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plasticman · Apr 13, 2005, 07:36 PM

Now that Tiger has been announced, I'm happy to buy a powerbook, so long as it's an easy enough process to upgrade. I'll get a PB with 10.3 and will pay the upgrade price for 10.4 and will receive a disk.

I'll be a switcher, and when upgrading windows in the past, I've done a quick reformat of the hard drive partition and have installed a fresh version of the OS, followed by a reinstallation of all applications from the original disks. I usually keep my data on a separate partition.

Can someone tell me a little about the process in a mac? Will I get a more stable system with a fresh install or can I simply insert the tiger disk and the autorun process will install the new OS on top of the old OS with as stable a system as I would have with a fresh install.

If I do decide to do a fresh install, does the powerbook come with iLife on disk for an easy reinstall of applications, or is there a single disk with both panther and iLife, which might make reinstalling applications harder?

thanks !

bovie · Apr 13, 2005, 08:42 PM

Upgrading is super easy
1. put tiger disc in
2. reboot
3. follow instuctions

for the ilife your laptop should have came with a restore disc. You can reinstall the software with out the os No problem.

ibook_steve · Apr 14, 2005, 05:09 PM

The simplest and best install option is to do an archive and install. This installs a clean system, but brings over all your settings. You don't have to completely back up and format if you don't want to. After the archive and install, once you are stable, you can trash the old system found in the Previous Systems folder to save hard drive space.

Steve

brapper · Apr 14, 2005, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by ibook_steve

The simplest and best install option is to do an archive and install. This installs a clean system, but brings over all your settings. You don't have to completely back up and format if you don't want to. After the archive and install, once you are stable, you can trash the old system found in the Previous Systems folder to save hard drive space.

Steve

Archive and install is easily the best way to install a new operating system. Takes all the hassle out of the upgrade process..

TailsToo · Apr 14, 2005, 06:58 PM

I'll use Carbon Copy Cloner to move all of my files off of my powerbook, then install a fresh copy of Tiger. I can't wait for 4/29!!! (Yeah, I'm a geek)

spiff72 · Apr 14, 2005, 08:10 PM

Originally Posted by brapper

Archive and install is easily the best way to install a new operating system. Takes all the hassle out of the upgrade process..

When you do it this way, can you still access old documents (in various user folders) as if they were in a different directory on the system? Or would I have to copy all of my documents to a DVD? I don't have many, since my PB is only about a week old...

I am anxiously waiting for the 29th, too! I will have to leave a note on my front door for the delivery company to leave it on the doorstep.

Thanks...
Jeff

plasticman · Apr 14, 2005, 09:01 PM

Thanks for the replies. I now have the powerbook and am beginning to find my way around MacOS. I look forward to Tiger when it's released.

asodamiac · Apr 14, 2005, 10:59 PM

hmm, my PB should be coming in by monday. i will also purchase the tiger upgrade disc, but is it really necessary to reformat? this will be my first mac, and im not really comfortable with reformating, but the archive and install option seems very promising. should a first timer be able to do this without any problems?

bovie · Apr 14, 2005, 11:38 PM

asodamiac, you can do a archive and install no problem. Also if you want to reformat and do a complete clean install you should not have any problems. It is not like windows, I am a switcher do and am a MCP in Windows XP Configuration and Installation.

The Mac OS Installer is very very easy to use.

asodamiac · Apr 15, 2005, 01:29 AM

sounds awesome. i will only reformat if its necessary though. dont see any reason to wipe the mac clean just to install tiger.

adamberti · Apr 15, 2005, 01:41 AM

I'm a firm believer in a full clean install. Keep you system nice and clean. It takes a bit of work to go back in and slowly add things back, but I find it just keeps my system cleaner too. So I do the obvious things first - copy Safari, Mail and Address Book settings, setup iTunes iPhoto, copy all my documents / files. I keep around my old copy for a while and eventually I'm not copying anything over anymore and then I delete it.

However if you wanted to take this route, you would need to know your way around the system and where all the settings and files are kept. As a new user, I wouldnt try it.

asodamiac · Apr 15, 2005, 01:52 AM

ive worked with macs in junior high school.. but that was several years ago. so yea, im pretty new. the archive and install options seems simple enough. i just archive and reformat right? shouldnt be too bad.

as for transferring files from a pc to a mac, will i be able to establish a network between the two? i really dont want to burn all my songs/pictures onto a dvd.. my burner sucks. well it was 10 dollars.. but it sucks.

ibook_steve · Apr 15, 2005, 02:35 AM

There is no reformatting involved with an archive and install.

Steve

asodamiac · Apr 15, 2005, 03:23 AM

oh.. but once you archive and install.. and then delete the old files.. isnt that similar to reformatting?

ibook_steve · Apr 15, 2005, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by asodamiac

oh.. but once you archive and install.. and then delete the old files.. isnt that similar to reformatting?

No. Reformatting usually refers to erasing the entire disk. When you archive and install, all you have to do once you are stable is drag the old System folder, found in a newly created "Previous Systems" folder at the top level of your hard disk to the trash and throw it away. This saves hard disk space, but strangely enough, there is no way to go back to the archived installation once you have done this.

Steve

asodamiac · Apr 15, 2005, 04:06 PM

so is reformatting NECESSARY when you install a new os? i dont want to transfer over 5+ gigs of pictures and 10+ gigs of music.. and then reformat just to install tiger.

ibook_steve · Apr 15, 2005, 05:22 PM

As stated, no. None of your stuff gets touched in an archive and install. Everything is simply moved to the same locations in the new system.

Steve

sworthy · Apr 15, 2005, 06:01 PM

Why not just do a straight upgrade?

zl9600 · Apr 15, 2005, 07:52 PM

the straight upgrade, AFAIK, doesn't allow you to easily go back in the event something goes wrong. i've done both clean installs and archive & installs, and while i admit it's nice to know that your HD is all clean, i didn't notice one bit of performance difference.

zl9600 · Apr 15, 2005, 07:53 PM

p.s. i just got my new PB today, and i'm switching over from my old one. will anxiously await tiger. but maybe i'll let you guys be the guinea pigs first!

giggs11 · Apr 15, 2005, 09:17 PM

So, if you do an archive and install, and then realize you want to go back to your "Previous System" settings, that's real easy, right?

zl9600 · Apr 15, 2005, 10:18 PM

someone else chime in on the exact method, but i THINK you can just do something nearly as easy as copying over files, or there might be a 'previous system restore'. my brain is fried but i will look into it.
or an expert might respond first!!

~

ibook_steve · Apr 16, 2005, 12:18 AM

I've already stated with archive and install that you can't go back to the previous system.

Steve

zl9600 · Apr 16, 2005, 12:22 AM

but unlike the plain 'upgrade' you can retrieve your system files and settings (preferences, etc). and you could reinstall the old system back in tehre and move files, correct?

Simon · Apr 16, 2005, 01:52 AM

Look, just backup whatever system you have running to an external FW disk with DiskUtility. Install Tiger as a simple update to your system. In the event that anything goes really wrong, just boot from the external FW system and use DiskUtility to play back the old system onto your main disk. No worry, no hassle.

Forget all this Windows formatting and zeroing crap. It's a Mac. It's simple. It works.

asodamiac · Apr 16, 2005, 02:29 AM

well.. thats great advice but i dont have an external FW HD. i'm just going to back up my photos/pictures into my ipod. completely forgot about that. then i'll just reformat and install tiger over panther once i get it. sounds good to me.

ibook_steve · Apr 16, 2005, 12:30 PM

Again, you don't need to reformat. Your stuff is not touched.

Steve

iREZ · Apr 16, 2005, 12:31 PM

ok i got tiger on my pb right now (i know some people that know some people). at first i tried an archive and install, but half of my software (99.9% freeware apps) stopped working on me. it got real frustrating redownloading everything so i'm backing my stuff up right now and going for a clean install. haven't noticed any major speed improvements (specs in sig) and when running xbench i saw a 6 point decrease in overall performance. indexing in spotlight took forever (20+minutes), and while indexing the computer was painfully slow...but it's a one time thing and once it's done, your system is back to normal and you never have to worry bout it again. ill let you guys know more when i get my proper install finished with.

asodamiac · Apr 16, 2005, 01:22 PM

i hate you irez. i hate you.

iREZ · Apr 16, 2005, 09:37 PM

so a couple of hours after the install proves to me that Tiger is indeed an under the hood improvement. i don't know what questions you guys have, but the update is moderate as best for me in particular. i had a few 3rd party apps that don't work at all in tiger yet, but i'm sure once tiger is out...so will the new rev's of the apps made for tiger. my pb doesn't feel any faster like some tests show, but then again i don't have a great gpu in my system so that may be the cause. any questions out there?!?

asodamiac · Apr 17, 2005, 02:30 AM

wow. i actually ordered the pb on the day apple announced tiger because i thought if i used panther, it would help me appreciate tiger more. so you really found it to be just OK? this will be my first mac, so i wont have many programs to work with (only iwork and office 2004). im really looking forward to dashboard. was it just OK? i guess im just really excited because im getting a mac. but im hoping that tiger will blow me away.

wulf · Apr 17, 2005, 04:32 AM

Well, I've *ahem* seen Tiger on a Ti 867. The GUI certainly responds a little faster despite not having a CoreVideo spec GPU, less choppy in window minimising, etc. Safari is much faster obviously (though those improvements can be seen in 10.3.9/Safari 1.3).

Dashboard only has a few, standard widgets so far, so its usefulness may not be immediately apparent. But I expect once Tiger goes on sale and all the widget developers get going, its will grow and grow in popularity.

I fail to see how 20+ minutes for Spotlight indexing = "forever". Sherlock indexing on older machines could literally take hours. Seems a small penalty to pay for the usefulness of Spotlight. Frankly this is a killer app for me, practically worth the upgrade price alone.

All in all it's not a major transformation from Panther, but I've seen a lot less beachballing in general use and the new apps and other extras will all prove their worth.

iREZ · Apr 17, 2005, 05:39 AM

i never said i was bothered by spotlights indexing, i just didn't know what was happening in the beginning when spotlight was doing what it was doing. i also agree that it's a killer add on and i've used it a ton in the one day i've had it.

analogika · Apr 17, 2005, 06:18 AM

Originally Posted by wulf

Dashboard only has a few, standard widgets so far, so its usefulness may not be immediately apparent. But I expect once Tiger goes on sale and all the widget developers get going, its will grow and grow in popularity.

http://www.dashboardwidgets.com/

benwhanlee · Apr 17, 2005, 08:59 AM

Originally Posted by iREZ

so a couple of hours after the install proves to me that Tiger is indeed an under the hood improvement. i don't know what questions you guys have, but the update is moderate as best for me in particular. i had a few 3rd party apps that don't work at all in tiger yet, but i'm sure once tiger is out...so will the new rev's of the apps made for tiger. my pb doesn't feel any faster like some tests show, but then again i don't have a great gpu in my system so that may be the cause. any questions out there?!?

hey irez-

so which 3rd party apps of yours have stopped cooperating? and now that you've seen and used tiger, would you be willing to go pay for it if you had to? man...i really can't wait to get my hands on it myself, but the wait alone is just making me want it more and more.