Getting a Clean Install to Mt. Lion, not just upgrading.

Question

Getting a Clean Install to Mt. Lion, not just upgrading.

My iMac will be five years old on New Year's Day. I've never had a problem with it. But, now that Leopard isn't doing any more updates, I need to up date my iMac myself. I installed 4GB Memory and upgraded to Snow Leopard. Now, I want to upgrade to Mountain Lion. Here's my question: I want to do a clean install - everything new, not just an upgrade that keeps my settings. I don't mind re-doing all of my settings, bookmarks, etc., I don't have any photos or documents on my computer that I need, so, I want a clean install.

How can I do this through just a download of Mountain Lion? Why can't we get a disk? I don't have the ability to bring my iMac to an Apple store or a local computer shop. How can I get a clean install?

iMac

Posted on Dec 22, 2012 4:38 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

John Galt

Level 10

141,466 points

Dec 22, 2012 5:05 PM in response to Simple Living

First verify your iMac's eligibility for Mountain Lion. It must be a Mid 2007 or newer iMac. So if yours really is five years old on January 1, 2013 it is probably OK.

There is no installation disc for Mountain Lion. You can make your own after purchasing Mountain Lion, but a installation DVD is not available to obtain from any legitimate source.

Start your Mac from your Mac OS X 10.6.3 "Snow Leopard" installation DVD. Insert the disk and restart your Mac while holding the c key. This will attempt to boot from the optical drive.

If for some reason that does not work and the Mac boots normally, use Startup Manager: hold an option key while you start the Mac and select the Snow Leopard DVD.

When you see the following screen, select Disk Utility

Erase the iMac's disk. Quit Disk Utility, then select "Reinstall Mac OS X" from the Mac OS Utilities screen.

Once installed, your Mac will restart. Setup Assistant will appear. Complete all the information.

When you log in to your Mac, run Software Update. Install all the updates. After you restart, you will have OS X 10.6.8.

Then, purchase Mountain Lion from the App Store and install it.

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Answer 2

Dec 22, 2012 5:58 PM in response to John Galt

Thank you for responding! I see what you're saying. In essence, I need to think backwards to go forwards. Do a clean install of Snow Leopard, install all the updates and THEN do the Mountain Lion upgrade? That's pretty clever. I can't see why this wouldn't work. There's always a work-around... for now, at least.

And, yes, my iMac will be able to handle Mountain Lion. (Mid 2007). Thanks very much for your solution!

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Answer 3

Imp68

Level 4

2,672 points

Dec 22, 2012 6:27 PM in response to Simple Living

If you want to skip the reinstall of snow leopard, create a bootable mt lion installer instead:

http://osxdaily.com/2012/02/17/make-bootable-os-x-10-8-mountain-lion-usb-install -drive/

Then start john's instructions at the part where you boot holding the option key.

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Answer 4

alkhater

Level 2

208 points

Dec 22, 2012 6:33 PM in response to Simple Living

Here is another way:

http://osxdaily.com/2012/07/25/how-to-clean-install-os-x-mountain-lion/

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Answer 5

Imp68

Level 4

2,672 points

Dec 22, 2012 6:39 PM in response to alkhater

That's not 'another' way. That's the same as mine. :)

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Answer 6

alkhater

Level 2

208 points

Dec 22, 2012 6:44 PM in response to Imp68

The method I'm refering to does require installing as you suggest:

When you log in to your Mac, run Software Update. Install all the updates. After you restart, you will have OS X 10.6.8.

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Answer 7

Imp68

Level 4

2,672 points

Dec 22, 2012 6:51 PM in response to alkhater

Neither does mine. You're quoting John, not me. I only referenced the booting with the option key part for the erase. Doing it my way boots off of the USB key, not snow leopard disc. I could have been more clear, but I thought it was obvious...otherwise, why make the bootable USB key...

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Answer 8

alkhater

Level 2

208 points

Dec 22, 2012 6:58 PM in response to Imp68

Sorry, my mistake.

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Answer 9

Imp68

Level 4

2,672 points

Dec 22, 2012 7:02 PM in response to alkhater

No worries... Your link is more clear than my half-asleep post anyway. Speaking of sleep...

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