New Mac User, some quick questions...

[Crb]

Hey folks, I am expecting to receive my first ever Mac today (27" i5 iMac) and I couldn't be more excited to finally be a part of the cult. I was never really dis-satified being a (mostly) windows user but it just felt like the right time for a change. Anyway, I know quite a bit about OSX as I have been running it as part of a dual boot solution for close to a year on a :gasp: hackintosh, but I have just a few questions in preparations for my new baby arriving today.

1. Is there any benefit to doing a complete format/reinstall with OSX on a brand spankin new iMac? I have read conflicting reports on this forum so any reasons as to why or why-not would also be appreciated.

2. I plan on using bootcamp and dual-booting Windows 7 once the proper bootcamp drivers are finally released (I could do it before but I am in no rush) for a few games but more importantly, for my ZuneHD (I wish Microsoft would just make Zune software for OSX ). I also own a 32gb iPod touch but I absolutely love my ZuneHD especially with Microsoft's subscription service. My question is pretty simple, I would like my music collection to be accessible between both Windows 7 (in the Zune software) and OSX (in iTunes) on my new machine. Is there anyway to accomplish that without actually having to store my collection twice (once on each partition)? I know that OSX can read NTFS partitions but I wasn't sure if I could point iTunes directly to that folder for its music (and keep its database on the mac drive obviously since it cant write NTFS).

2a. If I somehow can store my music only on my NTFS partition and have both accessing it correctly, is there anyway to use time-machine to automatically backup those files as well (since I have a 1tb external HD that I will be using for TM).

Thanks ahead of time for any responses.

Update: As I was typing this, it arrived!

 

[miles01110]

1. Is there any benefit to doing a complete format/reinstall with OSX on a brand spankin new iMac? I have read conflicting reports on this forum so any reasons as to why or why-not would also be appreciated.

You have a bit more control over OS bloat if you do a clean install, but it's not really necessary.

 

[ABG]

Hey folks, I am expecting to receive my first ever Mac today (27" i5 iMac) and I couldn't be more excited to finally be a part of the cult. I was never really dis-satified being a (mostly) windows user but it just felt like the right time for a change. Anyway, I know quite a bit about OSX as I have been running it as part of a dual boot solution for close to a year on a :gasp: hackintosh, but I have just a few questions in preparations for my new baby arriving today.

1. Is there any benefit to doing a complete format/reinstall with OSX on a brand spankin new iMac? I have read conflicting reports on this forum so any reasons as to why or why-not would also be appreciated.

2. I plan on using bootcamp and dual-booting Windows 7 once the proper bootcamp drivers are finally released (I could do it before but I am in no rush) for a few games but more importantly, for my ZuneHD (I wish Microsoft would just make Zune software for OSX ). I also own a 32gb iPod touch but I absolutely love my ZuneHD especially with Microsoft's subscription service. My question is pretty simple, I would like my music collection to be accessible between both Windows 7 (in the Zune software) and OSX (in iTunes) on my new machine. Is there anyway to accomplish that without actually having to store my collection twice (once on each partition)? I know that OSX can read NTFS partitions but I wasn't sure if I could point iTunes directly to that folder for its music (and keep its database on the mac drive obviously since it cant write NTFS).

2a. If I somehow can store my music only on my NTFS partition and have both accessing it correctly, is there anyway to use time-machine to automatically backup those files as well (since I have a 1tb external HD that I will be using for TM).

Thanks ahead of time for any responses.

Update: As I was typing this, it arrived!

Congrats Always exciting getting a huge new computer.

I'm pretty sure you'll have to store the stuff twice (once on each OS), but I haven't tried it so its just a guess not a fact. I did a TM restore on my i7 of a OSX / XP dual system iMac and only the OSX stuff came up (which was what I expected TBH).

Just on thing - please don't join the "cult" - you'll have to post how you are a software expert and hate "M$" / "Windblows" / "Windoze" and sneer at everyone who says anything other than how much they love Apple. What this site needs more of IMO is people who can appreciate the pluses of different systems without trying to crush everyone else.

 

[Crb]

Just on thing - please don't join the "cult" - you'll have to post how you are a software expert and hate "M$" / "Windblows" / "Windoze" and sneer at everyone who says anything other than how much they love Apple. What this site needs more of IMO is people who can appreciate the pluses of different systems without trying to crush everyone else.

haha...thanks for the response. Being someone who works on Windows all day and Macs all night, I think I can stay safely outside that box.

For the bootcamp issue, as great as it would be to simply allow time machine to backup my music within bootcamp, according to this thread, it simply won't work

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/391445/