Clean install or archive and install?

Hi,
After much deliberation, the time has come to upgrade from Tiger to Leopard.
Having updated Tiger numerous times (to 10.4.11), the system has become rather bloated and takes up too much space on my MBP.
Would it be beneficial to do a clean install or install over the previous system?
Also, is it possible to migrate files/settings/apps from an external firewire drive that has been partitioned? One partition has a bootable version of Tiger, the other contains data.
I'm always very reluctant to zero a drive, so any thoughts appreciated!
Cheers,
Colin.

I recommend an Archive & Install or Erase & Install rather than an Upgrade.
When upgrading from Tiger, the installer leaves the "old" Group permissions structures in place - when a default installation of Leopard now uses a different structure (every user is in a staff account - as it used to be back in the days of 10.2!).
This has caused a few hassles, as the Tiger user groups usually appear as "unknown" to an upgraded Leopard user.
Also, the original installer left some kernel extensions in place that are no longer used, but have been demonstrated to have caused airport problems for some people.
Cheers,
Rodney

Similar Messages

Clean install vs. archive and install?

I did an archive and install of OSX to try to solve a stubborn problem with a 3rd party program. No dice, so today I tried a clean install.
I was surprised after the clean install completed that I got an iCal reminder and most of my other system settings were still in place. I thought a clean install was more thorough than that. it still didn't clear up the problem with the 3rd party software, so I guess the next step is to backup everything and do an erase and install.
What exactly does a clean install do? I thought it was comparable to restoring the OS to factory-fresh condition, but it doesn't seem much different than an archive and install.

Obviously this does not happen because it is common for previous settings and configurations (as well as the issues that the user performed the "Erase and Install" to eliminate in the first place) to remain in place after an "Erase and Install" is completed.
Everything remains 'in place' after a normal erase except the info that tells the file system where the erased item is on the drive. The OS finds the actual data the file contains through the file system, which keeps track of the logical sectors on the drive that make up the file. When a file is "erased," all that happens is the file's entry in the file system is erased, freeing up the sectors the file used for new files.
The *only way* the OS could somehow mistakenly retrieve even a part of a previous settings file's or any other file's data is if the file system is corrupted, meaning it contains incorrect info about one or more sectors that contain an active (un-erased) file it is trying to access. Understand that the sectors just contain ones & zeros, whatever they represent in terms of executable code or data. The name, file type, & all the other info about it is in the file system. The OS has no way of knowing where a file's data used to be or what it was used for except through the file system.
So, the chances that corruption in the file system would somehow exactly point to an old settings file's sectors and they would be in the right order and the file the OS is trying to access is also the same settings file are vanishingly small. This is the only way the OS could mistakenly use the old settings file -- anything else would cause the OS to choke on the file because the zeros & ones are not in the correct order to represent that same settings file.
With this in mind, it should be obvious how bizarre the idea is that zeroing out the drive somehow prevents this from happening. It absolutely doesn't matter in the slightest if the 'bad bits" are all zeros, all ones, or some combination of the two. If the drive is zeroed out, every bit returned will be a zero. If the file is supposed to be an XML-formatted preference file, all the OS gets is a long string of null characters, lacking the required XML header, & the OS chokes. If it is supposed to be an executable file all it gets is NOP's & the zero address, & the OS chokes.
Simply put, in the digital world, zero isn't "nothing" or a sign that the computer should ignore it, it is one of only two possible values a bit can have. All useful code & data strings are made up of zeros & ones in exact patterns. Any string of all zeros is no better or worse than a random sting of zeros & ones unless it is exactly the string that the file should contain, & there are no useful files that should contain all zeros.
What users do need to do if there is any question about the wrong data being returned is to replace or repair the file system, not futilely write zeros to the sectors it should be keeping track of. An Erase & Install *does not do this*, which is why that step alone is not enough to fix this problem.

What to do after archive and clean install

I had to re-install 10.3 on my G5 after the hard drive icon icon disappeared from my desktop and the finder froze. Its back to normal now after I did a clean install of 10.3, choosing the archive and install option. What should be my next step? How do I get all my stuff in the 'previous system' folder (my music, photos, etc.) to the main account? Can I somehow log in my old account with all my stuff and delete the new one I had to make? What's the easiest way to do this?

Hi-
How do I get all my stuff in the 'previous system' folder (my music, photos, etc.) to the main account?
How to get files from a previous home directory after Archive and Install

Clean Install and Archive has made no difference.

I've posted recently about this but am still having big problems. My admin user account is very slow and keep getting the spinning beachball everytime I click on an application. When I login Safari opens automatically but to open anything else is painfully slow like there is a delay somewhere. My other user account works fine with no problems. I ran the Disk Utility from the CD and it stated the "HD appears to be ok" which is a good sign I believe. I then tried to reinstall the OS from the disk, it ran fine and I did an archive and install setting but when I restarted the computer I came to the normal login page again with the two users. I clicked the admin user and nothing has changed or improved. getting really t'd off with this now. Shouldn't I be geting a whole welcome and start up page if I have reinstalled the OS.Any suggestions?

If the computer's internal hard disk drive is or was overly full, the
system before and after the Archive & Install would be struggling.
If you did an 'archive and install' there would be no Startup Page
where your computer acts as if no previous owner personalized it;
an archive/install and update can give you a new system folder
and you can have that new system (during install, via option) put
your old user Admin and other account settings in it.
An actual archive of surplus files and seldom used images, songs
or other projects seldom visited, could be created off the computer
or a whole computer drive clone of all that could be made outside
the Mac, where it could be revisited via a bootup from that drive;
and keep the computer's drive more lean. Or, if replacement of an
original drive comes up, be sure to get a much larger capacity one.
And an older machine with some time on it, may be in need of a
new hard disk drive to be installed to replace a failing or weak one.
{Ideally, prior to the 'archive and install' procedure, if a machine is
still running OK and you have the means at hand and know-how,
to make a full drive content clone to a bootable external HDD.}
Having a backup, even on a good day, is one of the forms
of recommended preventative action akin to maintenance
and recovery procedures one can do at home. An invest-
ment in a suitable externally enclosed bootable hard disk
drive unit and experimentation with a clone utility such as
free-running Carbon Copy Cloner, or SuperDuper, is wise.
In any event...
Good luck & happy computing!

Archive and Install/Disc Utility issues -

I'm currently spending a summer abroad in South America, and have had issues with my Macbook Pro (early 2011 version) no longer starting up after some virus experiences last week. The computer hangs itself during loading on the white screen w/ grey apple and the spinning dial. In contacts with Apple Care as well as some Mac-saavy friends, the following situations have been tried:
Opening in safe mode - The loading bar (added at the bottom of the grey apple screen) loads about 1/4 of the way, disappears, and the computer hangs itself.
Opening in single user mode - I run the recommended sbin/fsck -fy command to clean up the hard drive. It comes back after having checked 6-7 parts, saying that the MacHD is in good shape, with a message following saying that something had been "modified" (forgive me for not remembering the correct verbage at present). I then run the same command again, resulting in a message that the HD is clean and without error. I then "reboot" and remain hung on the white screen w/ grey apple.
Opening in verbose mode - I reach the following lines of text, and then there is no further progress:
enable
IONetworkController::enable
createMediumTables
enable end
MacAuthEvent en0   Auth result for: 00:23:cd:1e:f2:c4 No Ack
same line as above saying "Auth timed out" at the end
Command+option+r+p - shock two or three times, (three startup chimes) and computer continues to hang itself in the normal spot.
- So, at this point I took the advice of Apple Care and a few other friends, and tracked down a "retail copy" of Mac OSX (10.6.3) in order to try to do an Archive and Install or any sort of Disc Utility via the startup disc.
Inserting the disc and holding "c" at startup results in the cd drive whirring the disc for a few moments, and then remaining hung at the same white loading screen.
Holding "option" during the startup gives me the option of loading from the HD, or the disc. Selecting the disc proceeds to whirr the cd drive, take me to the white loading screen with the grey apple, and... you guessed it... leaves the CPU hung.
My question is then, is my Macbook Pro unable to read this disc and execute Archive and Install/Disc Utility for hardware reasons as per the virus attack, or is the disc not compatible with my version of OSX (which I have since confirmed through my wife to be 10.6.6)?
Different sources have told me different things. The local AASP in Uruguay sold me what they professed to be the "latest" version of OSX - the 10.6.3, what's more for $55 dollars instead of the lower cost as available in the states (between $15-$30), so I am reluctant to go back to them for advice when they seem more inclined to cash in on my inexperience (Mac owner of less than a month) than actually fixing my issue. Apple Care told me that a standard "retail disc" should work, but I am assuming now that they believe I can snag the same version as initially came with my Macbook Pro. Should I be looking to have my wife mail my original OSX install DVDs down here to resolve this problem? Should 10.6.3-retail be working and is not for reasons I haven't identified? I have since done some online research and found mentions that doing any sort of HD partitioning or OSX reinstalls can only be accomplished by utilizing a disc of an equal or more recent version of the OSX (examples that 10.4 can't work on a notebook preinstalled with 10.5, etc). Does this translate to 10.6.3 not being able to function for my 10.6.6 MBP?
Any insight or thoughts would be much appreciated, as essentially all of my schoolwork and assignments are now trapped on an inaccessible HD. Thank you for your time.
- Joseph

I tried adding in a bunch of information about what your troubleshooting steps meant, but the server went into maintenance while I did. So, here it is again:
"Opening in safe mode - The loading bar (added at the bottom of the grey apple screen) loads about 1/4 of the way, disappears, and the computer hangs itself."
     This is FSCK running, and gives you an indication of it's progress.
"MacAuthEvent en0   Auth result for: 00:23:cd:1e:f2:c4 No Ack"
     This is either a failed DHCP request or ARP request.
"Command+option+r+p"
     Command+Option+P+R - Resets PRAM. That's why p+r.
"Inserting the disc and holding "c" at startup results in the cd drive whirring the disc for a few moments, and then remaining hung at the same white loading screen."
     This problem indicates that the disc is too old to boot your system. The reason for why this disc cannot boot is because it doesn't contain the necessary drivers for your model MacBook Pro. My mom and brother have similar models, and my brother had similar issues while in Japan. He went and got an install disc as well, which failed, I ended up stepping him through so that it would boot in Safe Mode, and then got it working in Normal Mode remotely.
FYI: Sophos has a free Mac Antivirus program, that is very processing friendly, and will scan in the background. You may wish to consider it as an alternative to Avast! if it continues giving you problems. Though I suspect it may be coincidence that your computer had problems shortly after Avast! cleaned up files. Let me know how it goes. You may wish to open up Disk Utility and check your S.M.A.R.T. Status. You want to make sure it says "Verified" If it doesn't say "Verified" then you have a problem.
-Phill

Can I do a clean install of 10.5 and use migration assistant from backup ?

I want to install OS 10.5 on to my Macbook. If I do a clean install rather than an archive and install can I then use migration assistant to transfer my accounts and emails from the cloned Superduper backup I have made on an external drive?
Or is Archive and Install better?

I think 99.9% of the people know what you want to do by "clean" (ie, erase or reformat) and that insures there aren't any file or directory problems when you start, that the new OS is all that will be taking up space. Clean has two connotations: Windows or OS 9. There are lots of words that are "no longer used" but everyone knows what "initialize" or reformat means and does.
If you said, "Scratch that" you could mean, "scratch that idea" even though you can't actually scratch anything. And the idea isn't in stone (scratch out) or written with a pencil where you could erase the word or line. Or draw a line through words to "scratch out the line." There can be multiple meanings. Some languages have 5 words for "blue" to denote different shades of blue, and meaning.
Your drive is 60GB which is on the small side so that is one more reason to reformat.
And because installers will create and delete a lot of files, and scatter around, I would do another SD backup (and leave your old backup as is) so you have a copy of Leopard you can boot from and that would be just Apple OS (maybe after applying the 900MB of updates required to get to 10.5.4+).
Migration Assistant has posed some problems for some with how account data is imported into a new group account. Check out http://www.macfixit.com

Upgrading to Leopard from Tiger. Should I clean install, or is archiving ok

I have the capability to backup up everything myself and clean install, but my only issue is...
I'm running a couple of programs that could be...might be....cracked versions. And I'm also running my own copy of the CS3 Adobe Master Collection, which is a huge part of my work. I REALLY do not want to reinstall all these programs. Can these be backed up and copied over?
I was going to just upgrade, but a friend of mine told me of LOADS of problems people have been having with doing that, so I need some advice on what way to do this.
Also, I heard that if I'm going to run bootcamp, which i plan to, i have to setup it up as early as possible after I upgrade for some reason. is this true?
-Chris

My recommendation is to Erase and Install. It assures the lowest potential for problems. You can do an Archive and Install provided you take some precautions:
How to Perform an Archive and Install
1. Be sure to use Disk Utility first to repair the disk before performing the Archive and Install.
Repairing the Hard Drive and Permissions
Boot from your OS X Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Installer menu (Utilities menu for Tiger.) After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported, then quit DU and return to the installer.
If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior (4.0 for Tiger, 4.1 for Leopard) and/or TechTool Pro (4.5.2 for Tiger, 4.6.2 for Leopard) to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.
2. Do not proceed with an Archive and Install if DU reports errors it cannot fix. In that case use Disk Warrior and/or TechTool Pro to repair the hard drive. If neither can repair the drive, then you will have to erase the drive and reinstall from scratch.
3. Boot from your OS X Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When you reach the screen to select a destination drive click once on the destination drive then click on the Option button. Select the Archive and Install option. You have an option to preserve users and network preferences. Only select this option if you are sure you have no corrupted files in your user accounts. Otherwise leave this option unchecked. Click on the OK button and continue with the OS X Installation.
4. Upon completion of the Archive and Install you will have a Previous System Folder in the root directory. You should retain the PSF until you are sure you do not need to manually transfer any items from the PSF to your newly installed system.
5. After moving any items you want to keep from the PSF you should delete it. You can back it up if you prefer, but you must delete it from the hard drive.
6. You can now download a Combo Updater directly from Apple's download site to update your new system to the desired version as well as install any security or other updates. You can also do this using Software Update.
Note that there is always the potential problem that some of your software may not be compatible with Leopard. I would check first because it's always a pain to have to go back. If I were you I would clone your current system to an external drive so if there are any problems you can simply boot from your clone and restore it.
It's best to set up the Boot Camp partition on a drive that hasn't developed some fragmentation if the Windows partition is going to require a large chunk of the drive. However, Boot Camp will let you know if it isn't able to create the partition size you've requested, so it should not be a problem to create the partition on the drive.
People will tell you lots of stories, but most do not understand the particulars of the individual situations. All they hear is "it didn't work" and whatever other horror story goes with it. Upgrade Installs and Archive and Installs can work and do work perfectly well provided that they are done right. Most users don't do it right. If it works they're just lucky.
So here's the short story:
1. Repair your hard drive and permissions.
2. Clone your current system to an external Firewire drive.
3. Test that the clone will boot your computer.
4. Determine that your software is compatible. If not upgrade it or replace it.
5. Decide which installation option you will use - Erase and Install, Archive and Install, Upgrade Install.
6. Do the installation.
In my opinion do not install a new operating system if your mission critical software is not compatible.

How to do a Clean Install (Don't preserve users and network settings)

I'd like to make a clean install of Snow Leopard -- but NOT erasing the whole drive and NOT migrating/preserving my users and network settings.
I have a bunch of applications and huge data sets (about 40G) on the boot drive that I don't want to go through the trouble of reinstalling or backing up, and that do not install Application Support folders and the like. I'd like to keep them, as well as migrate files like fonts and preferences over manually. Thus I don't want to format in disk utility and install.
I seem to remember there was the option in Tiger (Leopard maybe?) to Archive and Install Without Preserving anything, such as network settings, users, extensions and preferences. It would leave a completely fresh System, and a Previous System where I could manually migrate over everything I wanted to keep.
Is this possible in Snow Leopard?
Thanks.

Let me clarify.
Snow Leopard does an Archive and Install, BUT it PRESERVES Users and Settings. The default install "upgrades in place".
I have been having all sorts of weird crashes and hangs on my Leopard install and i want a fresh, not upgraded install.
I WANT to keep my old Leopard system so I can manually transfer over fonts, files, and applications.
I WANT an upgrade that DOES NOT preserve Preferences, Application Settings, extensions, etc. etc. etc.
But, I do NOT want to have to completely format and install, because that would involve burning approximately 60G of files and applications to DVD-Rs and copying them back.
Thanks.
Message was edited by: J Law

Need help with backup and clean install

Need Assistance with G5
Background
I'm an inexperienced Mac user with a G5, twin 2.0 gig processors and 1.5
gig ram. The OS is v10.3.6. It is the latest OS that will not slow down
internet (Safari/Mail) applications. Anything newer has really slowed internet applications down big time.
Current Problem
I've probably messed up my hard drive by switching back and forth
(archive/install) from newer to present OS. I now have corrupted data and
while my Mac is useable, several things do not work (disk utility, printing
and possibly more). I have a mixture of new and older versions of
these applications/utilities in my OS.
Going Forward
I believe I need to wipe out my hard drive and do a clean install. I also have a Mac mini which I can use (I believe) for backup via firewire.
Backup
Is everything I need to backup in the "User" folder? My spouse and I have
separate accounts and a shared account on the same Mac, with a total of 8.5 gig of data, mostly photo's and music. We want to save that and the usual preferences and favorites/bookmarks/addresses/email, etc. It would be nice if all I had to do was drag the user folder into the target drive.
I'd appreciate any assistance. I have more questions which I'll get to later, but I need to start somewhere.
Thanks all
Mac G5

Backing up your Users folder will save everything in all the accounts on the computer including pictures, music, preferences, etc. as long as they were kept in that folder.
If you have File Vault turned on you should turn it off. The "correct" procedure for transferring to your Mac Mini is as follows:
1. Turn both computers off. Connect them together with a Firewire cable.
2. Boot the G5 into Target Disk Mode.
3. Then boot the Mac Mini normally. The G5's hard drive should be present on the Mini's Desktop.
4. Create a new folder on the Mini and name it something appropriate like G5 User Backup. Drag the Users folder on the G5 into this new folder on the Mini.
After the transfer completes you should verify that everything has been transferred and is there in the folder.
5. Drag the G5's hard drive icon from the Desktop to the Trash or CTRL-click on its icon and select Eject from the contextual menu.
6. Shutdown the G5 and remove the Firewire cable connecting the two computers.
You can now proceed to fix the G5. Because you are planning to erase the hard drive I would like to suggest you do an extended format to prep the hard drive properly for your restoration:
1. Boot from your Panther Installer Disk. After the installer loads select Disk Utility from the Installer menu.
2. After DU loads select your hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
3. Set the number of partitions from the dropdown menu (use 1 partition unless you wish to make more.) Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled, if supported.) Click on the Partition button and wait until the volume(s) mount on the Desktop.
4. Select the volume you just created (this is the sub-entry under the drive entry) from the left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
5. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled, if supported.) Click on the Options button, check the button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.
6. Click on the Erase button. The format process will take 30 minutes to an hour or more depending upon the drive size.
You can then quit Disk Utility and return to the installer. Now proceed to reinstall OS X. Be sure you set up your accounts with the exact same usernames and passwords as you used before.
Once you have completed your reinstallation on the G5 you can restore your Users folder from the Mac Mini.
1. Shut down both computers. Connect them with a Firewire cable.
2. Boot the G5 into Target Disk Mode.
3. Boot the Mac Mini normally. G5's hard drive should appear on the Mini's Desktop.
4. Open a Finder window on the G5's hard drive and drag the Users folder to the Trash (don't delete yet.)
5. Now copy the saved Users folder from the Mac Mini to the G5 (only the Users folder, not the folder in which you stored it.)
6. Eject the G5's hard drive from the Mini's Desktop and shut down the G5.
7. Disconnect the Firewire cable.
Now restart the G5. If all worked well it should start up normally and you should find everything normal in your accounts.
There is one potential problem in all the above. All your account preferences are contained in the Users folder. If you have any corrupted preferences, they will still be corrupted and may continue to cause problems. If that's the case you may need to trash the /Home/Library/Preferences/ folder's contents. Hopefully, this won't be the case, but you should be aware of the possibility.
If eveything is working normally you can empty the Trash and delete the contents. Same on the Mac Mini.

After archive and install macbook won´t boot

Hi everyone! This is the first time I´ve posted a question here, so please be patient. I have a 2007 macbook white with 10.5 mac os leopard. Lately a was having trouble with low free space left so I decided to clean some unused files. Accidentally I erased some (I don´t know which ones) that I shouldn´t have from the libraries folder. Since I couldn´t start my mac, I decided to do a "archive and install" with the install disks. Everything wen´t fine and my mac came back to life, BUT now a had even fewer space left due to these new second mac osx installation. Since I needed to retrieve some space I selected the files from the just made "previous system folder" and the deleted it. I finally got some free space left and thought it had gone ok UNTIL I restarted the mac and got a flashing question mark. Now I can´t solve it with any of the key startup combinations, and when I insert the install disks the disk utility doesn´t find my HD. What has happened??!! I´ve got a big hunch that I´m screwed, what do you think?? Thank you all

Once you were sure everything worked you should have deleted the (now redundant) Previous System Folder.
How to Archive & Install:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1710
and this also:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2196?viewlocale=en_US
BUT: Don't install older versions of Mac OS than what came with your computer:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2186?viewlocale=en_US

After Archive and Install, there is less room on disk

I recently had to do an archive and install from my Mac OS X Disc 1 & 2, and I new it would take up between 10 and 15GB of Disk space, but I can't figure out how to clean up the disk so I have the amount of space I had before the archive and install. I recently had 59.8 GB, after the archive and install I have 50.08. Any suggestions?

Hi Tha Shiz, Welcome to Apple's Users Help Users Forums.
When you do an A & I you create a 'Previous System Folder.' I suspect that's the difference.
You can keep that for a while till you are sure that everything is OK.
Joyous Computing, JP
Message was edited by: Jpfresno "You can ..."

After archive and install, can you go back to old system?

After some trouble with permissions, I decided to do a clean archive and install from 10.2.8. Too late I realized that the install would be 10.2.
The permission trouble did not go away, and now I have additional trouble with upgrading everything, the combo upgrade to 10.2.8 does not work, error messages etc.
Is there a way I can undo this and use my old system 10.2.8 again which is saved in a folder?
Thanks.

Hiltraut:
As ali brown has already pointed out your iMac does, indeed, have 2 Firewire ports. Depending on which optical drive you have (the computer shipped with CD-RW, DVD/CD-RW, or SuperDrive) you can install Tiger directly.
Since you have an older version of Jaguar, and since it does not seem to be very co-operative, I suggest that you seriously consider upgrading to Panther or Tiger. To install Panther your computer will need to meet the minimum system requirements for Panther. You will need to purchase the Full Retail version of Panther.
To install Tiger your computer will need to meet the minimum system requirements for Tiger. You will need to purchase the Full Retail version of Tiger.
You can purchase universal installer versions of Panther, guaranteed to install, or Tiger on CDs, from applerescue. Please note that Computer specific or upgrade versions should be avoided since they are optimized for the computer to which they are specific and will therefore, very likely, cause problems during or after installation. On the legal side, it may be a violation of the Software License Agreement which statesThis License allows you to install and use one copy of the Apple Software on a single computer at a time. This License does not allow the Apple Software to exist on more than one computer at a time...
If you decide to go that route please post back for assistance with how to proceed.
Good luck.
cornelius

Erase disk and clean install - The only way

Just a note to say that I tried Archive and Install, and Migrate, and was beset with many of the problems discussed here. I messed about for hours trying to sort this and that. Then I decided that it was time for a fresh start.
I hated the idea of starting again from scratch installing all my progs one by one. It took me about a day, as I tried each program for glitches after install. But it felt more satisfying than trying to fix a busted system.
There were no glitches. I stayed away from progs with known issues.
http://www.macintouch.com/leopard/compat.html
I started with the progs I can't live without, and added the others as needed. I kept a backup of my old system and dragged in prefs for many apps as needed, which speeded things up and made it less painful. My main problem after that was importing Mail, as it seemed to be corrupted or at least Mail could not deal with the import. I got around that by using a prog called emix to mbox converter and imported the mbox file. That worked fine.
The result is that now my system is clean of all the dross of old prefs and progs I did not use anyway.
AND Leopard works really well.
I know it won't solve all the problems, and all the other install methods should work, but we have to remember every computer is different due to the soft we put in. A major system release is the burning edge. I'm so curious that I always get burned a bit. I know I should wait for the first update from apple before jumping in, like all my sensible friends. Of course, I do have a laptop still running Tiger so I'm not that brave!
All The Best
Gordon

Gordon, I think that for must users, the simple upgrade is the way to go, but only with a confirmed backup. I upgraded my "old" MBP and the process went perfectly and took a bit over an hour. Everything works and it works better than with Tiger.
I think the choice depends on how old the computer is, how many programs are installed, how good the hardware is, and how well prepared the computer and the user are for the upgrade.
If someone has a lot of special software installed, it's possible that they have some combination that was not tested simply because it's impossible to do so.
I would still recommend an upgrade (with that backup) then, if that does not go swimmingly, an erase and install.
I did a clean install on my G5 only because I wanted to keep the Tiger in the tank, so to speak, so the machine is dual-boot - one internal HD for each OS.
But, to each his own.
No piece of software will ever install smoothly on every computer. That's a given. The goal is to maximize the number of computers it will install on smoothly. This is also the reason Apple has cut off some older computers from this upgrade.
Perfection is for the other world, not this one.
However, with well over 2 million Leopards leaping out in the wild, I can only assume that most installs went perfectly or this board would be inaccessible for all the traffic we would have.
You obviously know what you are doing, and you did what it took.
I did one upgrade and one clean install and I would leave the choice up to the user.
But only if they have that all-important clone standing by in the sidelines.

Archive and Install

I installed 10.4 and followed the directions to select 'archive and install' but now everything is gone. Well, not gone, just not where I can find them. ITunes is wiped clean. All of my Safari settings. Mail. Gone. Any ideas on how I can restore these items? According to the space available on my disk, everything is still here. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Drag them back from the Previous Systems folder on the hard disk; once you've retrieved everything you want from it, that folder can be deleted if desired.
(50703)

Clean install and iPhone

I'm convinced that I need to do a clean install of Leopard (I did Archive and Install, but I haven't done a clean install since Panther, and I just want to start fresh).
How will this affect my iPhone? When I'm done with the clean install will my iPhone be recognized as activated, etc.? Will I be able to sync my settings (Mail accounts, Address Book, Calendar) back to my MacBook Pro from the iPhone (I will definitely backup my MBP first, and can restore these data files from the backup, just wondering if I could restore from the iPhone if I wanted).

If you set up your admin account with the same user name and password as before, you should not have any problems with your iPhone syncing. Too bad the iPhone has no "disk mode" like the 'pods.

Clean install or archive and install?

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