Nothing like a clean install...

[Cheese]

I want to do a clean install of OS10.2. I do not have a CD burner, so I will have to save my backup preferences and such on 120mb SuperDisk (Imation). Where can I go to find out what backups are essential. should I just forget about saving anything, cut my losses, and just go for the clean install?

 

[melchior]

well.... when i do a clean install, i go through and collect the files in /users/myusername/library/ that i want. mostly small things like bookmarks, stickies database, etc... my mail is usually the real killer...

 

[Cheese]

Thank you Mel... I am wondering if there other members who might like to add their thoughts to this? I could use any help that I can find. Is there a place to go where I can get very specific instructions on how to accomplish a painless and efficient transition from clogged 10gb HD to clean install of new OS10.2? Perhaps this could be accomplished as some sort of 3rd party app? just a (brainless) thought on my part. I don't even know how much time I will need to set aside to devote to this, and since I write for a major magazine, I will be against my deadline-- again!!. I need to know how to make sure that there will be no problem with my dial up isp and with mail. I want to use AW6.2.7, and iT4 (couldn't open file after downloaading..error 50!), and the newest version of OSX., so I must be able to include time needed to download these programs. I really appreciate any response to this... (even silly or insincere responses will be welcome!)

 

[melchior]

there are certainly 3rd party apps, but you don't have the disk space...

i will give you a few more hints and pointers....

in mail, your inboxes are not stored as mbox format and won't be read again without some annoying tinkering. on the other hand, folders are picked up instantly and easily. so move all you mail from the inboxes (don't forget the sent boxes too) to folders then copy the 'Mailboxes' folder.

most of os x files that you want don't need to be re-imported again, but be careful. i have been known on occasion to make a list of apps and then make sure that i have the data from that app that i need.

i personally find it easier just to go through the library folder and take what i want, but you may find this first solution better if you're not sure what you are looking for.

if you are worried about your isp, just write down the details now... and you do realise that by doing a clean install you have to download all the updates again, right?! that's quite a bit of time for dial-up.

i will just give you the example of how i would back-up say safari. very simple example. i hope you don't feel patronised or anything ;-)

go through finder to /users/myusername/library/safari/ in there you will see a number of files, just copy bookmarks, or the others too if you want them. then on your new system, download safari, install safari, copy your old file over the new one and replace it. it's that easy.

if you have other questions i will tell you what i can... or wait for others...

 

[Cheese]

Mel.. Much appreciate the help, and no patronising is felt on my end, just thankful for response. I have always made life morre difficult for myself than neccesary, so I always find myself thinking in terms from WIN3.1 or even the old TRS-DOS days. There is a lot of "unlearning" to be done still. Thanks to the world of Apple for making life a bit easier. I will try to get all of my backups ready using the example you gave an perhaps by friday or Saturday, I will be caught up with my assignments enough to have a go at the clean install. Wish me luck and keep suggestions coming... I hope that this thread will be as helpful to others as it has been to me.

 

[Mblazened]

do yourself a favor and invest in an real external drive. Saves big hassles, should you overlook something by just picking out files one by one.

But mel's advice of backing up the user/library folder is good. This contains most relevant preferences. To write down the isp info is good advice, too.

my library folder tops out at 400+ mb, so you will likely need a few discs (or superdisks or whatever).

 

[nixd2001]

Having just had a kernel panic last week, leaving my main MacHD in totally trashed state, I re-installed on to a new disc over the weekend. Mucho tedious. Turns out the disc I chose from the local shop (Baracude IV 80GB) was exactly the same as the original main HD Apple installed - one of us must have taste then. The original main disc was moved to a different slot inside the case and the new HD put in its place in case this made a difference to booting order - couldn't be bothered to find out the painful way whether this mattered or not.

Mail: copied over gradually. Not too painful, but most folder groups needed their own attention. Getting mail back was crucial to getting emails with keys for Thoth, QT Pro, etc.

Key chains: dragged the file over and linked into to new chain. No real hassles.

iTunes: Edit the core XML file to reflect the new location of the files and iTunes imported them all. Crucially different to letting iTunes find just MP3 files because it also bought over my ratings and collections (folders, groups, whatever).

Address book: BT zapped the P800 back to the Mac. If iSync properly understood the phone it would have been even easier.

Yanked loads of DMG files and all sorts of other dev kit. Thank God for cable modems on 300MB DevKit files

Safari: not tried to move bookmarks yet.

iPhoto: not tried to move photos yet.

Thoth: not tried yet.

I had lots of pain getting the install CDs to boot from CD. Dunno if this is because I changed the HDs into different slots (confusing the NVRAM) or whether it wanted to see some semblence of the original install, but this phase took the most effort (and most frustration). I think (not certain) that the reset-nvram and set-defaults and then reset-all in the Open Firmware console was the key stage to getting this going (Alt-Option-O-F on boot to get to the prompt), but would have thought that just getting a boot from CD shouldn't have cared about HD state - had no problems getting the hardware test CD to run though.

Software update immediately opened with the combo offering once installed. Again, cable modems (or fast 'net connections in general) are rather useful here.

But the new 23" Cinema display with aesthetically matching H/K soundsticks provides compensation - glorious display!

Plus I do get a vague feeling of having things a bit better set up this time around. This beasty (DP 1GHz MDD PM) is my first Apple, so there was a bit of cruft accumulating from experiments. Of course, I'd have planned a bit more carefully if I knew I was going to do a re-install, rather than the mess I had last Thursday during the 1st coffee of the day.

hope there's some useful comments here.

 

[Cheese]

Nixd, Thanks for the reply. I am always happy and anxious to hear form others about their deliberations with the protocol of a clean install. I will likely be glued to the KBD this weekend in hopes that there will be enough Guinness in the icebox to see me through it all! If not, Fosters is awaiting my consumption.