Upgrade or fresh install?

[ivnj]

I have mac mini 2011. 8gb ram and stock HD. I have partitioned the HD in 2 equal parts of 10.7 and 10.9.

My printer Samsung ml2510 needs 10.7 and won't use 8 or 9. So I have to keep 10.7.

I'm downloading Yosemite as we speak. No errors it started downloading.

Now assuming it finishes no errors. What should I do.

Can I repartition the 2 to in 3 parts. Or should I just upgrade on top of 10.9.

Or for the full Yosemite experience is a fresh install better.

Is there any way to back up the whole OS and move it to an external. Or just archive it. Last time I checked CCC and SD were no longer free.

Then I could wipe out the 10.9 and install Yosemite on the other partition.

Or if I just erase 10.9 are there any things that work on 10.9 but not on Yosemite yet.

I don't play games. I have a WII for that. And no photoshop for me either.

Thanks.

 

[Velin]

I always do clean install for major updates. Always works better. Always.

 

[Vertigo50]

I like to do a fresh install, as it feels like it clears out some of the extra "cruft". I think it's less and less an issue with each release, though, as Apple continues to get better with the upgrade process.

If you think you might do a clean install at any point in the future, it's important to know that the "Install Yosemite" file that downloads to your Applications folder will go away once you upgrade. So if you think you might want to make a USB installer in the future or whatever, make sure you copy that file to your desktop or somewhere for later access. I've forgotten before, and it's a pain to try to download the whole thing and get it back.

Good luck!

 

[Regbial]

I found this for people wanting to do a clean install, may be useful:

http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/answers/what-folders-to-choose-when-manually-backing-up-your-mac

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Whoa I posted ^this in the wrong thread wth..

 

[phillytim]

I did (and have always done) an in-place upgrade on my production Mac; went without a hitch.

Full/clean installed are for Windows goonies; the OS X (unix) platform is a much stronger upgrade base, with its apps not being so interlinked with OS files (as with the case of Windows).

While my Windows friends are re-installing away, I can use that time to play!

 

[ivnj]

Just got a toshiba 1tb from best buy for 50 bucks today. USB3.0/2.0.I will try installing to that.

Or if I want to keep it internal can I clone my HD 2 partitions to my external and use the internal to install yosemite.

CUZ SD and CCC are no longer free.

 

[BoomRoasted]

I did (and have always done) an in-place upgrade on my production Mac; went without a hitch.

Full/clean installed are for Windows goonies; the OS X (unix) platform is a much stronger upgrade base, with its apps not being so interlinked with OS files (as with the case of Windows).

While my Windows friends are re-installing away, I can use that time to play!

Couldn't disagree more. Had a really bad upgrade experience, weird bugs all over the place. Computer heating up, battery life that went to the dogs. I had to restore back to Mavericks, and wouldn't upgrade without a clean install next time, even if someone paid me.