Archive reinstall

so my computer has been acting wierd lately (whole other story) and i was advised to do an archive reinstall. the only thing i just wanted to know before i reinstall my operating system are these:
will i need a serial number? i looked through all my "welcome to panther" booklets etc. that came with my computer and couldn't find one anywhere. i assure you my copy of osx is 100% legitimate, it came with my computer.
also, will it preserve all of my files and applications, or will i have to reinstall all of them?
thaks

Hi John, your serial number is right in "about this Mac" on your blue apple pull down menu, just click on "Version" twice.
You will not need a serial number to re-install Tiger. However, there may be a couple of measures you can take before doing that. Tell us what the issues are and we can advise. It may be a more simple matter.
-mj
[email protected]

Similar Messages

Applications not working after archive reinstall

After a new optical drive, the tech at the mac store suggested that I clear up some space and archive reinstall. I did, and now all applications are seriously crashing - For ie iPhoto's icon just bounces then notifies that it has 'Quit Unexpectedly', and is now constantly failing to open. iTunes says the file cannot be read because it was created by a newer version. I don't know why. I do have Time machine backup's. Any suggestions on a next step....
I had upgraded to Leopard 10.5.6 last year and it was those new Leopard Install disc that I used for the archive reinstall because the option to preserve user data was greyed out when I tried my original discs that came with the iMac.
Message was edited by: circularlogik

Have you run Software Update yet?
There are frequent updates to the OS after the disc is released. The last release of Leopard is 10.5.8.
I just did an archive and reinstall from 10.5.1, and the Mac OS X Combined update for me is 768Mb!

Archive reinstall and Logic

As I understand it using archive reinstall will replace all the system level files to factory default while leaving intact my files and applications. My main use of this MacBook is for logic and production so if I select archive reinstall of OSX, after installation is complete will Logic still be operational and present as it is now including more importantly all my third party plugins and VST's? So in effect after reinstallation of OSX I can open up Logic and continue working as now?

Best way for me was to make a complete backup with SuperDuper or DiskUtility on a FireWire disk, reinstall and use the Migration Assistent.

Archive & reinstall of Leopard

I recently did an archive/reinstall of Leopard; things seem to be working ok. I do have a question about folders in the Macintosh HD directory; are all these folders necessary to keep?
Applications
BaseSystem.pkg.1462xEyNt
bin
etc
Library
Previous Systems
sbin
System
tmp
Users
usr
var
any help will be very appreciated. I don't want to accumulated files/folders not needed or necessary.
thanks

Previous systems folder contains your old system and can be deleted if everything works correctly. I'm not sure what BaseSystem.pkg.1462xEyNt is. looks like something left by the installer. it can be deleted too. don't delete anything else. some of the other folders like /bin and /etc should be hidden. they can become visible sometimes. to hide them again use this link
http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20071107023334449

Archival reinstall does not work

I am trying to do an archival reinstall (OS 10.3.9)
But when i try to do this starting up with my Os 10.3.5 installation disk, I get a black screen with all sorts of garbage & a notice:
"You need to restart your computer. Hold down on the power button for several seconds or press the restart button"
Whereinhell is the "restart Button?"
When i " hold down" on the ony "power button" that I know of, the computer simply shuts down & I am back to square 1.
I am about ready to buy a Windows machine!

What worked? Archive & Install or the troubleshooting solutions mentioned in the 2nd link I provided in my initial response?
If you did an A&I did you select "preserve user preferences and data" when you performed the A&I?
Did you check the Previous System folder for items you may need?
Safari & GC updated to your current OS system?
Have you run fsck?
See Knowlege Base Articles:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214 Using Disk Utility and fsck to resolve startup issues or perform disk maintenance
If still having problems running Safari, suggest that you cross-post over in the Safari for Mac Forums where the Safari users hang out.

Missing apps after archive & reinstall

I recently did an archive & reinstall. Opening iMovie for the first time after it gave me the following error:
"Missing Quicktime Components: The QuickTime components necessary to view, edit, import, and export several kinds of movies are not installed. These components are included with the iMovie installer; please re-install."
iMovie still opened but I didn't want to entrust it with importing files. So I went here: http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/application_updates/imovie712.html and downloaded the latest iMovie and tried to install it. But I got this error:
"Alert: An eligible iMovie application was not found in the location /Applications."
Huh, that's weird. So I looked in my Applications folder and not only is iMovie not there, but neither is iPhoto, or iDVD!
I suppose I could bring them back with the versions in my Time Machine prior to the archive and reinstall, but would they come whole? Would it be better to reinstall these from the Installation DVD's? WHo knows what else is missing? Guess that is what I get for using the Leopard Installation DVD I got for my G5, rather than using the disks that came with this MacBook Pro.
Any advice?

no, you don't need either. you just want to reinstall ilife, not the whole system and you don't need pacifist for this.
if you bought ilife separately, just use the ilife install DVd. If you use ilife that came with the computer do the following.
insert the install dvd 1 that came with the computer. open it in finder and double-click on "install bundled software only". follow the instructions. once ilife is installed rerun the ilife updates to bring it up to its current version.

IWeb Quits when Publishing - Apple Genius said to Archive & Reinstall

Just spent over an hour with an Apple Genius at the Apple store to see if he could alleviate my problem with iWeb quitting whenever I tried to publish. I've been using iWeb for the last 5 months and have successfully posted hundreds of blog posts and pictures to my site on a .Mac account - but in the last 24 hours, I've been unable to get new posts published because iweb has been crashing prior to finishing the publish request.
I've tried deleting the iWeb preferences in /myname/library/prefernces as well as clearing my cache files and plain old rebooting. Also tried reinstalling the 1.1. update. The Genius reinstalled iWeb at the store and then I updated. Nothing's been fixed. I still crash when I publish. The only possible solution (according to the Genius) is to bite the bullet and do an Archive and Install. Anyone had luck with this?
Macbook Pro Mac OS X (10.4.6)

I would go with a second User account first, as suggested by James.
If this doesn't work, I would be thinking corrupt prefs files within the domain file itself....
1. Quit iWeb
2. Navigate to the domain file, User/Library/Application Support/iWeb/domain
3. CREATE A COPY OF THIS FILE, and then move it to somewhere safe.
4. Now back to the original, "control+click" (Right click if you have one of those new fangled two button mice (mouses?!?) )
5. From the pop-up menu, choose "Show Package Contents"
6. Sort the finder window by "Kind", it brings all of the plist files inside iWeb together.
assets.YourUserName.plist - This one is a regular problem!
ServerCachedResources.plist
sharedassets.plist
deletedComments.YourUserName.plist
I have deleted all of these when having different problems, not specifically iWeb quittting when publishing, I dont think that that has happened to me.
I do have a tendancy to lose blog comments, perhaps deleting these files has caused it.
I also know that once I have deleted them and relaunched iWeb, done a Publish All to .Mac, all of my problems have gone.
The plist files are all recreated the first time you do this.
You may or may not want to try this, but on a copy of your domain.sites file is there anything to lose? Other than your sanity?
You might want to do one at a time or all at once.
Anyway, thats my 2 pence worth, I'm English really!!!
Will
1GHz G4, 15" PB, 1.5GB RAM, Airport Network, 4 GB iPod Mini (1G), 60GB iPod (5G) Mac OS X (10.4.6)
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Can't open .wmv files in Quicktime after archive and reinstall of OS

After recently archiving/reinstalling OS, I can no longer open .wmv files in Quicktime. "The movie could not be opened". "The file is not a movie file" is the error. This applies to newly downloaded as well as previously downloaded and played files. Qtime version is 7.6.4. Changing extension to .mov doesn't work. Any assistance appreciated.

Reinstall Flip4Mac.
(49196)

Help I can't get past grey screen or reinstall osX

Hi I have an imac g5 without isight (non intel) and I tried to install the new osx update (this is thursday night). A pop up said the install failed and i tried to open a program, but it only bounced once on the dock and didn't open. When I tried to restart it, it froze on an empty backround so I manually turned it off. Now when I turn it on, I only get to the grey loading screen, then after a minute or two the fan turns on. I will not go past that no matter how long I let it sit.
I talked to the techguy at my school and he told me to archive reinstall it from the disc. When I try to do that, after installing the first disc of OSx (archive with preferences saved)It says the install was unsuccessful and to try again. I ran the hardware diognostic and it says there is nothing wrong with hardware. I dont know what to do. I'm going to try it again without preferences, but I absolutely cannot delete my hard drive. I am a film student and only a quarter of my stuff is backed up.
Please help, I could not afford the mac insurance renewall, I deffinately can't afford repairs or $49/hr apple help phonecalls. thank you.

"Disc repair was unsuccessful."
If it reported problems it could not repair then you may have directory damange/problems. Archive and Install is not going to solve this. The more you use your computer, the more damage you will cause your system if your directory is damaged.
You will need to purchased a stronger 3rd party utililty. The favorite around here is DiskWarrior followed by TechTool Pro. There are others.
You need to make your own decision on which to purchase. Read up on them on their websites because each does something a little different.

Restoring from Time Machine after complete reinstall

Hi!
I have some odd problems in my system. Can´t do capital K without using capslock, flickering images, mousepointer freezes when I connect an external drive etc. I have booted from another system which makes all the problems go away which leads me to think it is something wrong in my software. Same problems if I create a new account and I´ve tried an Archive/reinstall without any luck. So I thought I would try a complete Erase and reinstall. I have a Time Machine backup which I would use but my question is. Is it likely that a transfer from my Time Machine backup, after my erase and install, will contain the problems I am trying to get rid of? Any better suggestions to try instead?
Thanks

CurryDallas wrote:
Hi!
I have some odd problems in my system. Can´t do capital K without using capslock, flickering images, mousepointer freezes when I connect an external drive etc. I have booted from another system which makes all the problems go away which leads me to think it is something wrong in my software. Same problems if I create a new account and I´ve tried an Archive/reinstall without any luck. So I thought I would try a complete Erase and reinstall. I have a Time Machine backup which I would use but my question is. Is it likely that a transfer from my Time Machine backup, after my erase and install, will contain the problems I am trying to get rid of?
If the problems are with software and not hardware that's quite possible. but what you describe is pretty strange. if the problems were with the system files an archive and install should have fixed them. if they are with some user preference files making a new account would have fixed them.
You can try doing an erase and install and check if the problems go away. if the do try using migration assistant to import your user settings and home directory ONLY from the TM backup. and if that doesn't work there is always an erase and install followed by manual migration from TM. that's VERY tedious but will give you the cleanest system.
see this post for help on what to migrate
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=6185507
Any better suggestions to try instead?
Thanks
Message was edited by: V.K.

MacBook Pro w/ OSX v10.6 refused to restart- reinstalled now slow

OK- here is what happened/I did:
1. I used it fine with FinalCut Pro, watching videos with QT10 and closed the lid one night, two weeks ago.
2. Next day I opened the lid and tried to view a video with QT10 only to be told that that version of QT was not compatible with my OS.
3. So I did the natural thing and tried to repair permissions. Only to be told that my version of Disk Utitility was also not compatible with my OS installation.
4. I checked iTunes and it played. Checked one other Mac app and it too worked fine.
5. Decided to restart and it wouldn't. Got stuck on the grey screen with the timer clock going round and round for a good twenty minutes. Tried again, with forced shut-down. No dice.
6. Safe restart- no dice either. Still going round and round (with the status bar popping up and disappearing in ever decreasing times every other time I tried.
7. Backed up crucial data NO problem a week or so ago, and then used its disk to do an archive reinstall. Took a while, made all apps behave as though they were opening for the first time (which I expect, kind of).
What I now note:
1. But now I get the following message when I repair permissions: "Warning: SUID file "System/Library/CoreServices/RemoteManagement/ARDAgent.app/Contents/MacOS/ARDAg ent" has been modified and will not be repaired." I was going to ask just what that meant but thought I'd better put it in context.
2.I also have issues with Firefox which is on "go slow" in loading pages, the Bookmark tab is practically unselectable and will not drop down menu.
3. The computer, though now restartable, is very slow in starting.
4. I noted that the OS version went back down to 10.6.3 (to be expected of course)after the archive install, and that an update I just did (which seemed to not install OS updates, rather concentrating on iPhone/iTunes) went very quickly but DID upgrade to 10.6.8.
5. I struggle to eject external hard drives of late... In fact last thing- they didn't at all. The colourful beach ball is about a lot- not a happy bunny, me.
Can you advise? Please and thank you.

OK- here is what happened/I did:
1. I used it fine with FinalCut Pro, watching videos with QT10 and closed the lid one night, two weeks ago.
2. Next day I opened the lid and tried to view a video with QT10 only to be told that that version of QT was not compatible with my OS.
3. So I did the natural thing and tried to repair permissions. Only to be told that my version of Disk Utitility was also not compatible with my OS installation.
4. I checked iTunes and it played. Checked one other Mac app and it too worked fine.
5. Decided to restart and it wouldn't. Got stuck on the grey screen with the timer clock going round and round for a good twenty minutes. Tried again, with forced shut-down. No dice.
6. Safe restart- no dice either. Still going round and round (with the status bar popping up and disappearing in ever decreasing times every other time I tried.
7. Backed up crucial data NO problem a week or so ago, and then used its disk to do an archive reinstall. Took a while, made all apps behave as though they were opening for the first time (which I expect, kind of).
What I now note:
1. But now I get the following message when I repair permissions: "Warning: SUID file "System/Library/CoreServices/RemoteManagement/ARDAgent.app/Contents/MacOS/ARDAg ent" has been modified and will not be repaired." I was going to ask just what that meant but thought I'd better put it in context.
2.I also have issues with Firefox which is on "go slow" in loading pages, the Bookmark tab is practically unselectable and will not drop down menu.
3. The computer, though now restartable, is very slow in starting.
4. I noted that the OS version went back down to 10.6.3 (to be expected of course)after the archive install, and that an update I just did (which seemed to not install OS updates, rather concentrating on iPhone/iTunes) went very quickly but DID upgrade to 10.6.8.
5. I struggle to eject external hard drives of late... In fact last thing- they didn't at all. The colourful beach ball is about a lot- not a happy bunny, me.
Can you advise? Please and thank you.

IMac won't start - should I reinstall OS?

Recently my iMac won't start up - it goes to screen with folder + question mark. I've run Disk Utility, repaired hard drive, but there were no reported repairs to make.
Occassionally it will start up, and everything seems normal until suddenly the beach ball appears and everything freezes. 99% of tries it won't start up (i get the ? folder). Is it worth erasing the disk and reinstalling everything to see if a fresh start will help, or is it likely that the hardware is damaged?
Don't want to bother erasing it if there's no point... any advice greatly appreciated.
Also - anyone who's had their iMac repaired - what are the costs like?

I've just suddenly had the same problem - for no apparent reason as far as I can tell. The night before last I switched off my iMac as normal, and yesterday morning switched it back on. At first it would start, but crashed as soon as I tried to start any applications. Then it wouldn't start at all, and just got as far as the gray screen with the apple on it. After trying resetting the PRAM, switching on and holding the on button for 10 seconds, it was no different...
So, I tried doing a archive-reinstall from the original leopard DVD I bought from apple. This did a successful disk verification, but then said it couldn't install mac os due to a problem with the basesystem package. After that it wouldn't let me try another archive-install and only gave the options to install as new, or erase and install. The latter I don't want to do, and the former just gives the same basesystem error... All I get now is a flashing folder with a question mark and not even the gray screen...
I have tried using the diskutility to verify/ repair the hard drive and it says all is well...
I have heard this may all be due to dodgy RAM chips, but I have never messed with them or altered them. It just seems odd they should suddenly fail when they were working fine before.....
Any ideas would be much appreciated. A lot of data at risk
Dan.

Archive & Re-install Question

when i archive & reinstall, will i lose all other apps (ilife, qt, ms office)? i'm concerned about itunes as i just rebuilt my library.
will software updates for other apps (ilife,etc.) be lost?
thanks

Hello Theus:
There are always exceptions, but archive and install will install a fresh copy of OS X while preserving your programs, files, and settings. The archive and install also creates a rather large folder called, as I recall, "previous system." This is not bootable but contains all of your files, programs, etc. before the A&I. I keep this folder 2-3 weeks and then trash it.
It is ALWAYS good practice to back up prior to any software changes (I make bootable clones on an external firewire drive using SuperDuper - www.shirt-pocket.com).
Barry
Message was edited by: Barry Hemphill

Icons generic, Cannot rebuild desktop - what to reinstall?

Hello,
The power supply on my MDD has recently been replaced, and I've noticed freezing in OS 9. The repair shop tech suggested some fixes:
1. rebuilding the desktop
2. trashing finder and system folder prefs
3. archive reinstall
On trying to rebuild the desktop, I got a flashing dialog box saying the finder needs your attention and to restart. This happened several times, so I assume I somehow can't rebuild the desktop. (And Alsoft Disk Warrior won't let me rebuild the Mac HD, as it is the start up drive)
And 2. I tried trashing the system prefs. - and included the desktop startup prefs.(I think) Since I was led to believe these would regenerate on the restart...though I may have trashed one that didn't) Because evidently my video files (Quicktime, and the 3rd party video editing system application that uses them, no longer show up in the file list as icons, but as generic document (page with corner turned down) icons.
How can I restore the icons and also be able to rebuild the desktop? I certainly don't want to lose my video files (there must be thousands) or have to replace all the applications, so I think I have to do an archive and install (???).
It's been so long since I did that, and that was back in the Apple Care support days, so could someone please advise? I have all the discs that came with the computer, and I'm thinking I need to do this from one or more of the Software Restore discs, 1-4
Many thanks.
Keith

Hey Tex,
(First off, the other guy's reply here has nothing to do with my issue..)
OK, so I checked out your advice and spent hours trying to recover the icons and rebuild - - no such luck.
I finally got my icons back by reinstalling the NLE program but now, since I tried the first suggestions in the Apple doc., and after it said to turn off the extensions, create another set and what not, that caused more problems than I started out with. I think I rebooted about 25 times...so if there was ever a grown man close to tears, it was me.
The only thing I don't have now is DV in and out in OS 9. I have spent more hours trying out different extension sets that I had - some of which used to work fine, but now I'm unable to get a picture on my monitor or even an exchange with my camcorder when either are connected via firewire. And I'm not even getting the external drive to show up on the desktop - but it does in OS X - so I know there's some extension that needs to be tweaked, but I'll be d**ned if I have to go through all those settings turning them on and off for another 4 or 5 hours...
Help please OR ANY ONE!! I'm at my limit...and so discouraged. The solution's probably something incredibly simple. If anyone had once told me I'd end up as a slave to a computer I would never have believed them

Importing Address Book contacts after a reinstall

I have had to do an 'archive & reinstall' of my OS and can't seem to find my previous contacts in Address Book. I track my former documents by going through 'Finder' to 'Previous Systems', but cannot find .vcf files anywhere. Any ideas?

there is folder in your home directory with the full path /users/user/library/application support/address book. The full path of your home directory is /users/user and you can get to it by clicking on the house icon in the sidebar. then you can go to Library/application support/address book. there is a similar folder in the previous systems folder that actually contains all your contacts. take that folder and copy it over the one in your home directory.

Archive reinstall

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