[boston pz]

This is my first post! I've been reading macnn for years and i finally signed up.
anyway, i have an iMac G5 running 10.4.8 and i think it's time for a fresh system installation. i usually do them every 3 months or as time permits.

My question is, how can I tell when the last time was? Is it as simple as getting info on some system file to figure out when it was created (or modified) or is there another way?
What works? Please don't tell me I should have marked it down on iCal the first time hehe.

Thanks.

[chabig]

This is a Mac forum, not a Windows forum. In all honesty, reinstalling the system is a waste of time. But if you must know, just select the System folder and Get Info on it.

[Big Mac]

chabig is right - what you're doing is completely unnecessary.

[voicebox]

Originally Posted by boston pz 

This is my first post! I've been reading macnn for years and i finally signed up.
anyway, i have an iMac G5 running 10.4.8 and i think it's time for a fresh system installation. i usually do them every 3 months or as time permits.

My question is, how can I tell when the last time was? Is it as simple as getting info on some system file to figure out when it was created (or modified) or is there another way?
What works? Please don't tell me I should have marked it down on iCal the first time hehe.

Thanks.

You re-install every three months .....??
Yikes!!
What utter nonsense, have you nothing else better to do?
Big Mac has hit the nail on the head - what you are doing is completely unnecessary!

On the other hand - and here you have me hooked - why do you feel you have to do this
voicebox

[Big Mac]

He's been trained on a very strict Windows regimen. Of course, even with Windows, if you don't gum it up with a bunch of malware and crap, you don't need to reinstall it all the time either.

[boston pz]

you guys are so condescending, it's embarrassing.
i have been a mac useer my whole life, and a power user at that.
and yes it is a good idea to do reinstalls.

thank you for completely ignoring my question and request for help, and pushing your own unintelligent opinions on me.

[DuckRacer1]

Originally Posted by boston pz 

and yes it is a good idea to do reinstalls.

Could you explain to me why? Seriously, I'm curious.

And chabig already answered your question.

[rjenkinson]

the original poster is completely wrong. reinstalling the entire system when you don't even have a problem is a waste of time.

-r.

[boston pz]

you get problems from daily usage...who said my system didn't have troubles.
it is sluggish and slow...and the hd is almost full.

[boston pz]

you guys don't notice that new fresh install zips along much more smoothly than one that's been used for several months?

[rjenkinson]

Originally Posted by boston pz 

you get problems from daily usage...who said my system didn't have troubles.
it is sluggish and slow...and the hd is almost full.

it's sluggish and slow because the hard drive is almost full. reinstalling the system won't address that, unless you're not bothering to fill the drive up again.

-r.

[boston pz]

let's not turn this into a 'should he reinstall?' conversation. i posted to this site seeking your input as to how i can determine the date of my last system installation, if it is possible to do so. I know you can tell things like how long your system has been powered on, connected to the internet, and so on, but is there a way to find out when i installed my operating system?

furthermore, as i have used software update to keep my machine as current as apple allows, did i make it more difficult to determine the date of the actual installation (from system dvd)?

thank you.

[rjenkinson]

get info on the first user you set up on the machine.

-r.

[chabig]

Let's see...power supplies wear out eventually. Maybe we should pre-emptively replace them every three months as well.

[boston pz]

you are an idiot.

[chris v]

My dual G5 has an install of 10.4.8 on it that has a lineage going back to an original 10.1 install on my G4 Cube the day it was released. I've done an Archive and Install with the major point-releases, but other than that, have had no reason to nuke & pave since then.

Yes, I have buggered installs on my work machine and had to wipe, but I usually just clone over a backup when it happens. And no, none of my machines ever seem to just "bog down" from ordinary usage. If your hard drive is crammed full, toss some cruft. Delete extra language packs, printer drivers, etc, give DiskWarrior a spin, run the chron scripts, and if things are really bad, clear all your caches. A little periodic maintenance is a lot simpler than starting from scratch over and over.

My Powerbook hasn't even been shut down in nearly three months.

[CatOne]

Originally Posted by boston pz 

you are an idiot.

No, really, what you're doing is silly, and a complete waste of time.

[TETENAL]

Originally Posted by boston pz 

let's not turn this into a 'should he reinstall?' conversation. i posted to this site seeking your input as to how i can determine the date of my last system installation, if it is possible to do so. I know you can tell things like how long your system has been powered on, connected to the internet, and so on, but is there a way to find out when i installed my operating system?

furthermore, as i have used software update to keep my machine as current as apple allows, did i make it more difficult to determine the date of the actual installation (from system dvd)?

thank you.

Is there any reason why you are ignoring the answer chabig gave you to this question?

You could also create a recurring iCal event that automatically alarms you every 3 months to remember you that it's time to do the reinstall.

[Big Mac]

Originally Posted by boston pz 

you guys are so condescending, it's embarrassing.
i have been a mac useer my whole life, and a power user at that.
and yes it is a good idea to do reinstalls.

thank you for completely ignoring my question and request for help, and pushing your own unintelligent opinions on me.

Find two others who agree with you. Wait, I'll be kind, find one person who agrees with you. You won't be able to. Please understand that we're not the unintelligent ones here. What you're doing is completely unnecessary. I don't know who taught you that such a thing is a good practice, but it's just plain silly. If you were such a "power user" you wouldn't be asking us how to find the information you want. Change your oil every three months if you have nothing better to do.

[bernt]

TENENAL wrote:
Is there any reason why you are ignoring the answer chabig gave you to this question?

One reason to ignore it would be that it is wrong! My system folder was created February 14th 2006, my machine was built in the end of May 2006

The advise given about checking the first user created is better.

[Simon]

Alternatively you could check the creation date of
/Library/Receipts/BaseSystem.pkg

[OreoCookie]

Originally Posted by bernt 

TENENAL wrote:
Is there any reason why you are ignoring the answer chabig gave you to this question?

One reason to ignore it would be that it is wrong! My system folder was created February 14th 2006, my machine was built in the end of May 2006

The advise given about checking the first user created is better.

If you don't want to disgruntle all people here, you should point out the flaw in the suggested solution. Otherwise, all other members will conclude that there is a valid solution and you are simply ignoring it -- and they won't bother to make other suggestions.

[bernt]

OreaCookie: I'm not the OP I just pointed out the flaw...

[OreoCookie]

My bad.

[boston pz]

simon is the only one that made any sense. the rest of you can go **** yourselves.

[boston pz]

simon was the only good answer. Oreo....go FHUCK yourself

[OreoCookie]

I think this thread is over.