OK to delete "Previous Systems" file?

I noticed that after installing 10.5 (or maybe 10.5.1, because of the date), I have a folder called "Previous Systems" with a folder inside that called 2008-01-27_1835. Is it okay to delete this? It's taking 15 GB of space on my disk. Everything is working fine.

Hi J Micael;
If the Previous Systems folder was from either 10.5 or 10.5.1, then the chances of it being of any use are really slim. I think that deleting it will be a good thing.
Allan

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Can't delete Previous System File

Hi,
I did an archive and install and was left with a Previous System folder that is about 13G. I used "whatsize" app to move it to the trash where I then did a Secure empty trash. Trash can is empty, but when I run Whatsize again, the same previous system folder is still there, taking up 13G's of hard drive space. Any idea how to get rid of this file?
Thanks!

How To Fix Stubborn Trash and Why it Won't Delete
http://www.osxfaq.com/Tutorials/LearningCenter/HowTo/Trash/index.ws
Solving Trash Problems
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/trash.html
 Cheers, Tom

Removing previous system files

Will I gain space on my HD by deleting previous system files.

You won't gain any space until you empty the trash, and that may take quite a long time. The last time I did it, I deleted one top-level folder at a time, then emptied the trash, to reduce the impact. Several of those sub-folders took quite a while.

Won't boot from install discs after deleting some system files

I've been looking through the forum and haven't found an answer to my problem - maybe someone can help me out.
I have an aluminum Powerbook G4, 1.67, 1.5 RAM, 10.4.11. I was experiencing the problem with FCE capturing video for about 5 minutes and then freezing, and I read some threads here about how this can be fixed by returning to Quicktime 7.2 and installing it with Pacifist. I did this, but first tried to delete my previous Quicktime version files, and obviously I deleted some system files in the process. That's how my new problem started.
Programs now that do not open - Preview, iTunes, iMovie, FCE, Yahoo, Mail, and Microsoft Messenger. I no longer have my date/time/battery level/airport/bluetooth indicators in my toolbar. The Spotlight icon flashes, but will not open. Also, when opening the System Preferences pane, it opens just for a second or two and then crashes and closes. Safari, airport, and Word all work, though, and I still can access internet.
I tried to re-install OS 10.4 from my black install disc. The computer reads the disc, but after I click the installer icon and then "restart," the computer fails to completely reboot. The disc spins in the drive, I get the Apple, the indicator, and then the screen goes to blue and the disc soon stops spinning. Nothing happens after that. I've tried rebooting by holding down the C key but the same happens. When I hold down the option key, I get to the point where I can choose to boot from the install disc, and then the same thing happens - the blue screen and nothing more. Booting with the shift key held down doesn't work either.
I did just have a repair by Apple - my adaptor plug sparked when inserting it into the outlet, and I had to have the logic board replaced. But the computer seemed to be working fine when I got it back, except for the FCE issue first mentioned. Looks like my good intentions have done me in.
The install disc is about three years old, and is in good condition. It's been in the garage, so could heat or cold affect the readability of the disc?
Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can boot from my install disc and get a fresh install of my OS?

Hi bboross,
Tough without a Tiger Disk, but try fsck...
To use fsck, you must run it from the command line. Unlike using your mouse to open an application to do something, you'll need to type a text command at the prompt (#) to tell fsck what to do. The Terminal application (/Applications/Utilities) and single-user mode are two examples of command-line interfaces in which you can type such commands. To use fsck:
1. Start up your computer in single-user mode to reach the command line. Hold CMD+s keys down at bootup. Note: If necessary, perform a forced restart as described in the Emergency Troubleshooting Handbook that came with your computer. On desktop computers, you can do this by pressing the reset/interrupt button (if there is one) or holding down the power button for several seconds. On portable computers, simultaneously press the Command-Control-power keys. If your portable computer doesn't restart with this method, you may need to reset the Power Manager.
2. At the command-line prompt, type /sbin/fsck -fy
(space between fsck and -fy important)
3. Press Return. fsck will go through five "phases" and then return information about your disk's use and fragmentation. Once it finishes, it'll display this message if no issue is found: ** The volume (nameofvolume) appears to be OK  If fsck found issues and has altered, repaired, or fixed anything, it will display this message: *** FILE SYSTEM WAS MODIFIED ***   Important: If this message appears, repeat the fsck command you typed in step 2 until fsck tells you that your volume appears to be OK (first-pass repairs may uncover additional issues, so this is a normal thing to do).
4. When fsck reports that your volume is OK, type reboot at the prompt and then press Return.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214
Then Safe Boot , (holding Shift key down at bootup), & use Disk Utility from there to Repair Permissions, reboot once more.

Previous system file

Since installing Tiger, I note that a "Previous System" file has appeared. Do I need this? Also, do I need OS9 file? Not sure if I'm operating any programs with OS9. It was on this iMac when I purchased it new.

Previous System folder is created during an Archive and Install. If you're certain you'll never need any of these files (thousands) you can delete it.
The same with OS 9.

I accidentally deleted hidden system files! Please help!

Hi guys.
Well after purchasing a mint MBP today running Mountain Lion, I wanted to "tidy up" the desktop and Finder. I saw many hidden files and thought it was very peculiar as my iMac hasn't got anything of the kind. I thought it could have been some files from a USB that were left there from previous usage. Anyway, I've ended up deleting key system files which now causes the MacBook to fail boot and keep restarting.
I've attempted the highly recommended "Command R" function which gave me a choice of Time Machine Restore (system comes up with no backups), re-installation of Lion (which won't work because the system is running Mountain Lion) and a Disk Utility repair (which does its job but makes no difference on start up). I feel really upset and annoyed. The system had great installations of key apps I needed. I'd be sad to loose them but would be happy to just get the system rebooted and running from scratch.
The system is a late 15" 2011 MACBOOK PRO with an i7 Quad 2.44 (or 2.66) processor, 4GB memory and a 750GB hard drive.
What can I do? Is it just a case of take it to Apple so they can reboot it for you? And if that's the case will I be charged?
Many thanks for the advice.
Apologies if this is something you have heard before, it's a horrible feeling and I just want it fixed.
Thanks.
Hal.

To install Lion that belongs to you will require you to repartition the drive first. You cannot do a simple reinstall of Lion over a Mountain Lion system. You will need to follow this guide instead:
Install Lion/Mountain Lion on a New HDD/SDD
Be sure you backup your files to an external drive or second internal drive because the following procedure will remove everything from the hard drive.
Boot to the Internet Recovery HD:
Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND-OPTION- R keys until a globe appears on the screen. Wait patiently - 15-20 minutes - until the Recovery main menu appears.
Partition and Format the hard drive:
1. Select Disk Utility from the main menu and click on the Continue button.
2. After DU loads select your external 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. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed. Quit DU and return to the main menu.
Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion: Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion and click on the Install button. Be sure to select the correct drive to use if you have more than one.
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.
This is the procedure you must go through because your hard drive does not have a Lion version of the Recovery HD.

Getting Iphoto files out of Previous System file

I upgraded to Leopard using the Archive choice. My iphoto and iweb files are in the Previous System file under User and won't load when I load the programs. How do I get them to load. How much free disk space do I need on my HD

axk2
You're going to have to change the permissions on that path to get access to the files there.
You can do this using the Get Info Window, just make yourself the owner of the folders in turn. When you get to your Home Folder, drag the foldes you want to the desktop. When you've that done post back and we can get you the rest of the way there.
Regards
TD

Can anyone tell me how to delete previous "keep file" files? Im trying to free up some space on my mac.

Can anyone tell me how to delete previous "keep file" files? Im trying to free up some space on my mac.

You can upgrade to Mavericks free, just run the App Store program and search for Mavericks. But before you do upgrade I recommend the following:
1) make sure you have a recent backup. TimeMachine is fine.
2) Mavericks is somewhat more memory hungry than 10.7 was. You will need 4 GB of RAM and I strongly recommend 8 GB.
Go back to the Apple menu and select About this Mac - look under the OS info you just looked at. You'll see how much RAM your computer has now. Then click on the More Info button. There you will see your computer info listed as in: iMac, 21.5" mid 2010, for example. Return back with that information and we can tell you how far the computer can be upgraded.
If you decide to procede and you have enough RAM upgrading to Mavericks is quite simple. Click on the download button and let it do its job.

I accidentally deleted the systems file on my macbook.

In preparation for upgrading from Leopard 5.8 to Snow Leopard I backed up my entire macbook system to an external hard drive. Then I deleted some files prior to installing Snow Leopard but I accidentally deleted the systems files. I can't boot the system now. How do I resolve the situation?

Thanks for the reply.
The backup was via Time Machine.
No, I have not tried booting from the SL 6.0 disc using the c key or Option/alt key. When do I push the option/alt key?

Are "Previous Systems" files important or can they be deleted?

There is a file in my the hard Drive of the MacBook entitled "Previous Systems.localized" which is taking up 9.72GB of space. Is this important or can I delete it to create space on the start up disk?

Hi -
Did you recently do an 'Archive and Install'? If so, that file may be leftover from your previous system. If things are working smoothly after a week or so I'd go ahead and delete the entire prev. system.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107120

Delete Previous Version - file associations

Have a question on file association problems when deleteing previous version of PS.
For example user bought CS5 and installed. File Associations now changed by defauilt to CS5.
If user un-installs CS4, the file associations now revert back to CS4, even though that version is not on computer.
Changing file associations is Bridge and in the OS does not solve file association problem.
One either has to uninstall PS and wipe Adobe files, then re-install latest version, or go into OS registry and make changes. Registry changes can be difficult for many.
I am sure when CS6 is released we will again have this same scenero, as outlined above, repeated unless the code has been changed.
The question is: In CS6 will this bug have been eliminated?

Just because it's happend to multiple people doesn't make it not machine or user specific (a problem with user permissions on one computer can happen on another as well). I've never seen this behavior on any of my systems and I have to install and uninstall random versions of the software all the time. The most recently installed version of the software should always have the file type associations, regardless of what versions have been removed.
Have you been able to reproduce the issue on your own machine during testing?

Deleted previous system folder, now I'm a-havin' problems.

Hi all!
I found a "Previous Systems" folder from a months-old archive and install hanging around my hard drive taking up space; figuring it was devoid of anything I needed, I trashed it. The next day, when I tried to open up Mac Mail, to my surprise it gave me the initial setup screen you get when you open the program for the first time, asking me for my account info!
So, I re-set up my accounts and it at least got my mailboxes from my Library folder correct, but without any of the messages. So, I imported my mailboxes as they stood on my computer in User>library>mail. This seemed to import everything correctly, and I thought the problem was solved.
However, when I search for the odd message, many say this:
"The message from Alec Quig <[email protected]> concerning “Submission” has not been downloaded from the server. You need to take this account online in order to download it."
These messages are most definitely not on my email servers. Anyone know how can I get them back?
Thank you!
Alec

Sounds like your Mail index is corrupted. To create a new one, do this:
1. Quit Mail.
2. Go to Home/Library/Mail and remove the Envelope Index file to your Desktop.
3. Start Mail and let it import your messages. When that's done, you should be able to go back to those old messages and see the entire message again.
4. If that works, you can delete the old Envelope Index file on your Desktop.
Mulder

Deleting "Previous System" & Old Versions of iTunes

Two questions:
1. I've moved all my music to my iPod. I want to download the latest version of iTunes so my PB is compatible with the new iMac to be delivered soon. Is the latest version of iTunes an upgrade or a total replacement? In other words, can I delete everything on my hard drive related to iTunes 4.7 before downloading iTunes 6?
2. Can I safely delete all files under "Previous System"? (I can't remember why it was created. It might have been created when I first got my PB, had a problem, went into an Apple store, and they were troubleshooting.)
Thanks in advance.

You can delete any itunes stuff as Itunes 6 is a complete installation. However there is no need to as these folders will immediately be replaced by the new installation.
The Previous System folder can safely be deleted. At som point you have done an archive and install of your OS. The "Previous System" folder is left behind, just in case you neglected to save something.

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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Deleting Previous Systems Items

Hello everyone -
I have a Previous Systems folder in my 10.5.8. I believe its the result of reinstalling System 10.5 when a Software Update of Java wound up blocking my access to a site I visit daily and I ( following instructions from Apple Support) reinstalled System 10.5
I have carefully reviewed all of the Applications In the Previous Systems folder-->Applications and trashed all but one item after verifying that all were equal to or older than what is in my current Applications folder. (The one item is Java Preferences.app, with a newer version number than what is in my normal Applications-->Utilities folder.)
I still have Previous Systems-->System-->Library and Previous Systems-->Library with a very large number of items. It will take many many hours to manually review and compare all of these. Is there a way to more quickly and efficiently determine if all of these items are present in my regular folder (equal to or greater than)?
These items are increasing the size of my internal hard dirve use just enough to make backup to an older 80GB external firewire drive impractical. Thanks.

Randy Knowles wrote:
Previous Systems folder
scan the folder for files (documents, music, etc.) you want to keep and move those to your new installation, then delete the folder.

OK to delete "Previous Systems" file?

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