[beans_etc]

I have an Intel iMac and last night I tried to install Boot Camp so I could check my websites on PC browsers. However, after going what I thought was step-by-step through the Boot Camp instruction PDF it didn't work correctly and now when my computer won't boot up and when I hold down the "option" key to choose between Windows or Mac, it only ever displays the Windows partition. And when I choose Windows it just goes to some blank screen and doesn't actually load windows even.

I've done some serious digging online and I'm assuming that somehow I managed to accidentally erase my OS X partition and I've read that I now need to use the OS X Tiger installation discs that came with my computer to erase and reinstall the operating system. I also want to completely trash everything to do with Boot Camp on my computer and reset it to one whole partition like nothing ever happened. It's not a big deal reinstalling because my entire user account and their files up before I tried Boot Camp.

I've never tried a reinstall though. . . Can anyone give me some instructions on how to go about using this disc utility feature on the install discs to get my computer back to the way it was before? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Beans

PS: When I back up my user folders, does that automatically include all my applications? After I reinstall will I be able to drag and drop all my apps back onto the computer or will I have to reinstall all of them from the CDs?

[peeb]

Put the OSX disk in the drive, and hold down the 'c' button when you boot. The instructions are simple.
You'll have to tell us a little more about your backup and how you made it to know the best way to restore it. Most programs will be draggable, some will need to be reinstalled. Frankly, you'll be better off reinstalling them all unless you made a bootable backup.

[beans_etc]

I backup my whole user folder and it's nested folders every week or so to a second exterior hard drive. It's hooked up to the mac via usb (I think) and I just flick it on when I want to mount it and back up my stuff.

And someone at work told me that I'll have to fix the partitions with the disc utility before I reinstall, correct?

[peeb]

How did you back them up, by copying them, or with some kind of program like SuperDuper?
You don't need to fix the partitions, the OSX installation should erase the entire disk.

[beans_etc]

Sorry, I misunderstood what you asked. I just drag and drop them onto the backup drive, that's all. I don't use any kind of backup program, no.

[peeb]

OK, so basically you need to reinstall OSX. You can drag your files and apps back, but some apps may not work without being reinstalled.
You might want to check out SuperDuper and Silverkeeper, both excellent and free backup programs.

[silver]

You can also try Carbon Copy Cloner, basically you should keep a full backup of your hard drive. Then just update your home folder as you see fit. The reason is just in case something like this should happen again you can just boot up from the clone erase the main drive then just reclone back to the original drive and all is well.

The cool thing with this method besides having a complete back up, is that if you backed up to an external you can take that drive plug it into almost any Mac hold down the option screen at boot up a be able to start up from the external. I use this if I'm not in the mood to bring my laptop to class.

No your applications will not be backed up if you stored them all in the defaults which is the Application folder not the user folder that you backed up.

So in short, lesson learned keep a full copy of your Hard Drive on an external if you can then you wont have to go through the whole process of reinstalling. One more thing it's very rare that bootcamp trashed your partition as Windows cant even read an OS X disc natively. So no read no trashed.


silver