Archive and Install: "Previous Systems" Folder?

I had to do an archive and install a few days ago on my iMac. Thankfully it hasn't ever been necessary before on any of my systems in the many years I've been using Macs.
Firstly: what would be the consequences — if indeed there are any at all — of deleting the "Previous Systems" folder? I desperately need to free up some disk space to install some rather large apps that I need for work; however, owing to my unfamiliarity with how OSX organises the system after an archive and install, I'm averse to just deleting the folder if doing so might possibly result in system instability.
Secondly: The archive and install seems to have gone well; the user accounts seem to work fine and I have just finished updating without any significant issues (other than sometimes not being able to hide apps/finder — but this is only a minor irritation). Also, I tried to move some of my plugins from the archived system folder to the new one; however, it doesn't appear to have been any use — the plugins are either not recognised or simply don't work. Again, this is only a minor issue as I can always download and re-install all of my codecs as and when...
Thanks.

although I verify the internal HD that computer boots from roughly once every one to two months and it never seems to indicate that there are any problem.
Oh, that fine then if it Verifies OK.
It might be prudent to mention at this point that I haven't been able to make a full system back-up of the main/boot HD either. Mainly because I don't have a third party app to do it...
PS. Safe boot may stay on the gray radian for a long time, let it go, it's trying to repair the Hard Drive.
Get carbon copy cloner to make an exact copy of your old HD to the New one...
http://www.bombich.com/software/ccc.html
SuperDuper...
http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/
Or the most expensive one & my favorite, Tri-Backup...
http://www.tri-edre.com/english/tribackup.html
PS, it can be done with the OS, but a real pain, even more to restore it.

Similar Messages

After Archive and Install, my Home folder is not quite right....

I did an A&I last week and am slowly getting it back to the way it was (minus the problems) but am wondering if my Home Folder has all it should- it seems like it should have more in it so I am just double checking. In my Home Folder I have these items: Desktop, Documents, Library, Movies, Music, Pictures, Public and Sites. No Users folder.....And my Pictures folder just has a folder, it doesn't list my libraries nor does it have my Reunion Pictures folder in it (my genealogy software- it was stored there before and after the A&I) but it's not there now. I see that if I do a Finder search, typing in Reunion Pictures it directs me to my HD--->Users--->Home Folder--->Pictures and it comes up and I see them BUT I don't see it listed in the Pictures folder nor my other 5 libraries. So something is wrong and I need to get this set up right. Can anyone please help me straighten out this mess? I really, really appreciate the help and guidance, Judy

A short addendum: If I right-click on the Pictures folder, to highlight Show Contents, it's all listed there but I don't think I should have to do that. Plus, my Users folder isn't in my Home Folder (in the Finder, my "little house" is there and if I highlight I get just that short list of things but no Users Folder- should it be there? Or is it supposed to reside on the HD? Sorry, I am rambling. j

Finder not responding after Archive and install

I recently encountered my first problem ever with my mac(new in '05) This is the first mac I have owned; I have worked on G3's and G4's in the past. After reading through many message boards and support pages I don't believe my problem to be similar but different to previous posts.
My problem started off with an OS problem that I was able to diagnose in the "help" book I purchased when Leopard came out. It said I should Archive and Install to remedy the problem and keep my files. I ran the archive the install (it gave me no options to preserve user or network settings). After Archive and install my computer started up alright, but I got the permanent beachball and the finder does not work. it is constantly non responsive. I can relaunch finder, but after it restarts it goes non responsive immediately once again. So I can't actually access my "previous system" folder to move anything over. I checked my dock items and finder, they opened, but my itunes asked for an update. I list of update items came up; I did the non-restart items first. they updated fine, (my itunes old itunes playlists are viewable but not playable now) then I did the items that required a restart. That is when I found out that I could not shut down or restart my computer with std. procedures.
Currently I can only access my spotlight or apple pull down menu if I am in a functioning dock program (safari or itunes, quicktime. etc.) after reading some more support pages it looked like the common thing to do was check permissions and verify disk. I did, I repaired two permissions and the disk was OK. I did look at the HD files, they were as I remembered, but unaccessible (greyed out) and the "previous system" folder was present. +It didn't look like I would expect. The HD looked same as it used to just with a previous system folder.+ After checking the permissions and verified the disk I tried a hard restart. It came back the same as before, unresponsive finder and only the few dock items worked along with spotlight. I checked permissions and disk verify again and everything was OK.
Sorry to be long winded I am trying to be thorough...In short, My finder does not work after doing an Archive and Install to fix my original problem (which has been fixed)...the remedy for an unresponsive finder is to do an archive and install. Is another archive and install really going to fix my problem? Can I archive and install OSX 10.4 and work my way back up to 10.5.6?
Secondly is there a way to restart my computer without doing another hard restart?

It won't let me add a new account. I am locked out and when I try to unlock it gives me the beachball and becomes non responsive after it tries to authenticate.
I looked at the log file, I am not sure what exactly to look for. I am no programer. I see an awful lot of negative wording. I see some errors like "error (-4956) locating menu extra but they are mostly under system preferences...I see some stuff in the loginwindow that says is not a full path... Otherwise, the only reference I see to the finder is when I have force quit the finder.
2/8/09 8:59:55 PM com.apple.launchd[114] ([0x0-0x4d04d].com.apple.finder[304]) Exited: Terminated
2/8/09 11:10:17 PM com.apple.launchd[114] ([0x0-0x57057].com.apple.finder[321]) Exited: Terminated

Getting space back after archiving and installing

hi i need help!!! guys after i archived and reinstall leopard. eveyting is fine only that i used to have only like 50 gigs of space used and now it says i have 75 gigs used ... Why is that ?? how can i get my space back and the previous system folder its only taking up like 6 gigs stiil where is ther 15 gigs? its like if installed leopard over leopard again please help! i Want to get my space backk

Hi JM111;
When you do an Archive & Install the procedure saves the old system for you in a folder called Previous System. It does this just in case something is missing so that you can recover it from the Previous System folder. Once you have tested the system and applications and are satisfied with it, you can delete the Previous System folder which will return some disk back.
Allan

Archive and Install limbo (G4)

I tried, all too long ago (actually, over the past couple of weeks) to do a full Archive and Install for Tiger on my G4 Sawtooth. I had originally installed the OS from disks (CDs) that I bought from what I thought was a reputed dealer. What I didn't know is that the disks were not the real Apple ones. Instead of being black, they are white, with a grey X on each.
I managed to install Disk 1 successfully (though it restarted at the end). That left on my hard drive just the folder called System that is within the System folder that holds all the OS components. When I tried to install Disk 2, it sometimes seemed to install all the components on the disk and sometimes only some, but it always ended in a message saying that errors were found and I needed to try reinstalling. I never get beyond that point. Now I'm in a limbo without a System that I can boot to and the ability just to get out and try to reinstall from a legitimate DVD of Tiger that I got this week. All I want to so is get rid of the stuff that was deposited on my hard drive. Until I can do that, I'm stuck with the error message. I can't even shut down the computer! It doesn't know that I have a system on it.
I can boot the computer into 9.2.2, but only with a repair disk that was lent to me by a computer repair place here in New York. I had hoped that I'd be able to boot up from the Tiger DVD, but that can't work while I have to use the CD/DVD drive to get into anything but the error message I mentioned above. Also, for some reason there is no sign of my Documents Folder, which has almost all of my files, nor any other OS X folder (except that System one that is usually embedded in the larger System one). I hope they are not gone forever.
There also is a folder called Previous System 1. That is the one that was on the computer before I started the Archive and Install process. I wondered what would happen if I renamed the folder that was installed by the Tiger Disk 1 and the Previous System folder, but I am afraid to try.
How to deal with this? By the way I have all the necessary software for OS 9, and now I have the new, legitimate Tiger DVD—though I can't boot from that nor do anything else with it until my computer recognizes that it has a hard drive and a System. If it would help, I could reinstall OS 9.2.2, but where would I go from there? And would it help, anyway?
A friend suggested removing the battery and resetting the PMU. I don't know whether that will do the trick.
I hope that you can help me. I'm kind of frazzled, after days and days of trying to do a full Archive and Install. Thank you very much, in advance.
Jenny

Thanks, but the firmware was updated, and I was already using 10.4.11. I managed to get back to OS 9.2.2, somehow, so I can use the computer a bit, but I don't have access to some of the data I had with Tiger. I really want to reinstall Tiger, and I'd be willing to get legitimate Tiger disks (so angry that I was rooked into buying the ones with the grey "X"), but:
1. Would it work?
2. Where would I get them? Clearly, I have no serial number for the disks, because they weren't real Apple ones (as I said, I didn't know that), so I doubt that Apple would help me. All I want is to get Tiger back.
I see, from this discussion group, that I am not unique in getting stuck on Disk 2, so maybe it's a problem with software and not my Mac. I don't know.
I've been working with a Mac guru of sorts, but we tried all kinds of things (taking battery out and doing the CUDA thing, for example, trying to do an install from Firewire, etc.). He even sent me a copy of a Tiger DVD to try. It didn't boot the G4 or even mount on the desktop, despite the fact that I can play other DVDs just fine. My G4 DVD drive spat it out, and my G3 laptop first was able to mount it and then boot it, but attempts at installation failed, with the computer hanging after installation started. Then the G3 also refused to accept the Tiger install DVD. Very mysterious, all of it.
I had already used Disk Warrior and the 9.2.2 version of Disk First Aid. That latter I did when the G4 was booted from a 9.2.2 troubleshooting CD from a place that repairs computers. (They gave it to me on another occasion, before I used Tiger.) I continued until no need for repairs was reported.
My guru seems to be out of options, and he is convinced that the Tiger disk he so kindly sent me has no problems on it. I am not altogether sure. Why, else, would my DVD drive willingly play whatever else I put into it but spit out that disk? Oh, well. I think the two of us are out of options. If anyone here has others, I would happily try them.
Best,
Jenny

Can you access a Leopard previous system folder after upgrading to Snow?

If I have a previous system folder from 10.5, can I copy to my machine running Snow Leopard and access files? I have it archived and want to upgrade a MacBook intel currently using Tiger to either Leopard or Snow Leopard and then access the files.
I see the previous system folder and user on the Tiger machine fine. It shows correct folder sizes, but files do not appear...assuming because it's 10.5.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Bryson

Long story...but basically was using 10.5 regularly, then had some major issues (couldn't even log in at all). Went to reinstall OS but my Leopard system disc was damaged. So went back to 10.4 (had old disc)and copied previous system folder to archive. Was going to buy and reinstall 10.5 but thought about going all the way to SL instead.

Is it possible to create a custom "archive and install" netinstall image

10.5.8 Server & 10.5.6 v1 server admin tools.....
I understand you can customize netinstall images with the Automator actions in System Image Utility but I don't seem to find a Automator action I can apply to my custom netinstall image that will perform an archive and install.
Is this possible? Any help much appreciated!
Message was edited by: ptg

There is no way to do an archive and install through System Image Utility.

After archive and install--I have a previous system folder

Hello, I had a corrupted system file and I had to do an archive and install, which used the system discs I got with my laptop to reinstall OS X.
Now I have a previous system file on my hard drive. Is this still needed? Can i just delete it? What can I do?
Thanks

This is simply an archive of your previous system.
Although system was corrupt, you may be able to look through the folder and retrieve any data which you would like to keep.
But the answer is no, you definately don't need it.
Dave

How do I do back to previous system folder after archive and install?

Did an archive and install (retaining my existing user account), only to discover it was unnecessary. (Turns out the problem was hardware-related.)
How do I go back to using my previous system folder?

FloydianSlip wrote:
Huh. Hardly seems to be worth "archiving" if you can't go back to the archive.
The purpose of an *Archive & Install* is to install a fresh, known-good copy of the OS, while preserving in the archive all the files from the previous copy of the installed OS that you might potentially need for some reason. (This is why it is called an Archive & Install.)
However, since any of these archived files might have been damaged in some way since they were installed or created, or in some way conflict with a freshly installed OS, they cannot be considered "known-good" without further testing & should not be reintroduced haphazardly into the "live" system.
The value of this install method should be obvious if you consider that if the OS is sufficiently damaged it will not run the computer, either at all or well enough to recover from whatever damage is done. Without this option, you would have to erase the existing startup disk completely (with the *Erase & Install* method), losing everything created or installed besides what is contained in the OS installer.
The closest equivalents to the kind of archive that you can "go back to" are cloning the entire drive or using the 'restore from Time Machine' option from the installer DVD's Utilities menu, assuming you use Time Machine.

Can I copy newer system (10.6.8.) from previous system folder after archive and install with (10.5.4)?

Rightyho,
had trouble with extensions in 10.6.8 and had to re-install with original disks 10.5.4.
Did an archive and install.
In my (dated) Previous System Folder are Appl / Library / System / User folders.
Copied my User folder back no problem.
Can that also be done with the newer system? No info in support.
Time Machine won't migrate because of newer system and I have only a disk image of Snow Leopard and can't burn double layer DVDs.
When I tried to order SL DVD from Apple they told me it'll take 3 weeks ...

http://www.maciverse.com/install-os-x-snow-leopard-from-usb-flash-drive.html
How to erase and install Snow Leopard 10.6

HT1710 If I click archive and install and it says moves existing system files to a folder named previous system , will this save my photos tol

I have to restore my Mac mini and i want to click on archive and install and it says it will move existing files to a folder but I need to know wether my photos will be moved too because I have 5 years worth of photos on there. If my photos will not be moved could I take it too a store and they could put them onto a USB stick for me.

"Archive and install" is an option in early versions of OS X installers. It moves some parts of the previous system to a folder called "Previous System" and installs the new OS.
There is also an option to presever user data and settings. See this document. http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1710
If you have 5 years' worth of photos and you do not want to lose them, then you NEED to have a backup. Hard drives can fail. Suddenly. Particularly on aging hardware. Computers can get stolen, set on fire or have drinks spilt over them.
If you do not have a backup, you should EXPECT to lose your files.
You should not need a store to make a copy of your files. Get an external drive, or use DVDs and move the files in the Finder. If you're using Leopard already, then you have Time Machine.

Previous System folder vs. system folder after archive and install

Hi there - I am very new to mac but love the products and am excited to be a part of the culture.
Because I am having battery-type problems I was told to do an archive and install to see if it was a software problem.
My question is, I followed the instructions apple gave for doing the archive and install. And it says that you can delete the previous system folder if everything is the same or you can move stuff over.
The problem is I want to delete the previous systems folder but it is very different than the new one and I don't even know what I would copy.
Briefly, the new system folder just has one folder inside called library with a bunch of folders inside of that.
The previous system folder called previous system 1 has folders entitled application, library, mach.sym, private, system, and users. Why are they different and what can I do?

The previous system, in most cases can be safely deleted. You can't revert to it anyway, so there's no fall back option to worry about. If you've saved everything in your user folder (or home folder - same thing) your data is safe. The previous system may have some preference files for apps you run, perhaps even registration data for apps that require serial #'s when you install them. If everything runs fine, and your data is where it's supposed to be, you can safely delete the previous system. I'd suggest making sure everything runs OK for a week or so, make sure all your apps work and all your data is there, then delete the previous system.
Jeff

Archive and Install Leopard - questions about "previous system" folder

now that i have done an archive and install for leopard I have a "Previous system" folder. In it is "Applications", "Library", "Private", "Users", and "System" folders.
Which can I delete and which must I save??

Hi DrAndy;
It is my understanding that after testing the installation done with an Archive & Install once you are certain that everything is working correctly the "Previous System" folder can be deleted in it's entirety.
Allan

Can I trash "Previous Systems" after Archive and Install?

For details leading up to this question, please see my previous post entitled "Not recognizing password after OS install". Basically I want to know if I can throw out the "Previous Systems" folder that was created when I did an "Archive and Install" re-install of my OS.
Thanks.

For more information about the previous system folder and what is saved, you can check out Mac OS X: About the Archive and Install feature. Probably the most important piece of information is that the Previous System Folder contains a copy of the /Users folder. If you thought that something was missing from your home folder in the new system after the upgrade, you could copy it from the /Users folder. But, if you selected the option "Preserve User and Network Settings" when you did the Archive and Install, this should not be necessary.
Personally, what I would do is to leave the Previous System Folder be for a couple of weeks. If you don't find anything missing, then it should be okay to delete it.
EMAC G4 1.0 GHz Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Problem Deleting Previous System after Archive and Install

Earlier in my time with this wonderful iMac, I did an Archive and Install to try and resolve a slight problem. I read all the docs beforehand and knew it would save the previous system in its own folder and saw that I could likely delete that folder afterwards.
I have waited months since then, (almost forgotten about this folder) but have never had reason to want anything there, so today decided to delete it.
I dragged the entire previous system folder to trash and tried to empty trash. It deleted most of the stuff, but kept one package DownloadReader7.pkg complaining of locked files.
I have used Pacificist to look at the contents of this package and it says it is a receipt. It contains elements of Adobe Reader Download Manager.app
I have looked on my present working system and can not find an equivalent.
So two questions...
1. Is it safe to delete this package (if I knew how)?
2. If it is safe to delete it, HOW do I, when it appears to have locked elements when I try to empty trash?

It's safe to delete any files in the PSF.
Usually all you need do is press the OPTION key before selecting Empty Trash. If that doesn't work the next thing to try is restart the computer after you've dragged the file to the Trash. If neither works then visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQ on resolving Trash problems.
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Archive and Install: "Previous Systems" Folder?

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