OS X Reinstallation Q - Just to be Sure...

[newellj]

I know this is probably a stupid question...but I'd like to be really sure about what happens next.

The computer is an early 2015 13" rMBP that came with 10.10.2 installed and is still running 10.10.2.

The goal is to wipe the disk to eliminate some Adobe misbehaviors and wind up with a clean, virgin installation of 10.10.2. All the data I need is backed up and copied (both) on external drives and I've logged out of/deactivated/uninstalled programs that need that done.

The Apple support pages say the following with respect to which version will be installed in OS X Recovery mode:

Which version of OS X is installed by OS X Recovery?​

• • • If you use the Recovery System stored on your startup drive to reinstall OS X, it installs the most recent version of OS X previously installed on this computer.
    • If you use Internet Recovery to reinstall OS X, it installs the version of OS X that originally came with your computer. After installation is finished, use the Mac App Store to install related updates or later versions of OS X that you have previously purchased.

It looks like using either the non-internet recovery method or Internet Recovery will both have the same result, a clean, virgin installation of 10.10.2 - yes/no? By the way, don't both need a wifi connection?

If I use the first method, do I need to use Disk Utility to manually erase the disk first? I believe that's true, but confirmation would be great.

Thanks for your time.

 

[Weaselboy]

In either case you will need to use Disk Util to erase the drive if you want a clean install.

In your case, since the machine came with Yosemite, a reinstall from Internet recovery or regular recovery will both give you Yosemite.

 

[newellj]

In either case you will need to use Disk Util to erase the drive if you want a clean install.

In your case, since the machine came with Yosemite, a reinstall from Internet recovery or regular recovery will both give you Yosemite.

Thanks - wanted to make sure I stay with 10.10.2. Looks like it sorts this way:

If you want to repair the OS, don't erase the disk - data and settings stay in place
If you need to eliminate other issues, erase the disk - start from scratch

If you want to restore the last version installed, use local recovery
If you want to restore the first version installed, use Internet Recovery
(In this case, there would be no difference, since it came with 10.10.2 and that is what is/was installed prior to reinstallation.)

 

[Weaselboy]

If you do either recovery today you will get Yosemite 10.10.3. When Apple says "version" they mean like 10.8 or 10.9 for example. But you will always get the most recent point version.

So if your Mac came with 10.10.1 for example, and you do recovery today, you will get 10.10.3 since that is the latest point release.

 

[newellj]

If you do either recovery today you will get Yosemite 10.10.3. When Apple says "version" they mean like 10.8 or 10.9 for example. But you will always get the most recent point version.

So if your Mac came with 10.10.1 for example, and you do recovery today, you will get 10.10.3 since that is the latest point release.

Hmmm, not good. I want to stay on .2. So would the only ways to stay on .2 would be:

1) do an in-place repair (without erasing the disk) and hope for the best from the four different Adobe licensing/management schemes that were misbehaving, or

2) install from the 10.10.2 USB installer that I was lucky enough to make while .2 was the current version?

I assume that if I erase the disk and use the USB installer I will get a clean, virgin installation of 10.10.2...

 

[Weaselboy]

If you do a downloaded reinstall today you will get 10.10.3 no matter what.

The only way you will get 10.10.2 is if you have it on USB like you mentioned.

 

[newellj]

If you do a downloaded reinstall today you will get 10.10.3 no matter what.

The only way you will get 10.10.2 is if you have it on USB like you mentioned.

Apologies for being dense, then - so either recovery method is going to download a new (the latest) copy of the OS X installer? So unless we're talking about, say, 10.10 vs. 10.9 (assuming we were talking about a machine that had originally had Mavericks installed), there's no difference between the two recovery methods?

 

[Weaselboy]

Apologies for being dense, then - so either recovery method is going to download a new (the latest) copy of the OS X installer? So unless we're talking about, say, 10.10 vs. 10.9 (assuming we were talking about a machine that had originally had Mavericks installed), there's no difference between the two recovery methods?

In your case, since the machine came with Yosemite, that is correct... there is no difference in the end result. Both will get you 10.10.3.

Like you said, if your machine came with 10.9 then you had updated to 10.10, then it would be different.

 

[newellj]

Thanks very much. I think I'll see how the various Adobe programs run. If they run OK, I'll probably leave things as they are until we get a stable version of 10.11. If not, I do have the option of using the 10.10.1 [edit: meant to type 10.10.2] USB installer - there should be no issues with that, correct? I just need to erase the disk before I use it, I assume.

 

[Weaselboy]

Thanks very much. I think I'll see how the various Adobe programs run. If they run OK, I'll probably leave things as they are until we get a stable version of 10.11. If not, I do have the option of using the 10.10.1 USB installer - there should be no issues with that, correct? I just need to erase the disk before I use it, I assume.

10.10.1 installer should still work fine.

 

[newellj]

Thanks (and for those reading carefully, I meant 10.10.2, not 10.10.1).

I think I'm going to make a note to myself to try to keep USB installers around when I see major changes coming (for example, in this case, the transition from iPhoto to Photos).