Removing Case-Sensitive HFS

Question

Dear all,
I am using a MacBook Pro, and have been using this machine for so many months. When I started using it, I formatted it as Case-Sensitive HFS. However, by this time, Case-Sensitive is causing so many of my programs to not work correctly. So, I would like to remove it.
What would be the most effective way to reformat my MacBook Pro to use Case-Insensitive HFS, and putting all of my applications/data/preferences back on to it with out any hassles. I have an external Firewire HD. Is there a program that would automate this process for me? Or am I just so out of luck and have to go to the tedious backup and restore process.

Answer 1

Use the Restore option of Disk Utility to clone your system to the external drive. Format the external drive using Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and partition it using the GUID partition scheme. Then boot from the external drive and repartition and format the internal drive. Then using Restore clone back from the external drive to the internal drive.
Partition and Format a Non-startup Drive
1. Open Disk Utility in the Utilities folder.
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. Click on the Option button and check the option for the GUID partition scheme, then click OK. 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.) 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.) 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.
Clone Using Restore Option of Disk Utility
1. Open Disk Utility from the Utilities folder.
2. Select the startup or source volume from the left side list.
3. Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.
4. Drag the startup or source volume to the Source entry field.
5. Select the backup or destination volume from the leftside list and drag it to the Destination entry field.
6. Check the box to Erase Destination. Skip this step if you've already formatted the drive.
7. Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.