Hi all,

I'm thinking of putting a fresh install of 10.3.5 on my TiPB. (ie: wiping my 20GB HD and reloading the OS from scratch)

What do I need to do exactly? Is there anything I need to be aware of?

Is it enough just to copy my home directory to an external Hard Drive and then, once the PowerBook has 10.3.5 on it, just drag over the relevant Application support files and the like?

I really want to clear off all the dead wood I have accumulated over the years - but I do not know what I can delete and what is vital to the OS. This way (with a clean install) I can bring back the things I know that I need to my home directory and forget about the crap stuff that is cluttering up my system - which will be left on the external HD. Then, after a few days to test out my new "fresh" system, I figure I can safely delete those old files on the external HD that I did not bother dragging across to my PowerBook HD. (Did this make sense?)

TIA for the help and advice.

It's best just to re-download and re-install all your apps along with the new install of the OS. But be sure to back up all your data like word files, MP3s, photos, etc.

Format the drive, install the OS, install your applications, restore your data. *nod*

Of course you could just create a new user account, copy across the files you need from the old account and then delete the old account. This will remove a lot of your redundant files, it's not the same as a clean install, but a clean install is rarely needed on a UNIX operating system.

The 'clean' install concept is a Microsoft thing and comes from trying to maintain a deeply flawed operating system with a registry full of digital cholesterol.

SR

"digital cholesterol" - great expression!

I know what you mean with the new user account and the reference to M$ ... but seriously, I was having a look at some of my folders inside ~/Library and having updated from 10.1 through to 10.3.5 I have amassed some digital cholesterol of my own. I'm sure Apple has changed their file structure over the years.

Take "Address Book Plug-Ins" for example. I have no idea what this is for and I have a feeling this is a holdover from 10.1 or something.

Then there are all the files associated with Application Support. Some of these are for programs I have downloaded over the past three to four years - yet I do not use them anymore. Trying to locate all the necessary preference files for deletion would be a "hit and miss" affair.

Better to do a clean install and then drag over only the Applications I use and then only those preference files will be created. Much neater - much leaner.

Also, even though I don't have that much personal stuff on my 20GB HD - since I have removed a lot of my photos and tunes to the external drive already - I only have about 1/2 a GB of free space! :blink: What is that? :wacko:

Whatever you're most comfortable with...

Deleting redundant apps before you create the new user, then copying over only the data and preference files you need before removing the old user would clean up most of the unwanted files.

Finally run OnyX to remove all the old system and log files.

Much quicker than a format and reinstall.

SR

I'm dealing with the same issue at the moment.

I found myself wishing that I had a laundry list I could
[x] tick off to make certain that I don't miss anything.

With that in mind, I just spent the first half of this
morning Googling-Up Just Such A List, I hope it helps:

Mac Back-Up "To-Do" List

(you may have to manually click the links rather than
relying on the 'auto-jump' ---otherwise it's spot on!

I had my Application Support folder full of junk, mainly the one in my user's Library folder. One thing Apple hasn't sorted out is the organisation of Preferences vs Application Support vs just creating a new folder inside /Library or ~/Library.

You shouldn't need to reinstall the OS to remove them, they are just data stored for Applications, which, if no longer used, have no effect.

However, this plan, which I've done myself from time to time, has been the most effective:

Do an Archive Install preseving users. Rename your Users's Library folder (~/Library) say "Library-old". Log in again and bit by bit copy stuff across from your old Library for the apps you actually are going to use, such as Preferences, Help files and Application Support stuff.