Restoring from Previous System Folder

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Level 1

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Restoring from Previous System Folder

Recently I was repairing permissions on the most current version of 10.5 using an older version of OSX (I know, a stupid thing to do). I left the room as the repairs were being made and unfortunately, someone else hit the install button and installed an older version over the existing SSW. I thought I lost everything until I saw the previous system folder. All of the applications I thought were gone are still there. Is there a way to change back to the previous system and retain my apps?

iMac, Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Posted on Oct 18, 2009 9:19 PM

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Answer 1

Király

Level 6

10,025 points

Oct 18, 2009 9:42 PM in response to cowboy13

There's no easy way. What's worse, an older version of OS X was installed top of a newer version. That can cause all sorts of problems including application incompatibility (see http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1394#Downgrade).

You should back up you need, then do an Erase & Install. Finally, restore your applications and other data from backups.

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Answer 2

Williams

Level 2

185 points

Nov 29, 2009 6:38 PM in response to Király

Not sure this makes any sense to me. What's the POINT of even MAKING a previous system folder, if there is no ability to back up or restore from it? Seems to be a bit self-defeating.

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Answer 3

Király

Level 6

10,025 points

Nov 29, 2009 7:50 PM in response to Williams

The point of the previous systems folder is that you can grab items from it if you need them. The intended purpose is not to completely restore your whole system from it, and the OS X Installer is quite clear about that when do do an archive & install.

If you want to be able to restore your whole system from a backup, you need to have prepared for that in advance by making such a backup, with Time Machine, Carbon Copy Cloner, or some other backup program. If you haven't been making regular full system backups ~~(and from the content of your posts it seems that you haven't)~~ then you should start now.

EDIT: sorry, I thought you were the OP.

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