Harry:
You do like to make things hard for yourself. :-)
There are lots of hard ways to do this, but a simpler one would be to
clone (Carbon Copy Cloner is good as is Super Duper; don't use Disk
Utility as it will not copy all hidden files) on your OS partition to
the FW drive (if it is large enough, the process will be faster and
easier. If not use the USB drive.) I would reformat the external
drives appropriately prior to any copying. Then simply copy your apps
and/ or data to the newly cloned drive placing them in the appropriate
directories. Your preferences should be OK as they are already
associated with the data files and apps. Make sure all associated
libraries, etc. (Users/library) go along.
Be sure anything you transfer is associated with a directory that Mac
OS X normally recognizes (Applications, Documents, Movies, Music,
etc.) for its purposes. A backup copy of the users and all data,
system files, libraries, any applications you have downloaded or lost
the media, etc. to the other external drive would be a prudent pants
and suspenders move.
I would test it all by rebooting from that external drive making sure
you have no problems. If OK, use the Leopard disk to reformat the
drive (Disk Utility) or DU on the FW drive. Load the Leopard DVD and
do a clean install. When the install asks you if you would like to
transfer your settings, apps, etc., point to the external drive and
you should not have a problem. Things will look a little different and
you need to run software update before you run anything.
ctw
P.S. I still service an old Blue & White and though now Mac OS X, the
SCSI holds the OS's (9.x and tiger) and a PATA everything else. Works
great everyday.
On May 29, 2009, at 4:30 PM, Harry Jacobson-Beyer wrote:
Old habits die hard. When I purchased my MacBook Pro two years ago I
continued a habit learned from the days of SCSI drives (does anyone
remember those days?).
I partitioned the hard drive and put the operating system on one
partition and my data on the other.
Later today I am purchasing Leopard (10.5). When I receive it I want to
reformat my hard drive (no partitions) and install the new software.
BUT, I want to preserve all my settings, applications, etc. I have a 160
GB USB drive. (I also have a, NIB, 120 GB Firewire drive I picked up at
a yard sale today for only $25.00 - talk about being in the right place
at the right time).
Question 1 A) can I copy the Operating system and applications to one of
the external drives and the data to the other external drive and then
reformat the internal drive and install the new software?
1 B) When I do the install will the install program be
able to find the info from the copy of the old system (which is Tiger,
btw) on the external hard drive? and retrieve all my settings?
1 C) Will it port the applications, too, or will I have
to reinstall them?
Question 2) - What software do I use to copy the system software - is
carbon copy cloner still the copy program of choice?
Question 3) is there anything else I need to know?
Thanks.
Harry
_______________________________________________
The next Louisville Computer Society meeting will
be May 26 at MacAuthority, 128 Breckinridge Lane.
Posting address: [email protected]
Information: http://www.math.louisville.edu/mailman/listinfo/macgroup
_______________________________________________
The next Louisville Computer Society meeting will
be May 26 at MacAuthority, 128 Breckinridge Lane.
Posting address: [email protected]
Information: http://www.math.louisville.edu/mailman/listinfo/macgroup
