Clean Install confusion persists

Question

In a previous thread:
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=8559606#8559606
some questioned my continued desire to ensure users not get confused between clean install and archive and install. Rest assured, there are good reasons to clarify what's clean install versus archive and install.
1. Mac OS 8 and 9 used "Clean Install" to refer to a process most similar to 10.2 and higher's "Archive and Install."
2. Book authors of Mac tech support have inconsistently used the term "Clean Install" to sometimes mean "Erase and Install," and sometimes "Archive and Install."
3. Archive and Install can yield unpredictable results when installing an older over a newer system. This was not a problem with Mac OS 8 and 9's Clean Install because in Mac OS 8 and 9 no dependencies for the operating system were outside the System Folder, whereas in Mac OS X there appear to be a few that are not covered.
When users request help and say they have "clean installed" I continue to ask for clarification, because I have no idea whose "book" they believe to be fact, and whose book they don't, and I want to make sure they have not put themselves in a situation where Archive and Install can fail, or where they have not backed up their data prior to erasing their hard drive, or are not about to put themselves in one of these situations.
Message was edited by: a brody

Answer 1

My opinion is that sometimes the context of a post makes it clear what is meant by a "clean" install, sometimes it doesn't, ... & usually it doesn't matter.
Sure, posts would be a little clearer if everyone used proper terminology like "Archive & Install" or "Erase & Install" but remember that for many (maybe most?) topics it matters just as much if potentially "dirty" items were retained or added back to the new install afterwards.
For an Erase & Install this can & often does happen because Migration/Setup Assistant runs automatically & offers to migrate all manner of items from a backup into the "clean" (here meaning "fresh") install. For an Archive & Install it often happens because the "Preserve Users and Network Settings" option is selected. Even when it is not, items from the Previous Systems folder may be manually dragged back into the current one or placed there by other means.
Some users are aware that doing any of these things compromises the "cleanliness" of the final result & some aren't. But my point is if they said they did an "Archive & Install" or an "Erase & Install" instead of a "clean install" it would be no clearer if they did or did not retain or add back suspect items. Unless users are very clear about exactly what they did, we still would need to ask for clarification.
Message was edited by: R C-R