Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

JoshuaZ · Oct 16, 2007, 07:54 PM

So, what will you be doing for install options? Erase and Install? Archive and Install? Upgrade?

mduell · Oct 16, 2007, 08:29 PM

As much as I'd like to do an upgrade install for my parents, I just don't want the hassle that may accompany it.
Archive & Install here.

Nodnarb · Oct 16, 2007, 08:34 PM

I voted archive and install, but on second thought, I may do a clean erase and install...I guess I voted prematurely, as I haven't decided yet.

osiris · Oct 16, 2007, 09:22 PM

I'll install it on a second drive, then migrate my current user over.

DKeithA · Oct 16, 2007, 09:35 PM

I'll be starting out with a fresh install. I have to since I'm running the beta.

goMac · Oct 16, 2007, 09:38 PM

ADC member. I will be wiping and reinstalling, as I have done with every new build.

JoshuaZ · Oct 16, 2007, 10:03 PM

Hmm... the new version does NOT include the new version of iLife. So I guess I'll do an Erase and Install off my original install DVD, and then do an upgrade. Otherwise I have no way of installing the iLife 08. For shame Apple. For shame.

Art Vandelay · Oct 16, 2007, 10:06 PM

iLife is not part of the OS so why should Leopard come with it? Also you can install Leopard cleanly and go back and install iLife from your Mac's original DVDs.

fisherKing · Oct 16, 2007, 10:26 PM

a clean install...always a great opportunity to clean house, get rid of unneeded files...etc..

0157988944 · Oct 16, 2007, 10:38 PM

Upgrade and Install. I have backups, so I don't want "Previous System" folders hanging around. It's unlikely, but I may do a clean sweep if I'm feeling up to it...

Art Vandelay · Oct 16, 2007, 10:40 PM

Originally Posted by adamfishercox

Upgrade and Install. I have backups, so I don't want "Previous System" folders hanging around. It's unlikely, but I may do a clean sweep if I'm feeling up to it...

You know you can delete those, right?

Cold Warrior · Oct 16, 2007, 10:41 PM

Originally Posted by fisherKing

a clean install...always a great opportunity to clean house, get rid of unneeded files...etc..

Same here. Clean install, doubling as an opportunity to do some Fall cleaning.

Cadaver · Oct 16, 2007, 10:57 PM

Most likely an archive and install here.

frdmfghtr · Oct 16, 2007, 11:35 PM

I'll do a clean install to a spare drive and test some of my more important apps first in a 10.5 environment (MATLAB being a prime example) before putting it on my main drive. I'm this close -> <-- to completing my thesis, and I don't want to kill one of the important tools.

~bash $ · Oct 16, 2007, 11:38 PM

Originally Posted by frdmfghtr

I'll do a clean install to a spare drive and test some of my more important apps first in a 10.5 environment (MATLAB being a prime example) before putting it on my main drive. I'm this close -> <-- to completing my thesis, and I don't want to kill one of the important tools.

It's a good idea. Don't forget to backup your thesis, another good idea

. I chose upgrade and install, which I never do but am hesitating to get a brand new OS install after the last few updates have gone so poorly. So I think I'll try it out on another partition first.

macintologist · Oct 16, 2007, 11:38 PM

Normal upgrade install. I've always done those since the 10.1 days and have never had problems.

loki74 · Oct 16, 2007, 11:53 PM

erase and install for my PowerMac at home, upgrade install for my MacBook Pro.

Chuckit · Oct 16, 2007, 11:59 PM

A&I for me. It guarantees that I have a fairly clean install without any weird custom stuff I didn't mean to keep around, and I can pretty easily bring back anything I meant to keep from the archive.

tomrock · Oct 17, 2007, 08:21 AM

What about "activated" applications like Photoshop? Will archive and install keep your activations?

Kenstee · Oct 17, 2007, 08:55 AM

I've been doing the standard Upgrade Install option for years with absolutely no problems or issues. Most problems during instillation are due to pre-existing issues with the system or more typically the hard drive that are present before the new upgrade installation.

My tried and true procedure uses two third-party utilities:

1. Run Cocktail and restart
2. Run Disk Warrior and restart
3. Install using standard upgrade and restart (happens automatically)
4. Re-run Cocktail and restart
5. Turn off computer - wait a couple of minutes - restart

Overkill? Maybe. But, I've never, ever had any problems. YMMV.

One other thing: I have a complete, bootable back-up of my current HD on my external HD just in case there are any problems I can clone it back to my computer's HD and be right where I was before the upgrade. Suggest you do the same.

mdc · Oct 17, 2007, 09:31 AM

I've had the same install on my PowerBook that was originally on an iBook, backed up, migrated to a PowerBook 12", then to a 15", then migrated to a 17" iMac, and now to my existing PowerBook.

I'm going to backup my PowerBook, do a clean install, and copy my documents, iTunes, and iPhoto folders across.

newsushi · Oct 17, 2007, 10:53 AM

Clean install. Then again, I'm buying a new machine at the same time

I won't upgrade my 4-year-old powerbook ... at least for a while yet ... to ensure I have a stable platform for any existing applications.

starman · Oct 17, 2007, 11:26 AM

You forgot an option:

Different hard drive

I plan on putting Leopard on a different HD on my Mac Pro, and then slowly migrate the apps to the new HD.

Simon · Oct 17, 2007, 11:43 AM

Upgrade. I don't have the time to screw around with this stuff. Upgrading from Panther->Tiger went very well so I'll do the upgrade again.

-Q- · Oct 17, 2007, 11:59 AM

Full clone of current drive, and then erase and install. As previous posters have said, it's a great way to 'clean house' after all the random stuff I've installed over the past few months.

cgc · Oct 17, 2007, 04:34 PM

I need to do an erase and install so BootCamp will work...

Goldfinger · Oct 17, 2007, 05:35 PM

Full clone of my hard drive.

And then a full erase and install. I like to start with a clean slate. Reinstalling apps is a pain though.

But, I'll probably wait a few weeks for all the user reports/bug reports. I don't want to ruin my workflow. Aperture and CS3 need to work flawlessly (they probably will, but you never know).

Chuckit · Oct 17, 2007, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by tomrock

What about "activated" applications like Photoshop? Will archive and install keep your activations?

With the disclaimer that I haven't done an archive-and-install on a system with activated applications, it only replaces system files, so it shouldn't affect those applications unless they were doing something kind of wonky. The application support folder is left alone.

Art Vandelay · Oct 17, 2007, 06:01 PM

Not quite. An Archive and Install either moves the old system out of the way then moves selected parts to the new one or moves parts of the old system out of the way and installs a new one on top. I'm not sure which one it does.

Either way, Archive and Install does not preserve everything. For example, in the /Library it doesn't preserve the contents of the Frameworks folder. There are a few others it doesn't preserve. I do know for a fact that it preserves Application Support and Preferences, though.

I've done several Archive and Installs for end users and had to manually fish /Library files out of the Previous System folder for apps to work again.

So, the gist of my story is that even if it isn't doing anything wonky, it might still need to be reactivated. Even apps that follow Apple's guidelines can get broken during an Archive and Install.

imitchellg5 · Oct 17, 2007, 07:57 PM

I'm going to do an erase and install on my Power Mac, and a upgrade on the iMac. Probably erase and install on the PowerBook too, but only after I get some more RAM for it.

Don Pickett · Oct 17, 2007, 09:27 PM

Archive and install, as usual. Never had a problem with it.

mpancha · Oct 18, 2007, 04:01 PM

I will be copying my home folder over to an external hard drive. then doing a complete erase and install, and slowly migrate things back from the external drive to the MBP. I usually end up not copying over a few gigs of stuff, saving myself a lot of space

MindFad · Oct 18, 2007, 05:04 PM

Just wanted to ask for once again, does anyone know with absolute certainty (and has maybe even "tried it out") that Leopard excludes dual 800 G4 towers?

As for installation, I've always wiped and installed fresh.

Art Vandelay · Oct 18, 2007, 05:10 PM

I've got one of those laying around. I'll test it for you.

MindFad · Oct 18, 2007, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by Art Vandelay

I've got one of those laying around. I'll test it for you.

Thanks!

Much appreciated.

Hate to throw this slightly off topic, but I really hope it works (without future potential hacks to get it to work). Considering how great of a multitasking and multithreaded OS it's supposed to be, I'd think it would be able to run the system and throw whatever it needs to off to another entire processor. I'm sure I'm technically simplifying it quite a bit, but it makes sense to me. It's 67 freakin' MHz!

imitchellg5 · Oct 18, 2007, 05:26 PM

Originally Posted by MindFad

Just wanted to ask for once again, does anyone know with absolute certainty (and has maybe even "tried it out") that Leopard excludes dual 800 G4 towers?

As for installation, I've always wiped and installed fresh.

It will work if you install it on an external HD, then just clone the internal HD, or just take out the internal and put it on for sure. I had previous builds running on my 533 MHz G4 just fine, so it's not like it won't be able to handle it. It's only 67 MHz away

Art Vandelay · Oct 18, 2007, 06:10 PM

Test complete. It will not install on a DP800. But it will run on a DP800, you just need to get it there from a supported Mac.

MindFad · Oct 18, 2007, 06:35 PM

Well, that's incredibly lame. Thanks for testing, Art. I can get it there from another Mac, but what would be the best way to do it? Could I throw the dual into target disk mode and install from another Mac (Intel)? What's the best cloning procedure? Thanks!

.Neo · Oct 18, 2007, 07:02 PM

I like everything fresh, so Erase & Install for me.

Art Vandelay · Oct 18, 2007, 07:20 PM

Originally Posted by MindFad

Well, that's incredibly lame. Thanks for testing, Art. I can get it there from another Mac, but what would be the best way to do it? Could I throw the dual into target disk mode and install from another Mac (Intel)? What's the best cloning procedure? Thanks!

TDM install would be the simplest.

MindFad · Oct 18, 2007, 07:38 PM

Doing a TDM install will still be kosher if it's coming from my MacBook Pro, yes? Thanks again for the help.

Art Vandelay · Oct 18, 2007, 08:20 PM

Yes, that's one of the great things about Leopard.

Mrjinglesusa · Oct 18, 2007, 08:55 PM

I'm in the air whether I will Upgrade, Archive & Install, or Erase & Install. I recently installed 10.4 fresh (Erase & Install) and have everything running smoothly so I'm leaning toward a simple Upgrade installation. Then again, I normally like to install major point releases fresh so maybe I should go for an Erase & Install. Then again, Archive & Install is usually less work than a full Erase & Install. Decisions, decisions....

Nah, I'm going to Erase & Install. I love fresh OS installations.

Visualize · Oct 19, 2007, 06:12 AM

I choose the option to Erase & Install. And Upgrade or Archive & Install is, IMO, like using a cloth only to wash under your arms and crotch and then saying you took a shower.

I've been running a marathon, so I'll Erase & Install.

Kenstee · Oct 19, 2007, 09:02 AM

So.........is there any EMPIRICAL evidence which technique is best?

No "war" stories or opinions. FACTS only.............

mdc · Oct 19, 2007, 09:03 AM

If you go to the Apple store and buy 10.4 off the shelf, are there separate PPC and intel versions on the shelf?
Will 10.5 be one DVD and 'universal'?

Simon · Oct 19, 2007, 09:33 AM

Is there any difference between
E&I
and
A&I plus setting up a new user account from scratch?

Art Vandelay · Oct 19, 2007, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by mdc

If you go to the Apple store and buy 10.4 off the shelf, are there separate PPC and intel versions on the shelf?
Will 10.5 be one DVD and 'universal'?

There is no Intel version of Tiger available for sale. You can only buy the PowerPC version.

10.5 will be one Universal DVD.

Art Vandelay · Oct 19, 2007, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by Simon

Is there any difference between
E&I
and
A&I plus setting up a new user account from scratch?

Yes, any method of Archive and Install carries over some part of the previous system. Erase and Install does not.

Simon · Oct 19, 2007, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by Art Vandelay

Yes, any method of Archive and Install carries over some part of the previous system.

Outside of /Users ?