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Final steps before Mavericks reinstall..

My iMac (27-inch, Late 2009) with 12GB of RAM and 2 TB of storage is running so slowly (e.g. Safari takes >30 seconds to open, etc.), I'm going to erase my hard drive and start from scratch.


I have been using Time Machine and as a double-backup, plan to use CCC to clone the current HD to a different drive.


Three questions:


  • What files must be transferred from the backup to the "fresh" HD to make sure I don't lose any music or photos?
  • After reinstalling the system software, is it better to use Time Machine to transfer files back or to drag them over from the CCC clone?
  • Will it improve the computer's performance (speed) if I keep the music and photos on a separate HD?


TIA, Bob

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9.1), 12GB RAM, 2.66 GHz i5

Posted on Feb 16, 2014 6:24 PM

Reply
7 replies

Feb 16, 2014 6:47 PM in response to Bob Grip

In all my years of using Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Lion, Mountain Lion and Mavericks, I have never had to blow everything out and start over.


How full is your Internal Hard Drive..?


If there is plenty of free space now, it might be better to use CCC to make a clone on the external hard drive and then just clone everything back to your Internal hard drive.


If you are low on free space and/or want to just clean things up a bit, then be selective about what you have CCC clone back to the Internal HD.

Feb 17, 2014 8:09 AM in response to den.thed

I have 783 GB empty out of the 2 TB drive.


Would making a clone, then cloning everything back make a difference in the speed in which the computer is performing?


I figure something in the system software has been corrupted over the years. Why else would applications take a long time to launch?


I've used Cocktail to clean things up, but it hasn't made any difference. That's why I'm considering the "nuclear" option, as much as a pain as it would be.

Feb 17, 2014 9:07 AM in response to Bob Grip

12 Gb or RAM on a IMAC late 2009 ? It should fly!


0. Try Fx permissions on your HDD (Disk Utils); if does not work...

1. Backup your files (docs, images, music etc), boot from your DVD/USB/Network and erase the HDD.

2. Create 2 partitons: one for OS, the other for storage.

3. Do not use back-up from TM. Now you have Apple Store, so most software should install quickly.

Feb 17, 2014 9:22 AM in response to Bob Grip

Bob Grip wrote:


Would making a clone, then cloning everything back make a difference in the speed in which the computer is performing?

I figure something in the system software has been corrupted over the years. Why else would applications take a long time to launch?


Very well could, because it will optimize the OS X and your User file locations on the drive.


Adding that, if you clone to & from a FireWire 800 Drive, it will take about half the time as USB.


I've used Cocktail to clean things up, but it hasn't made any difference. That's why I'm considering the "nuclear" option, as much as a pain as it would be.


I would definitely select out that and any other third party crapware. In fact, I would do that while cloning to the external drive, then startup from the external drive and test it.

Final steps before Mavericks reinstall..

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