then re-installing it for no reason whatsoever - and then upgrading to leopard.

Just to clarify something that you may not be used to - Software on the mac does not install a load of junk and nonsense all over your OS, you can happily bin the office trial if you want and it will be gone. Done.

I replaced my desktop PC with an imac last week.

 

[ScottFitz]

I have a year old imac running tiger then did the simple upgrade to leopard. No hiccups at all. Smoothly running machine that seems to have suffered zero performance hits.

 

[Sped]

Even the retail Mac OS X DVDs do not contain anything beyond the OS.

That's not quite true. When you boot the retail install DVD, you also can launch Disk Utility and a handful of (like 3 other) apps to perform utilities. I can't remember, but I believe System Profiler is there as well.

I don't know about the drop in DVD as I've never bought a Mac in that situation.

 

[czachorski]

Thanks for that Sun Baked. I meant iWork, it's getting late here...

Really the only thing I'd like to know is whether I can easily install iLife back onto my iMac via the Tiger system disc(s). With that knowledge I'll apply zero out my HDD with Disk Utility and install a fresh copy of Leopard. Even if it's thought to be a bit OTT.

Thanks for everyone's help so far

There are a lot of people encouraging you to just upgrade in this thread, but I understand your desire to want a fresh/clean install. I was in your exact same shoes when my iMac arrived and I received the up to date Leopard discs. I chose to do an archive and install, which is a clean install of the OS, but it leaves your applications folder and user stuff in tact, thereby preserving all of your applications and initial user setup. This eliminated the need to re-install iLife '08. I then trashed the iWork and MS Office trials, as others have described. There is no need to "drag your iLife applications back from the previous system folder" with an archive and install - they will be right in your application folder, just like before the archive and install.

You can definitely do a zeroing of the drive on an erase and install if you would like. The option is definitely there with the up to date discs for Leopard. After the erase and install, the iLife apps can be installed from the Tiger discs - there is an install shortcut on the discs called "install bundled software only" that will walk you through the iLife install. Just to make sure I am giving you accurate advise, I just popped in the Tiger disc that came with my iMac, launched the "install bundled software" and indeed, all of the iLife apps are in the installer. You have to chose "customized" from one of the screens, and you can unselect all of the Tiger apps like mail, safari, etc, and just check the iLife ones.

Really, you can't go wrong. An upgrade will most likely work flawlessly, as others are suggesting here. An archive and install will preserve your applications, and an erase and install is still very easy to install the iLife apps afterwords. There is no scenario where Apple will leave you hanging.

Congrats on your new iMac! You are going to love it, especially iLife. Post back here with your experiences and any questions. Welcome to the Mac community!