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neverskatewsandles · Dec 22, 2007, 10:05 PM

Ok so I have asked this before I know but I just want to make sure that installing leopard will not cause me to loose any of my aplications or music media etc. Will all my stuff stay where it is and just the OS be updated or will I have to put everything back on?

C.A.T.S. CEO · Dec 22, 2007, 10:06 PM

Originally Posted by neverskatewsandles

Ok so I have asked this before I know but I just want to make sure that installing leopard will not cause me to loose any of my aplications or music media etc. Will all my stuff stay where it is and just the OS be updated or will I have to put everything back on?

Do a Archive and Install and everything will be fine.

neverskatewsandles · Dec 22, 2007, 10:11 PM

How do I do that?

Big Mac · Dec 22, 2007, 10:19 PM

It's one of the installation options you're given when you're in the installer.

adamfishercox · Dec 22, 2007, 11:33 PM

MAKE SURE TO CLICK "CUSTOMIZE" It is really unobvious if you haven't done it before. They should really have a screen that pops up no matter what asking what type of install you want.

CharlesS · Dec 23, 2007, 03:37 AM

Originally Posted by neverskatewsandles

Ok so I have asked this before I know but I just want to make sure that installing leopard will not cause me to loose any of my aplications or music media etc. Will all my stuff stay where it is and just the OS be updated or will I have to put everything back on?

It will unless you explicitly select "Erase and Install" in the options. Just don't click on that setting, and your existing data will be fine.

analogika · Dec 23, 2007, 05:40 AM

FWIW:

ALWAYS keep a full backup of all your important data.

You are ALWAYS at risk of losing data, system upgrade or not.

Sherman Homan · Dec 23, 2007, 08:45 AM

Ditto what CharlesS and analogika said. The default installation will upgrade your current OS X to OS X 10.5 and keep all of your data, preferences, settings, files, etc. intact. You would have to actively choose to erase your drive... But a full blown system install is an aerobic workout for your hard drive. If the drive is going to fail soon, an install can push it over the edge.
Boot from your original OS installer, run Disk Utility, Repair Disk. Make sure it is happy. Repair Permissions, just for fun. Back up everything, (you have been doing that all along, right?!)
Some people suggest disconnecting your peripheral stuff, I have never had a problem, but it can't hurt. Good luck!

G5man · Dec 25, 2007, 09:13 PM

Does the archive and install option backup all your data onto another hard drive?

Also, I am backing up my data onto another hard drive yet I want to do a clean install of Leopard to wash the disk clean of any bad. In order to restore all the settings and such could I take the backup files off of the other HD and put them onto the Leopard disk or would I have to do the archive and install?

adamfishercox · Dec 25, 2007, 09:23 PM

An Archive and Install is basically a Clean Install AND it keeps your settings. If you aren't sure about what a clean install entails don't try it.