Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

How to do clean install and install lion

Hello


I have snow leopard installed on my MBP and have time machine too, connected to my external HD. I would like to install Lion OS today. However before I do this. I would basically like to do what some people say is a clean install and then install Lion OS. However I do not want to lose all my information that is stored on my MBP either. What is the best way of doing this? Should i simply put all my files on a DVD and then install everything once I have done a clean install and got Lion on my MBP? How does one do a clean install and what does it actually do? Or should I not back up everything on DVD, and then simply do a clean install and install Lion OS and simply connect my external HD to my mbp and get my information via time machine?


Hope someone can help.



Thanks



abz

macbook pro 2010, Mac OS X (10.6)

Posted on Jul 20, 2011 6:24 AM

Reply
Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Jul 20, 2011 7:51 AM

Hi there,

By clean install do you mean an erase and install where you wipe your hard drive and reinstall the os? Assuming this is the case the best way to go about this would be back up the data you want to keep on a disc or your exernal harddrive before you upgrade to lion. Since lion doesn't come with a disc you have to upgrade to lion first then after you can do an erase and install. What lion does is make a small partition on your harddrive that contains the os called a recovery partition. To do an erase and install, after you install Lion Just hold down Command-R during startup and Lion Recovery comes up on the screen from here it lets you chose from different utiltiltes. You can run Disk Utility to check or repair your hard drive, erase your hard drive and reinstall a fresh copy of Lion, or restore your Mac from a Time Machine backup. Safari is also available. I wasn't able to find any support articles just yet on it but here is a link to the recovery page http://www.apple.com/macosx/recovery/.

56 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Jul 20, 2011 7:51 AM in response to abz latif

Hi there,

By clean install do you mean an erase and install where you wipe your hard drive and reinstall the os? Assuming this is the case the best way to go about this would be back up the data you want to keep on a disc or your exernal harddrive before you upgrade to lion. Since lion doesn't come with a disc you have to upgrade to lion first then after you can do an erase and install. What lion does is make a small partition on your harddrive that contains the os called a recovery partition. To do an erase and install, after you install Lion Just hold down Command-R during startup and Lion Recovery comes up on the screen from here it lets you chose from different utiltiltes. You can run Disk Utility to check or repair your hard drive, erase your hard drive and reinstall a fresh copy of Lion, or restore your Mac from a Time Machine backup. Safari is also available. I wasn't able to find any support articles just yet on it but here is a link to the recovery page http://www.apple.com/macosx/recovery/.

Oct 3, 2011 1:43 PM in response to Pondini

@Pondini


1

When you change your hardrive (Why should you need to install the system twice?)


2

When Startup gives you a Folder with a Circle with a line through it

And you can't access safe mode and only option is to reinstall OS


3

Best Practice dictates that a new OS should be a clean install for capacity management and removing any other bugs that the upgrade will suffer, like incompatable software and Printer Drivers


4

Is Snow-Leopard going to be available forever and supported by Apple? If not how does someone re-install Lion if you cannot get to the apple website (no internet or netork availabilty). Or don't have an Apple Account?


In saying all that, there is a USB stick avaialbe for $75 AU and the Recovery option and not to mention the Ctrl+CMD+(n) ? to access the network at startup. But how many people are aware of this? not many....

Oct 3, 2011 1:51 PM in response to Tmemphis

1, Why? When I change a hard drive I clone everything back without any installs at all and everything works.


2, That is what Recovery Partition is for.


3, That might be best practices for Windows but not OS X. So I have never done an erase and install yet for any reason on my Macs. I really hate the term, 'clean' install because it is not clean.


4, Snow Leopard will not be available forever. But your SL DVD should last long enough.

Oct 3, 2011 2:29 PM in response to Allan Eckert

Not everyone knows how to clone. The Recovery doesn't alway recover and clean install is clean. There is little to go wrong with a clean install and as you add software to your clean install, you find out what's not compatable.


The thing here is that fanboys can't be objective, I admire what Apple are trying to achieve but it is not practical for todays market. I for exsample live in rural area, I get lousy internet and to download something like Lion takes 3 goes and a 4 to 5 days each. There are lots of reason why they should still have media. I was just responding to Pondini mis-guided ideals. and now yours it seems.

Oct 3, 2011 2:40 PM in response to Tmemphis

Tmemphis wrote:


@Pondini


1

When you change your hardrive (Why should you need to install the system twice?)

Restore from your Time Machine or "clone" backups.


2

When Startup gives you a Folder with a Circle with a line through it

And you can't access safe mode and only option is to reinstall OS

You may be able to Repair Disk via the RecoveryHD.

You may be able to fix with DiskWarrior.

Or Restore from your Time Machine or clone backups.


3

Best Practice dictates that a new OS should be a clean install for capacity management and removing any other bugs that the upgrade will suffer, like incompatable software and Printer Drivers

As Allen says, not on OSX. Installing Lion over Snow Leopard replaces Snow Leopard (after copying the necessary things from /Library, mostly application support and system-wide prefs). There are no leftovers.


Yes, if you erase everything, that will include the incompatible software. Then you have to reinstall the compatible software. In most cases, it's much safer and easier to delete the incompatible software when you find it. Installing Lion will usually install any new drivers needed.


I have no idea what you mean by "capacity management," but since there's nothing left over (OSX has no Registery, for example), there won't be lots of unusable space.


4

Is Snow-Leopard going to be available forever and supported by Apple? If not how does someone re-install Lion if you cannot get to the apple website (no internet or netork availabilty). Or don't have an Apple Account?

Lots of ways:


Restore from your Time Machine or clone backups.


If, during or after installing Lion, you did one or both of these, you'll have even more options:


Make a copy of the Recovery HD on another drive (see OS X Lion: About Lion Recovery Disk Assistant).


Make a copy of the Lion Installer on another drive or USB stick (see Making a Lion Install disc or partition).

Oct 3, 2011 2:38 PM in response to Tmemphis

Tmemphis wrote:


Not everyone knows how to clone.

CarbonCopyCloner is free; SuperDuper has a free version. The Restore tab of Disk Utility will do it.


And Time Machine is not only free, but built-in to OSX.


The Recovery doesn't alway recover

See my previous reply to point 4.


I admire what Apple are trying to achieve but it is not practical for todays market.

Of course it is. If you follow best practices, you'll have at least one set of full backups of your entire system and won't ever need to reinstall Lion via the internet.


For those who don't have backups, and have good internet access, the Recovery HD is fine.


For those who have neither, the Lion installer on a USB stick is fine (it ought to be included with new Macs).

Oct 3, 2011 3:04 PM in response to Pondini

Your missing the point and are blinded to reality. What you are suggesting is fine if you know your way around technology (as you obviously do)


Your assuming every one is an expert and use Time machine. Your aguments are flawed in so many way for users who only want their machines to work and not not have to do all this stuff to get it to work.

i.e.

Your response to 1 was

Restore from your Time Machine or "clone" backups.

You need to know how to clone and you need to use time machine.

if you lack both of these skills/item, tell me how to proceed?


As for your response to 2 , the Apple Gennius formated my HDD and put Snow leopard back on when they couldn't get it going iether...


Are you getting it yet?

Oct 3, 2011 4:21 PM in response to Tmemphis

Tmemphis wrote:


Your missing the point and are blinded to reality

No, and please drop the attitude. Let's limit this to facts, please.


What you are suggesting is fine if you know your way around technology

No.


Kindly recall the original question in this thread: how to do a "clean install" to upgrade from Snow Leopard to Lion. The answer from two of us in this thread (and many others in other threads here), is: "you don't need to."


Upgrading is quite simple; basically just follow the prompts.


Doing a "clean install" requires you to "know your way around technology" far more: if you don't already have backups, make some; erase everything; install OSX; restore or reinstall everything else. That last part usually involves a number of different steps, is tedious, error-prone, and time-consuming.



Your assuming every one is an expert and use Time machine.

No, not for the original question of upgrading OSX.


Most of the other scenarios you raise require some sort of backups. If you replace your internal HD, for example, you need some way to get your data onto the new disk. The only way to do that is to back it up first.


Either cloning or Time Machine (or, preferably both), are quite easy. For Time Machine, it's basically just connect a HD and let Time Machine configure itself when it asks. See the Time Machine Tutorial, and perhaps browse Time Machine - Frequently Asked Questions for details.



As for your response to 2 , the Apple Gennius formated my HDD and put Snow leopard back on when they couldn't get it going iether...

Without more information, there's no way we can address that, and again it's extraneous to the original question in this thread. We don't know if there are hardware and/or software problems, or perhaps a misunderstanding of some sort.


If this is still a problem, here's what I'd recommend:


Run Verify Disk, per #6 in Using Disk Utility.

Then run Repair Disk Permissions, per #5 there.

If neither shows any problems, upgrade to Lion via the AppStore or purchased USB stick.


If that doesn't work, and you want help sorting it out, post all the relevant details in a new thread (without the attitude).

How to do clean install and install lion

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.