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damiensmunki · Oct 25, 2007, 04:09 PM

Hi, guys... I just received my shipping notice from Apple, and I'm pumped. I've been planning to just wipe my drive clean and do a new install of Leopard, but as the time approaches, I'm waning in my convictions. It's going to be a lot of work to reinstall everything. What benefit is there to doing a clean install? Thanks!
Rob

ehunt · Oct 25, 2007, 04:36 PM

I was right there with you...wanted a clean install as well for speed purposes mainly. Used to do it with each new install...but getting older more demands on my time time. I have .mac so alot of things I wouldn't even need to do but re-installing all the fonts, app's photos, and preferences etc... are stopping me from doing it. But if I notice speed issues I'll bite the bullet and wipe it clean in the next few weeks though...

peeb · Oct 25, 2007, 04:48 PM

You could always use migration assistant - get your clean install, then transfer the files and apps.

damiensmunki · Oct 25, 2007, 04:51 PM

What exactly is migration assistant, and how does one use it? Thanks!
Rob

peeb · Oct 25, 2007, 04:57 PM

When you move computers, there is a program which will take all your old settings, and transfer them.
You can use spotlight to find it.
You can connect the two computers by firewire to do it.
Alternatively, get an external fw drive, and use super duper to clone the drive.
Boot from it, to test it works, then erase the drive on your computer with the Leopard install, and plug in the cloned drive when migration assistant in Lepard asks for it.

Gee4orce · Oct 26, 2007, 06:20 AM

I will probably do an Archive and Install - this gives keeps your user data, and give you the option of moving across things like network settings, but installs what is effectively a clean OS installation. So in theory, you get a clean and fast install but keep all the stuff you actually need to keep.

Honestly guys - people are making this a lot harder than it needs to be ! Apple have done all the hard work by giving us these kind of options. There's no need to erase and install and then manually copy back things that you think you need (you'll inevitably forget something).

Good luck anyway !

.Neo · Oct 26, 2007, 07:21 AM

I did an Erase & Install. I like having a nice a clean system when a new OS comes out.

Kenstee · Oct 26, 2007, 10:03 AM

I've been doing plain vanilla Upgrade and Install since 10.1.0. Never had any problems or issues.

Suggest you first run something like Preferential Treatment, Cocktail and then Disk Warrior to make sure you correct any pre-existing conditions - which IMHO are responsible for 99.999% of the problems people have with upgrades.

Kar98 · Oct 26, 2007, 10:15 AM

Originally Posted by peeb

You could always use migration assistant - get your clean install, then transfer the files and apps.

That's what I did.

outthere · Oct 26, 2007, 01:19 PM

i'll do it manually or erase- install as usual. i hate 3rd party craps.

peeb · Oct 26, 2007, 01:20 PM

What 3rd party craps are you worried about?

Simon · Oct 26, 2007, 02:21 PM

So where's the difference between E&I plus MA and just plain A&I? Both will take over your ~/ and things like network settings etc. To me the former just sounds like it'll take quite a bit more time w/o being of any real advantage.