upgrade or fresh install

[Big Ron]

My 2012 21" iMac originally came with Mountain Lion installed. Successful updates of Mavericks and Yosemite does not appear to have slowed it down however, with the imminent launch of El capitan, would I be better to do a complete format and fresh install?

 

[KALLT]

A fresh install has no tangible benefits, in my experience. At best you will lose some obsolete files and gain a bit of space back, but that is hardly worth the effort. If your system is running fine then there is no reason to do it, other than a psychological one (clean slate and all). Spare yourself the time to set up your system again, it will take you a few hours at least, if not more. I did a clean install once and found that I had installed some useful tweaks over the years that I was not able to locate so easily anymore. Why abandon a system you are accustomed to when there is no good reason for doing it?

Besides, El Capitan will at least clean up your system folder a bit, because it moves out everything that doesn't belong there before it protects the system folder under System Integrity Protection.

 

[maflynn]

I can see the logic with a fresh install because it removes all the cruft from prior usage, but the downside is that you now need to reinstall all your apps, reconfigure them and restore the data. I'm still rocking with Yosemite but at this stage, every time a new OS hits the streets, I upgrade over clean install. I can see running the beta on a separate partition and/or drive to keep your main stuff separate and in a sense that is a clean install.

 

[Big Ron]

Thanks guys, I guess it's down to personal preferences. I like the idea of not having to re-apply all the tweaks etc, but on the other hand a fresh install appeals. I will keep mulling it over, the answer usually presents itself. Thanks again

 

[mkeeley]

Zero need for a fresh install but some people must enjoy reinstalling stuff.

 

[Big Ron]

Zero need for a fresh install but some people must enjoy reinstalling stuff.

I'm not desperate to carry out a fresh install, I'd much rather keep the setup that I have and just upgrade the OS. I'm now convinced that the upgrade is the way to go - now I will just have to wait for the OS upgrade.

To be honest though, I ordered a 1.3 MacBook in April, by the time it gets here El Capitan will be just about hitting the streets. How could Apple misjudge the demand so spectacularly??

 

[Weaselboy]

I'm with the others here... absolutely no need for a clean install.

When you see people post here that a clean install fixed their problems, they are not fibbing, but in most every case the problem could have been fixed without a clean install.

 

[MikhailT]

As a power user who install a lot of crap including kext, debugging, and development related tools, a clean install is required for me. It does help improve performance in a big way when I do a clean install every other OS upgrades.

For average users, clean installs should only be done every other 3-4 OS updates. So, if your initial OS was Mountain Lion and you updated to Mavs and then Yosemite, I would recommend El Cap as a clean install but only if you've used a lot of power-user type of tools and messed around the OS.

 

[Big Ron]

As a power user who install a lot of crap including kext, debugging, and development related tools, a clean install is required for me. It does help improve performance in a big way when I do a clean install every other OS upgrades.

For average users, clean installs should only be done every other 3-4 OS updates. So, if your initial OS was Mountain Lion and you updated to Mavs and then Yosemite, I would recommend El Cap as a clean install but only if you've used a lot of power-user type of tools and messed around the OS.

Good advice, I haven't messed around with anything other than the normal round of installs/removals. The most I have done is tinkered using Onynx.

 

[Traverse]

I went from SL to Lion and to Mountain Lion with regular updates and never had a performance issue. I "clean installed" Mavericks because I received a new computer when my 2011 system failed. I clean installed Yosemite because I wanted to prune my system and had the time.

I don't plan on doing any more clean installs unless something terrible happens.

 

[Skoal]

I did a CI when mountain lion came out. At the time a clean install was all the rage. Since then people have realized there's no major benefit barring some severe issue you're having with your system. Like mentioned even then a clean install being better is debatable when weighed against the aggravation of greeting your machine back to the way you want it.

I haven't clean j stalled since ML and my machine runs like a top! This includes running Windows 7 and Kali Linux via VMware on the machine.

 

[hNicolas]

My original OS was Leopard , I have only been doing updates since then, with a full restore from CCC when I changed my hard drive 4 years ago.

I may clean install El Capitan but I'm worried about my keychain and copying back iTunes backups of all my family's ios devices.

 

[brianlaz]

Zero need for a fresh install but some people must enjoy reinstalling stuff.

When my computer has been running slow, and it was difficult to figure out what was going on, a clean install has fixed it. If you use a time machine backup and migrate your apps it's not a big deal.
If your Mac is running fine, yes I see no reason.
Also, if you're an ace at diagnosing your mac, go for it.

 

[IowaLynn]

Run Etrecheck. RosaringApps checklist. Old crud can get carried forward.

Clone the old system first, Migration Assist keeps improving as has TimeMachine but I would not totally rely on that, plus its backups can it seems change once new OS is used (start a new TM backup drive).

New system, import old profile and yes fresh updated apps that use an installer.

Part of a clean install was also formatting and in during the drive and partition tables were not just patched or updated but created fresh.