[dmag]

Background — Drive on MBP started clicking a couple of days ago. Got the most current data off and now have two backups; one in a FW 800 case and the other USB 2.0. Neither is bootable, as the "clone" apparently didn't take.

The bad disk has been RMA'd and will be off to Samsung to get a replacement. In the meantime, I have to find a way to work. I could have the old backup (same model disk) installed until the new one gets here, or (hopefully), boot from it in the external case — though, as stated, that's not working now.

I'm running 10.5.8 in a Macbook Pro ... got questions:

1. Would you load up a new OS and upgrade back to 10.5.8, and then manually put back in the fonts, application support files, etc? Otherwise, I would have to manually reinstall all apps and that would be a major operation which I don't have time for. Is there a tutorial on how to add files back in so the new system just works? I've tried a search and can't find any such thing.

2. Or, would you load up the new OS, then use the migration tool to lay in the old user files? The only thing that worries me about this is that these files came off a dying drive. Could that have potential problems?

Just want to get a clean start. hope you can help.

Thanks.

[ibook_steve]

Do a clean OS install and then a Time Machine migration (you were backing up, right?) or migration from the old disk. If you can get stuff off the dying disk, you should. There shouldn't be a problem, but clean app installs would be preferable.

Steve

[seanc]

From my own personal experience, I wouldn't use a Samsung disk, I've had too many fail.

[jmiddel]

What do you recommend?

[seanc]

Western Digital
Seagate
Hitachi

NOT Toshiba or Samsung which make up the majority of my failed notebook hard drives pile. Most of them aren't very old either.