Clean install high sierra/Time Machine

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Level 1

22 points

Clean install high sierra/Time Machine

Hi everyone -

I am in the process of doing a clean install of High Sierra on late 2011 MacBook. (that's the latest my system will support)

I was planning to install the new OS on new SSD I purchased and then restore files -- either manually though some various backups I've done or through Time Machine. I know Time Machine is probably much easier but was wondering if that might defeat the idea of a clean install as I am not sure if this will bring over other things from my older drive in the process.

Just looking for opinions on whether anyone would advise against using Time Machine to restore my files from my original SSD now that I have installed a new OS and a new SSD.

Thanks

Posted on Jan 26, 2019 2:31 PM

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Answer 1

a brody

Level 10

85,366 points

Jan 26, 2019 2:44 PM in response to quinn28

Mac OS X has never had a "clean install" option. If by "clean" you mean erase and install, be mindful that your Macbook will let you erase the hard drive when booted off the restore partition, (command-R boot), using Disk Utility, and then install Mac OS X 10.13 directly from the App Store after that. It is the first MacBook that allows that built-in. If the App Store is not available from the restore or internet restore, you may need to restore El Capitan first, and then upgrade immediately to High Sierra after that from the App Store. When you are done with that, you can use Time Machine to restore your old backup.

Note: the backup you make under any older system will contain applications that no longer work under High Sierra.

http://www.roaringapps.com/

Be sure that this link is checked for any compatibility issues before you proceed.

Note Time Machine itself only stores the first backup it made when first run, the last backup of any changes to the system from the first backup, and intermediate archives of what it was able to fit on initially, daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly backups on the destination backup. A clone backup with Carbon Copy Cloner or Superduper or Prosoft Data Backup will give you the full system without archives, and can be verified easier as complete because it is able to boot your system from Apple menu -> System Preferences -> Startup Disk.

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Answer 2

BDAqua

Level 10

250,325 points

Jan 26, 2019 2:42 PM in response to quinn28

Yes, TM will bring over old stuff, depends what is easierfor you, installing all your 3rd party Apps & entering all your old passwords & such, or Migrating everything & let us help you clean it up if need be.

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Answer 3

quinn28 Author

Level 1

22 points

Jan 26, 2019 3:03 PM in response to VikingOSX

Hi -

Thanks for the feedback. You mentioned that when I go into Recovery and restore from a Time Machine backup that this will do a clean install but could also restore some things from the old SSD that I don't want back.

However, wouldn't I have the same potential issue if I am installing High Sierra with a bootable USB and then restoring files from Time Machine? It sounds like you're recommending this option over the other but I am not clear on how that makes any difference if I then end up using Time Machine to restore my old files. Isn't there the same potential for bringing over things from the old SSD that I wouldn't want on the new SSD?

Question 2 - I was looking at the link you provided for the bootable USB. it said to type the following command in Terminal. Does this just get posted to the end of whatever is there now?

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\

Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

--applicationpath /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app

Thanks

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Answer 4

VikingOSX

Level 10

124,304 points

Jan 26, 2019 2:43 PM in response to quinn28

The last Time Machine backup is like a camera. Everything installed on your Mac that you did not purposely exclude in Time Machine preferences will be restored when you boot into Recovery, format the new drive, and choose to Restore from a Time Machine backup option. That will perform a clean install, and could restore some things that you don't want back from the old SSD.

On the otherhand, the installation of High Sierra from a properly constructed bootable USB stick would also provide you with a clean install, and upon final reboot, the setup options give you a chance to restore from Time Machine, which will pull back your previous applications and home directory from the old SSD Time Machine backup.

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Clean install high sierra/Time Machine

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