Upgrade or archive & install?

Im trying to find out which would be the best way to install tiger 10.4.3 from purchased cd or dvd, I have 10.3.9 installed now and everything is fine with my computer now, but im not sure what the upgrade choice saves and dont save. Im thinking archive and install would be better choice from what ive read from other posts, i have a few app like Photoshop CS and a few other apps to save but other than that is pretty basic, im not sure upgrade, saves these apps and network and users settings. Any help with which i should use is appreciated. Thanks

474/2920
Hi Gary,
Simple Upgrade saves everything. Your apps, settings, bookmarks...
Archive & Install too, if you check "Preserve Users and Network Settings", but it saves also your complete old system as a non-bootable disk-image, so it offers this additional peace of mind: you'll be able to retrieve your settings and all, from the image, in case you lose something from the new Install.
Enjoy your new Tiger!
Axl

Similar Messages

Archive & Install on an upgrade machine

I have a MacBook where I chose the upgrade options. It runs slow and is buggy. I have a Mac Pro I did an Archive & Install and Leopard works great. Can I stick the DVD back into my MacBook and do an Archive & Install to get a fresh load?

You should be able to. The archive will be your current system. I archived and installed mine and it runs great. So far haven't found anything I dislike.

Upgrade, or Archive and Install? Disk space?

I'm thinking of upgrading to Tiger soon because I want those shadows I make in Pages to show up on PDFs. But before I do give up my money for the disc, I've got a few questions, just to make sure every thing goes as planned:
- Upgrade or Archive and Install? I seem to remember back in the old days when there was mayhem with Upgrade when that option was first introduced (in Jaguar?). Is Upgrade reliable now?
- If I do Upgrade, how much additional disk space do I need (I have Panther on my PowerBook right now)? I know Apple says 3GB on its website, but that's only for a clean install, right?
- If I do Archive and Install, how much disk space will I need (including the Previous System folder)?
PowerBook G4 (Gigabit Ethernet, 667MHz) Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Hi Kim!
Here is some additional information.
Tiger is available for purchase at The Apple Store (U.S.).
If you know what to look for, a Full Retail Version, of the Tiger Install DVD, can also be purchased rather inexpensively, at some online Apple retailers, Amazon, eBay, AppleRescue, FastMac, etc.
As Gulliver posted, be sure not to purchase grey, upgrade or machine specific CDs or DVDs.
The discs should look like the images in the above links.
Additional info in these links.
Using OS X Install CDs/DVDs On Multiple Macs
What's A Computer Specific Mac OS X Release
Software Update, Upgrade: What's The Difference?
Tiger System Requirements
Additionally, "Tiger ships on a DVD, but if your Mac doesn’t have a built-in DVD-ROM player, you’ll need CD media. When you buy Mac OS X Tiger, you qualify to purchase Tiger CDs for only $9.95."
Download the Media Exchange Program Order From Here.
Orders must be mailed by March 19, 2007.
AppleRescue, also sells a Tiger installation set on CD
Shop Carefully, Examine All Documentation, And Good Luck!
ali b

Stack Underflow and Archive Install fail after 10.4.9 upgrade

After performing the 10.4.9 upgrade on my Black MacBook Core Duo, each of the Microsoft Office Applications (Word, Excel, Entourage, Power Point, and Office Updater and Office Installer) all abort on activation. The System Log indicates a stack underflow:
Mar 24 11:36:38 Arakis /Applications/Microsoft Office 2004/Microsoft Word: CGGStackRestore: gstack underflow.
Attempts to reinstall office fail. Drag and Drop method and Using Office Installer App both fail. The Installer App also aborts with the same error.
After speaking with Microsoft Support and trying their suggestions for removing prefrence files and MS user directory, all fail with the same results. Last Microsoft reccomendation is to perform Archive and Install, and upgrade only to 10.4.8 using combo update.
So I Cloned my boot disk before performing Archive and Install (and it's a good thing too).
I started the Archive and install, and all went well until disk 2, specifically while it was installing iLife demo. When it said two minutes remaining, it froze. Last log entry indicates "specified processes cannot be found". I left it to continue overnight (about 8 hours). It was in the same state in the morning. So I forced a Power down and restarted. It requested disk 1 and began the Archive and Install again, with the same results.
I was able to boot off my external clone and restore my boot disk. I am now back to 10.4.9, and Office apps still abort with stack underflow.
One other point. I have a G4 iMac, A Dual G5 Power Mac, and a G5 Mac Mini, all with 10.4.9 and MS Office, and they all work fine. Problem only seems to be on DualCore MacBook, and only Microsoft Office Apps. MS messenger and MS Remote Desktop Client for MAC work. All other apps (apple and 3rd party) also work OK.
One last thing. After 10.4.9 upgrade, Finder quite often crashes when right clicking or Cotrol-clicking on files or folders in finder windows. Looking at crash dump indicates that this is an unrelated issue, which I will address later, in another rpost.
Are there any suggestions on how to sucessfully perform an archive and Install? Is it possible to disable the install of optional software like iLife demo? Any other suggestions would be appreciated.
Jeff Cameron
DualCore MacBook Mac OS X (10.4.9)

After spending a bit of time, researching this problem, it seems I have been bit by the dyldupdateprebinding bug while updating to 10.4.9. This is outlined in the article located at:
http://www.unsanity.org/archives/macos_x/shock_andawe.php
However I am still unable to repair my problem by performing an Archive and install (possibly because of the dyldupdateprebinding). So if anyone can help me do the Archive & install without installing the iLife demo, or any of the optional software, I would be most appreciative.
Jeff

Archive & install or upgrade?

Which are the differences between these two options when i upgrade my mac from panther to tiger?
thanks in advance

Hi Federico_82;
The basic difference between them is that Update just changes the files in the operating system to the new version whereas an Archive & Install copies the old operating system to a folder called Previous System and then creates a new one.
Generally I use Update first. It is quick and easy. I test it. If it works I am finished. If not I restore my backup and do an Archive & Install instead. I test that.
You were planning to do a backup? It is always a good idea to have backup before anything as major as a system update.
Allan

Upgrade or Archive and Install option on new and almost empty HDD?

My Macbook has recently come back from repair with a new HDD fitted after the original failed. It has Tiger and iLife 6 installed plus a couple of 3rd party applications (PhotoPresenter and Onyx) but apart from the configurations for my Airport base stations there is not else on it yet. I have a home wireless network that I set up from this Macbook comprising of an Airport Extreme and an Airport Express connecting wirelessly and I don't want to risk losing my internet connection. Is it still considered to be the safer option to install Leopard using the Archive and Install option or would it be ok to choose Upgrade which looks easier to do and would take up less space on the hard drive? I also want to upgrade to iLife 8 at some point...should I do that first?

Hi 12frets56;
If you do the Upgrade and have problems, you can always do the Archive & Install later. That is part of the reason I suggest do the Upgrade first. It is fast and easy. If it works for you as it did for me you are done quickly.
I also start with a clone of my current system first that I test to be sure I can boot from it. So far I have not needed it but it is alway nice to know that you can get back to the current system just in case.
Allan

Archive & Install, Where did my printer settings go?

I just upgraded to Leopard from Jaguar on my PowerPC G4, by way of Archive & Installing. On top of my printer settings being reset to defaults, my RIP software (FastRip Pro) doesn't work with Leopard yet. Did I lose all of my previous RIP/printer settings? If not, where would they be in the previous systems folder?
I'm thinking about going back to Jaguar until the new RIP software is released..
If I do downgrade, will I lose my previous system folder?
Any advice appreciated...
Thanks

Glad to help.
I suspect your settings are in the folder named "Previous System" but Leopard simply did not migrate it. That's why I think a clone would be perfect. Unfortunately you did not clone Panther, so your only hope os that the settings are in that folder I mentioned.
Download a copy of CarbonCopy Cloner - it's free:
http://www.bombich.com/software/ccc.html
Then get an external Firewire drive like a LaCie. I have their 500GB quadro. Then using DU on Leopard, partition it so that your MBP files will fit in the smaller partition when you clone it.
The other partition is perfect for TimeMachine - that's the way I use it.
Now, using CarbonCopy, you clone your Leopard onto the smaller partition on the external drive. Takes anywhere from 1/2 hour to an hour. The LaCie has FW800 on it which makes things fly.
After you have cloned your MBP, restart it holding down the Option button and the external clone should show up as a bootable system. Select it and boot into it just to be sure.
Once you have your Leopard preserved, then you can erase your internal drive using the disk utility on the Leopard DVD (boot into the DVD by holding down the "C" key when starting up.
Erase your internal drive including the free space and then shutdown. Startup with your original Panther CD and install it. You should be asked to migrate, but I don't know if Panther will see the Leopard archive. No problem yet.
After you get Panther running again, use Finder to look into the archived folder on the Leopard clone and see if you can find your old stuff.
Seriously, by the time you do all this, it might be that your new software will be available. But still, it's a great learning experience and as long as you have that clone, you have not lost anything except what was not installed when you installed Leopard.

Please Help - 2006-007 - Can't Install Office -Archive & Install?

Did the new security update; then went to upgrade from Office X to Office 2004. Everything works but Entourage - it won't even launch.
Hours with Micro s**t on the phone and they have no idea.
Should I revert back to my pre 2006-007 version with my SuperDuper clone (all data is current) to 10.8.4 from an extenal hard disk to my Mac and try installing Office 2004,
OR
Should I do an Archive & Install, upgrade to 10.4.8, not do the 2006-007 security update, and try getting Office 2004 to load Entourage that way?
(Never had to do a reverse clone to my Mac - scared - will it work?).
Thanks!
iMac CDRW Mac OS X (10.4.8)

I'd like to give an update and ask for any additional help.
I tried to install Office 2004, after the 2006-007 Security Update by using the Setup Assistant and by drag and drop; tried that in normal mode and in a safe boot (to make sure everything was essentially shut down). I have no login items active. Word, Excel, Powerpoint all loaded perfectly on each occasion (10 attemps so far). Only Entourage will not load - although Entourage is present in the Microsft Office 2004 folder and everything appears in Home>Documents>Microsft User Data.
Then I did a SuperDuper clone back from my external to the iMac G4, went to OS 10.4.8 before the update, and tried installation both through Setup Assistant and by drag and drop - still to no avail. I did not try Safe Boot after regressing back to the pre 2006-007 state (ran out of time).
In all instances, both before and after the SuperDuper retrograde, Word, Excel, Powerpoint all loaded perfectly. Only Entourage won't launch. The Entourage icon on the dock will bounce about ten times, but launch fails. One time I actually got the black arrow to appear under the icon on the dock, but then it went away (that was after Safe Boot with the 2006-007 Security Update installed).
I tried the install on another G4 with the Security Update installed, and Entourage fussed a bit but did load and is now working properly. So, I went back to the iMac, ran Disk Utility off the install disc - all came up fine; permissions were repaired repeatedly during this process and not one time did anything need repair. I used Onyx and cleaned the cashes, obsolete items and so forth, and ran all 3 scripts. Still no launch of Entourage. I used Onyx andPreferential Treatment and all prefernces checked out perfectly.
Is there something in the system that causes apps to launch that might need fixing, and if so, why only this one app? If so, what and how would I test its integrity? (Entourage in Office X works perfectly on the afflicted iMac G4).
Any suggestsions of something I might be overlooking?
I hate the thought of an Archive and Install just to find out if it will make one silly application load from an install disc.
I can't read Console logs, but there is stuff there about Entourage failing. Would a post of those help someone help me?
Thanks and Cheers!
iMac CDRW Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Can't find older mail from archived install

I recently upgraded the OS on my iBook G4 to Tiger - and performed an archived install just to be safe. After installation was successful, most of my preferences transferred with the upgrade seamlessly (Calendar, Address Book items, bookmarks etc.)
But, when I opened Mail, although my mail server preferences transferred okay, I discovered that most of my earlier mail from the the last year or so is missing. And for most of the messages that are actually apearring in my inbox, Mail is saying "X Message has not been downloaded from the server. You need to take this account online in order to download it." But, I am online and I can retrieve and send mail just fine.
Anyone have any idea how imight be able to recover my older mail? (I checked in the "Previous System" archived folder and sadly, there is no Library/Mail folder in there.) If worse comes to worse, I did back up all of my files on another drive before I upgraded, but I'm curious if maybe I'm just doing something wrong and my old Mail is currently buried somewhere on my laptop. Any help would be apprecaited. Thanks.

The conversion from Mail 1.x to Mail 2.x is broken. Take a look at the following thread to better understand the problem:
Help! "You need to take this account online in order to download it."
More specifically, if this is a POP account, the following procedure should allow you to fix the Inbox problem. A similar procedure should allow you to fix other mailboxes that might also be affected:
1. Quit Mail if it’s running.
2. Make a backup copy of the ~/Library/Mail folder, just in case something goes wrong while trying to fix the problem. You can do this in the Finder by dragging the folder to the Desktop while holding the Option (Alt) key down, for example. This is where all your mail is stored.
3. Create a new folder on the Desktop and name it however you wish (e.g. Inbox Old). It doesn’t need to have an .mbox extension.
4. In the Finder, go to ~/Library/Mail/POP-username@mailserver/INBOX.mbox/.
5. Move the files mbox and Incoming_Mail out of INBOX.mbox, into the Inbox Old folder just created on the Desktop. These files contain all the messages that were in the mailbox before the upgrade to Tiger, and maybe even some messages that had been deleted. mbox is the most important. Incoming_Mail may or may not be present.
6. Move any strangely-named Messages-T0x... folders to the Desktop (not into the Inbox Old folder). These folders are to be deleted after fixing the problem. They are temporary folders created during an import or an indexing process, and Mail should have deleted them when done. Their presence is a clear indication that something didn’t work as expected. If you’ve been using Mail after the conversion and have already tried to fix the problem by rebuilding the mailbox or something like that, they might contain messages that are neither in Messages proper nor in the mbox file, so keep them around until the problem is fixed.
7. Move everything else within INBOX.mbox, except the Messages folder, to the Trash.
The result of the above should be that INBOX.mbox contains the proper Messages folder only, and the Inbox Old folder on the Desktop contains the mbox and Incoming_Mail (if it exists) files only. Now, proceed as follows:
8. Open Mail.
9. The account’s Inbox should properly display in Mail as many messages as *.emlx files are in ~/Library/Mail/POP-username@mailserver/INBOX.mbox/Messages/. If that’s not the case, select the mailbox in Mail and do Mailbox > Rebuild.
10. In Mail, do File > Import Mailboxes, choose Other as the data format, and follow the instructions to import the Inbox Old folder that’s on the Desktop.
As a result of doing the above, some messages may be duplicated now. Andreas Amann’s Mail Scripts has a Remove Duplicates script that you may find useful.
Do with the imported mail whatever you wish. You may move the messages anywhere you want and get rid of the imported mailboxes afterwards.
If all is well and you don’t miss anything, the files on the Desktop can be deleted, although you may want to keep them for a while, just in case.
Take a look at the following article (also referenced in the thread I mentioned at the beginning of this post) to learn what you might have done before upgrading to minimize the risk of this happening, and what you may do after fixing the problem to avoid similar issues from happening in the future. DON’T do now what the article suggests, though, as that would make things worse in the current situation:
Overstuffed mailbox is unexpectedly empty
Ask for any clarifications or if you need further assistance.
Note: For those not familiarized with the ~/ notation, it refers to the user’s home folder. That is, ~/Library is the Library folder within the user’s home folder, i.e. /Users/username/Library.

Archive & Install leaves 3rd Party Apps (some with probs)

I've been on the phone with AppleCare two times about this. Here's the bottom line:
I installed Leopard (just the default upgrade) and the 10.5.1 upgrade. All was ok for a while. All programs (including 3rd party) were working. Then I took the laptop in to the Genius bar because I thought I had a battery problem and the system seemed sluggish. They ran Disk Utility from their store server which was NOT running Leopard and repaired permissions on my laptop from there. Then they ran Disk Utility from my computer (Leopard 10.5.1) and sent me on my way since the disk verified ok. Then the problems started:
1. Desktop Wallpaper was discarded and replaced by default
2. Printers disappeared and could not produce PDFs via an Adobe PDF printer
3. A 3rd party wordprocessor (Mellel) would not open existing documents and would not open a new document (no blank page, no error, nothing)
AppleCare instructed me to re-install Leopard with "Archive & Install" but warned that I would have to reinstall (most) third party programs. Trouble is, all my programs remained. The Adobe PDF printer problem was resolved, but the Mellel problem persisted. I called AppleCare again and they were perplexed as to how an Archive & Install could still have all the apps in the regular Application folder (and of course the icons in the dock too). The "Previous Systems" folder from the Archive seemed incomplete to them, so they suggested that the install was compromised somehow and to do another "Archive & Install." The goal would be to have another "Previous System" folder from the archive, and a clean Application folder with no third party software in it.
Well, 3 hours later, I have a re-installed Leopard and I still have all my applications (and of course, Mellel still does not work).
So, any suggestions out there? Are my installation disks messed up or should I go ahead and wipe the disk and start completely from scratch? I've got my library archived and my documents backed up. Anything else I should do if the recommendation is that I wipe it clean?
Karyn

OK, here is the "resolution" of the issue.
1. The issue was finally decided to be the fact that the Genius Bar used a non-Leopard system to do the Permissions Repair on a Leopard system. Apparently, 10.4 and 10.5 handle the repairs differently. Leopard actually also takes much longer. Apple Support (phone) said that 10.4 checks things differently and can alter/repair items that can make them unable to be understood by 10.5. This was the original issue which then led to me not being able to use my third party applications and to losing network settings and printer settings. Then because Apple Support kept having me do an Archive and Install preserving User settings the corrupted information kept perpetuating itself. The solution (unfortunately) was to do an Erase and Install and lose all the user settings. I called the Genius Bar at the retail location where I went last Monday to make sure they were aware of this issue so that other people do not waste as much time as I did this week on computer issues. I am mostly upset because this was a very preventable issue and I didn't need to lose so much work time right before the holidays. The Genius folks should have known better!
2. An option when doing Erase and Install is to migrate a backup from Time Machine. Since I had nothing to lose the Apple Support folks suggested that I use that option, so I tried that. I used a Time Machine backup which was prior to the issue with the Genius Bar. Unbelievably, it seems to have worked. At least I am back to just the issues (sluggishness) that I had when I started going to the Genius Bar.
Thanks for all your ideas and help in narrowing down the issue.

Any problems to PS CS4 if I do an archive/install of Leopard?

Hi!
I have PS CS4 installed on my Mac running Leopard. The CS4 version is itself an upgrade from CS3. I need to do an archive & install of Leopard as I am having some problems with my system. Will this affect my PS installation? Will I have to reinstall? If so, will I need to start with CS3 and then install the CS4 upgrade? What about the licence?
Thanks.
Stephen

It will have no impact whatsoever on CS4 or any other application.
All Adobe Upgrades are full installers. No need to install a previous version that you won't use. When the Upgrade installer does not find a serial number, it will simply ask you for the old serial number as well as the new one.

Tiger won't reboot or archive install

I have a Powerbook G4 and when I was using it as a firewire drive to a PC, it stopped booting. When I use my TIGER install DVD it says that all my files are there, that it doesn't need repair, and even allows me to choose it as my startup folder 10.4.7. However, when it actually restarts, it shows a folder with a flashing question mark on it and does not boot up. I have tried disk utils, and finally thought I would just archive&install but it says that my OS Tiger 10.4 disk is an older version and that I cannot do an archive & install.
Does anyone have any suggestions how I can get back into my computer ASAP?
Thanks
John Dent

Had you tried booting into safe mode you might have discovered the problem quickly. Safe mode disables third-party startupitems and login items (Tiger only for login items.)
Booting into safe mode is one of the standard troubleshooting techniques for tracking down problems such as yours.
Had you also read the installation FAQs and suggestions in the Tiger forum you would also have come across the recommendation to disable all third-party software and hardware before upgrading to Tiger. Also, the suggestion to repair the hard drive and permissions before upgrading.
The forums are a great resource, but you have to use them.
Want to learn more about troubleshooting OS X? Visit The XLab FAQs. Better yet purchase Dr. Smoke's excellent eBook, Troubleshooting Mac OS X. The current edition is for Tiger.

Archive/install questions

right now i am running mac os x leopard on my macbook pro. i upgraded from leopard, and have been having small difficulties such as the long blue screen the Admin account going to Standard, and a minor slowness in performance. rather than pitch patch up my system, i'd feel a lot better if i could just start with a fresh copy of leopard. so i want to reinstall leopard using the archive/install method. i have two questions about this method of installation.
1) do i need an external hard drive for this method?
2) what documents will be saved?-what will happen to my music in itunes and my pictures in iphoto(these two are the two most important things to me!)
thanks for any help.
DCM

1. No
2. All of them.
Go read about it: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107120

Archive/Install question.

right now i am currentyl running mac os x leopard on my macbook pro. i upgraded from leopard, and have been having small difficulties such as the long blue screen the Admin account going to Standard, and a minor slowness in performance. rather than pitch patch up my system, i'd feel a lot better if i could just start with a fresh copy of leopard. so i want to reinstall leopard using the archive/install method. i have two questions about this method of installation.
1) do i need an external hard drive for this method?
2) what documents will be saved?-what will happen to my music in itunes and my pictures in iphoto(these two are the two most important things to me!)
thanks for any help.
DCM

I tried the upgrade with the install disc first. The install program wasn't able to recognize the MacBook hard drive. No go. Then I tried archive and install and the install program froze while transferring settings and graphic files (iPhoto and iTunes). Because I had to quit the install program due to its freezing, my disc was no longer recognizable as bootable. So i had to start in target mode, connect to my iMac, and do a clean install. Shall we say, "Pain in the ***?"
Now I'm having quirky problems like finding that during a restart command, the application do NOT quit unless I manually make the command. And there are some wi-fi stations that are NOT recognized unless I restart the laptop. And finally, there are some other Finder problems, like trying to open a folder within a window sometimes causes the window to scroll to the top of the file/folder list, which means that I lose, temporary, the sight of the folder that I'm trying to open. Weird **** like that.
Spaces is kind of weird, too. If I'm using Spaces and trying to toggle between two applications, like drag and drop, I'm finding it difficult to follow the switching windows in the course of the operation.
Maybe this means that 10.5.1 is the real OS, and the one I have on my machine is the beta. When Apple announced that they were delaying the final development of Leopard because they were concentrating on the iPhone, they weren't kidding. While Leopard has a great face and is polished in many areas, it's unrefined in others. I would have been wise to wait.

Help with Archive & Install - Office 2008 gone?

I just performed an "Archive & Install" with "Preserve" checkmarked. When I rebooted, my dock had question marks where the Office 2008 icons were (Word, Entourage, etc). Office 2008 is not in the Applications folder anymore. I thought A&I only replaced the system files - and left others (Apps) intact? Could there be some other reason 2008 disappeared? Can I just Restore the Office Folder and Identities from Time Machine? Thanks in advance!

Archive and Install is usually the safe way to go with OS upgrades (and the way I have mostly gone on all my Macs over the years).
As Dimaxum suggests, fist looking for the Office applications on your hard drive.
Personally, I would use either Spotlight (first) or EasyFind (free from DevonTechnologies) to search for "Word", "Entourage", "Office 2008" names. And if you find the main Office 2008 folder, drag it to the new Applications folder.
As well, if you find the Preferences folder for Office and it is not yet in your (new) User/Library/Preferences, then drag that into there as well.
As V.K. suggests, it is always possible to reinstall from your source disk, assuming that you have it.
And the unspoken bit of knowledge here is that Microsoft allows people to initially install MS Office by EITHER drag and drop the folder from CD to your HD Applications folder, OR by running the MS Office installer from the CD. (And they do not tell you which or why to pick one method over the other!)
I have used both ways in the past in different circumstances and personally have not found any noticeable difference in the resulting application.
So if it turns out that you find the app folder and its preference folder, and put them into their new home of Applications and user/library/preferences and that does NOT give you a functioning Office suite, then just fall back to Plan B of either reinstall MS Office from the CD (which is usually fast, but then needs to have all the MS online update patches done) or give a try to your TimeMachine and see if it allows a full restore of JUST the Office apps into the new Leopard Mac.
(re your TimeMachine option, I cannot say for certain, as i have yet no experience with running a TimeMachine restore.)
Message was edited by: BruceTech

Upgrade or archive & install?

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