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cowboybop · Aug 23, 2004, 11:13 AM

I have been having quite a bit of trouble with my PB the last few weeks, so, under the advice of my friendly neighborhood Apple Expert, I was going to reinstall my OS using the "Archive and Install" option.

So midway through the "Archive and Install", I get a Kernel Panice. So I started up the system again, and this time it will not let me choose "Archive and Install", only Clean Install.

So, am I correct in thinking that I have done myself in, and lost everything that I had? (I did have my idisk backup, which isn't much).

Has anyone had any experience getting apps back from internet vendors?

And, can anyone recommend good shareware to import my itunes library from my ipod to my mac?

Any help would be appreciated on this dark Monday mourning.

iREZ · Aug 23, 2004, 11:36 AM

That's really unfortunate. I've seen it happen once before and now there is no way I could install (be it clean, or an archive) without backing up everything in my comp. I use PodManager to load tracks from my iPod to my comp (it's free but only 10 tracks at a time, unless you pay the small fee which will load up everything).

Mafia · Aug 23, 2004, 11:44 AM

most likely u will have to have a valid serial number and proof of purchase to recover applications.

mafia

cowboybop · Aug 23, 2004, 11:46 AM

Well, the installation is halfway done (10.2.7 is in). I have preserved some of my settings, but my itunes and iphoto's are gone.

I went through the registration/setup again. Does anyone know if this will affect my Applecare status? Or do they go by name/serial number, etc?

Mafia · Aug 23, 2004, 11:49 AM

name/serial

CubeWannaB · Aug 23, 2004, 11:55 AM

I haven't done a clean install myself but unless you format the drive your data files should still be around. However I'm not sure how the clean install deals with home directories which is where most of your data files are probably stored anyway.

My advice is to name your user(s) differently this time around in the hopes that their home directories will stick around. If you were "John Smith" and you didn't change your short name the computer likely picked "johnsmith". This time you could edit your short name to be just "john".

However I have never tried this and can't guarantee it will help - other forum members might have better ideas.

Additionally let me be the first to advocate regular backups. I use ChronoSync to backup my important documents over my home LAN to my PC. My HD actually died recently and I was thankful that I had a backup.

cowboybop · Aug 23, 2004, 12:20 PM

I did change my short name, and I saw that my hard drive displayed the same amount of used space as before, so maybe there is a sliver of hope.

I am going to go get an external drive this afternoon, and do regular backups.

(It seems you never learn until learning is all you can do).

Holigen · Aug 23, 2004, 12:54 PM

Ya, it sucks man. This happened to me a while back. Lost everything on my drive and had to get the music off my iPod. I used an app that was pretty crappy. It actually didnt import the track names or anything. Weird...

Doing backups is generally a good idea. Nowadays I just put everything on my iPod (including my Music folder). Good luck.

cowboybop · Aug 23, 2004, 01:24 PM

Well, I have Panther Installed. I can't find my itunes library, buy there is a folder for my previous system. Does anyone know where they would be located?

Also, Safari will not open. Any suggestions here?

Holigen · Aug 23, 2004, 01:25 PM

Trash Safaris pref file?

cowboybop · Aug 23, 2004, 01:39 PM

No luck. I can't get a window or anything.

cowboybop · Aug 23, 2004, 01:47 PM

Serendipity!!!

My photo library and my itunes library are in the old user folder, an I am now downloading them into my new user folder.

Now, I need to do the same thing for keychain (so I can get on my wireless network).

Is the process the same?

urrl78 · Aug 23, 2004, 01:49 PM

Target mode to another mac might recover all. Late advice I guess...

cowboybop · Aug 23, 2004, 04:14 PM

Well, I seemed to have lucked out. I got my old home folder back, and everything seems to be working. No kernel panics yet...

One question, does anyone know how I could get my old network preferences back? I have quite a few, and would hate to have to rebuild them. I appear to have all of the information from my old system.

Aussiemac · Aug 23, 2004, 10:02 PM

Originally posted by cowboybop:
No luck. I can't get a window or anything.

Searh for all Safari items, then delete them.
Redownload Safari and install.

bstone · Aug 24, 2004, 07:53 AM

A KB during a reinstall? Odd. Could be a hardware issue. From the HW Test to try to rule it out.