LLL No one has answered you yet, so I'll just throw in my nickel and let you wait for the more gifted folks. I have used Mac's for years, had dozens and dozens of them, currently running six, and I NEVER have much trouble, ever. What I have learned over the years is to keep it simple, for one I don't have the ability to be complicated.
If I was faced with your situation I would not try to figure out what the other guy did, wonder where there are files that might trip you up. I have been running O.S. 10 since Jaguar, and I have had a great experience, now on the latest version of Panther. I would back up the files I needed, the administrator name and password and any other pertinent information, format the drive install Panther from the C.D., then install the combination update which will bring all the updates and security patches in one update. From there you KNOW what is planted on the drive and you will save yourself hours, if not days of struggling. All this should not take more than half a day, I have done it several times and it has worked slick for me, and once you get used to O.S. X, most likely you will never want to go back. In the future have a regiment of maintenance on the hard drive using the utilities you suggest and your experience should be very rewarding. John R. On Feb 7, 2005, at 8:42 PM, LLL wrote: > Hi list, > > Am going to work this week for a company that has a G4 with 2 internal > drives. One of the drives (not partitioned) has 2 OSX system folders > on it, one is 10.2.3(I think) and one is Panther. Classic is > installed on this drive as well. The other drive has only 9.2.2 on > it, so that's not a problem. How they ended up with 2 OSX systems on > one drive is a mystery to me. Whoever did the installations is long > gone! > > They tell me they have had LOTS of crashes and if I'm going to produce > their prep work, I'll have to TRY to get things running smoothly, as > they don't have anyone else to do it. I just had a chance to glance > at their setup so, will know more later. My question is - can I > safely just trash the old system folder without any residual pieces > hanging around? I've been working in 10.2.8 - but I'm not that > familiar with the "inner workings" of OSX yet. I've certainly found > it's nothing like maneuvering around OS9! I all else fails, will an > archive and reinstall of Panther retain all their current settings, > network, users, etc.? > > I've already suggested they buy Disk Warrior, Tech Tool Pro, etc., > since they have nothing for repair except Apple's utilities. However, > I feel the problem with the system folders needs to be addressed > before I try any of the above. > > Thanks for any input! > > LLL > > > > | The next meeting of the Louisville Computer Society will > | be January 25. The LCS Web page is <http://www.kymac.org>. > | List posting address: <mailto:macgroup at erdos.math.louisville.edu> > | List Web page: <http://erdos.math.louisville.edu/macgroup> > | The next meeting of the Louisville Computer Society will | be January 25. The LCS Web page is <http://www.kymac.org>. | List posting address: <mailto:macgroup at erdos.math.louisville.edu> | List Web page: <http://erdos.math.louisville.edu/macgroup>
