You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

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

User profile for user: Master of the Universe
Master of the Universe Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Is there a way to reinstall OSX 10.6.8 without bothering other data on same HD?

My main HD is acting very odd, starting with not recognizing USB or Firewire devices and now won't start up from the HD . It starts fine fron the disk, and when I loaded the OS on another internal drive it works fine.


The data on the main HD that I have copied to the other hard drive - a random sampling - seems to be fine, though I've had to re-load non-Apple apps. In short, it seems like it's the OS itself that has gone bad, or the portion of the disk that the OS occupies. (I've done a myriad of things, such as run Drive Genius, Tech Tool Pro, re-do permissions, run Disk Repair, Defrag, etc.)


A Clean Install, as I understand it, wipes the drive. I'd rather not have to open and check each and every one of the who knows how many files that I would have to copy from the original HD to one of the other internal hard drives. Can I re-load the OS on the problem drive without destoying other data?

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Nov 1, 2012 1:02 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply
User profile for user: Kappy
Kappy
User level: Level 10
361,855 points

Posted on Nov 1, 2012 1:05 PM

Reinstall OS X without erasing the drive


Do the following:


1. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions


Boot from your Snow Leopard Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer.


If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.


2. Reinstall Snow Leopard


If the drive is OK then quit DU and return to the installer. Proceed with reinstalling OS X. Note that the Snow Leopard installer will not erase your drive or disturb your files. After installing a fresh copy of OS X the installer will move your Home folder, third-party applications, support items, and network preferences into the newly installed system.


Download and install the Combo Updater for the version you prefer from support.apple.com/downloads/.

View in context
2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply
User profile for user: Kappy
Kappy
User level: Level 10
361,855 points

Nov 1, 2012 1:05 PM in response to Master of the Universe

Reinstall OS X without erasing the drive


Do the following:


1. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions


Boot from your Snow Leopard Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer.


If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.


2. Reinstall Snow Leopard


If the drive is OK then quit DU and return to the installer. Proceed with reinstalling OS X. Note that the Snow Leopard installer will not erase your drive or disturb your files. After installing a fresh copy of OS X the installer will move your Home folder, third-party applications, support items, and network preferences into the newly installed system.


Download and install the Combo Updater for the version you prefer from support.apple.com/downloads/.

Reply

Is there a way to reinstall OSX 10.6.8 without bothering other data on same HD?

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.
Learn more Sign up