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When performing a clean reinstall of OS 10.8, what core elements are necessary for Mac to remain "my" machine?

Hi,


A genius at the Apple Store recommendend that I do a clean reinstall of my OS (on a two 1/2 yr old Macbook). I have the disk image backed up on a HD using Time Machine, but want to start from scratch - reletively speaking.


Therefore, I know I will have to manually back up certain files and apps to an external HD. What I want to make sure I do correctly concerns what the minimum files or folders must be intact to restore the OS to running as is currently. What do I save and then how do I bring them back onto the"new" OS?


To clarify, my goal is for the OS to run similar to if I ran Migration Assistant or Restored from Time Machine from say an old machine to a new one, in that the OS keeps the same elements that make the Mac "mine." I want to start it over pretty "bare bones" and add slowly but surely but I want whatever the key elements are to remain the same. If I remember from last time I did this, it had to do with the User folder? I'm thinking 'System' and 'User' would need to stay in tact, what about 'Library'?


Can someone clue me in on how to do this as if I am a beginner? Thanks!

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.7.5), White Unibody

Posted on Aug 2, 2013 2:23 PM

Reply
Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Aug 2, 2013 2:30 PM

My suggestions:


  1. Repair your hard drive and permissions.
  2. Backup your hard drive or at least backup your Home folder.
  3. Erase the hard drive.
  4. Reinstall OS X.


Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions - Lion/Mountain Lion


Boot to the Recovery HD:


Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.


Repair


When the recovery menu appears select Disk Utility. 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 then click on the Repair Permissions button.


Clone Lion/Mountain Lion using Restore Option of Disk Utility


1. Select the destination volume from the left side list.

2. Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.

3. Select the destination volume from the left side list and drag it

to the Destination entry field.

4. Select the source volume from the left side list and drag it to

the Source entry field.

5. Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.


Destination means the external backup drive. Source means the internal startup drive.


Install Lion/Mountain Lion on a New HDD/SDD


Partition and Format the hard drive:


1. Select your internal hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.


2. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed. Quit DU and return to the main menu.


Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion: Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion and click on the Install button. Be sure to select the correct drive to use if you have more than one.


Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.

1 reply
Question marked as Best reply

Aug 2, 2013 2:30 PM in response to ParliamentaryCA

My suggestions:


  1. Repair your hard drive and permissions.
  2. Backup your hard drive or at least backup your Home folder.
  3. Erase the hard drive.
  4. Reinstall OS X.


Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions - Lion/Mountain Lion


Boot to the Recovery HD:


Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.


Repair


When the recovery menu appears select Disk Utility. 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 then click on the Repair Permissions button.


Clone Lion/Mountain Lion using Restore Option of Disk Utility


1. Select the destination volume from the left side list.

2. Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.

3. Select the destination volume from the left side list and drag it

to the Destination entry field.

4. Select the source volume from the left side list and drag it to

the Source entry field.

5. Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.


Destination means the external backup drive. Source means the internal startup drive.


Install Lion/Mountain Lion on a New HDD/SDD


Partition and Format the hard drive:


1. Select your internal hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.


2. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed. Quit DU and return to the main menu.


Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion: Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion and click on the Install button. Be sure to select the correct drive to use if you have more than one.


Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.

When performing a clean reinstall of OS 10.8, what core elements are necessary for Mac to remain "my" machine?

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