scrutinizer82

Q: What is the most effective way to reinstall OS Mavericks from scratch?

...if I want to reinstall from the bootable DVD I made (from Mavericks Installer that I downloaded some time month ago). I'm tired of numerous problems plugging my system recently. Slowdowns, especially concerning iWork and iLife, so I decided to return to Day 1. Will I be able then update to 10.9.5? I don't even mind losing some of my data as performance is more important for me. I know there're several ways to accomplish the task, what would be your suggestions?

 

Any support would earn my gratitude,

 

Kindest regards,

 

I.S.

OS X Mavericks (10.9.5), MacBook Pro 15.4 " mid-2012

Posted on Jan 31, 2015 3:48 PM

Close

Q: What is the most effective way to reinstall OS Mavericks from scratch?

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

Page 1 Next
  • by scrutinizer82,

    scrutinizer82 scrutinizer82 Feb 1, 2015 4:39 AM in response to scrutinizer82
    Level 1 (43 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 1, 2015 4:39 AM in response to scrutinizer82

    No replies? Particularly, Safari and iTunes both raise my highest concerns. Should I back-up ~/Library/Safari folder, also iTunes Library extras.itdb, iTunes Library Genius.itdb, iTunes Library.itl, iTunes Library.old from the main iTunes folder as well as Previous iTunes Library subfolder from iTunes Media folder?

     

    Also, speaking of Safari, how do I migrate all my passwords? Is it possible to back them up, and if yes where are they stored on my Mac?

  • by keg55,

    keg55 keg55 Feb 1, 2015 6:41 AM in response to scrutinizer82
    Level 6 (8,434 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 1, 2015 6:41 AM in response to scrutinizer82

    You should back up your entire system using Time Machine or a 3rd party cloning software like Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper! with an external drive prior to doing a clean install.

     

    Restart using your OS X Mavericks installer. In your case a DVD.

    Use Disk Utility to erase your Macintosh HD. Then Reinstall OS X.

    During Setup you can migrate your user accounts/apps/data. Or you can create your user account; then manually reinstall all your apps and restore your data. This is up to you.

    Use Software Update to bring your OS and its built in apps to current.

     

    I can't comment about Safari passwords. I don't use that feature. I use the 1Password app. So you might want to do a Google search. You can back up your Safari Bookmarks though by choosing File/Export Bookmarks from the Safari menu bar. Then you would import them back in after your install using File/Import Bookmarks.

  • by scrutinizer82,

    scrutinizer82 scrutinizer82 Feb 1, 2015 7:09 AM in response to keg55
    Level 1 (43 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 1, 2015 7:09 AM in response to keg55

    Thanks, keg55. Just to confirm the sequence of my actions: (1) I insert the DVD, then press Option+Power Button, then select Install OS X Mavericks DVD, then Disk Utility (erase and format HD), quit DU, return to boot menu, then "Install OS X", select Macintosh HD - exactly as described here http://osxdaily.com/2013/10/26/clean-install-os-x-mavericks/ ?

     

    (2) when I restore I replace new folders/files with older (backed up) ones? Is it OK, to just copy them manually in the respective folders?

     

    Kindest regards,

     

    I.S.

     

    P.S. However you didn't answered: will I be able to have my latest version of Mavericks, iTunes (11.4) and iWork 2013?

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Feb 1, 2015 7:46 AM in response to scrutinizer82
    Level 9 (72,465 points)
    iTunes
    Feb 1, 2015 7:46 AM in response to scrutinizer82

    Follow the steps in the article and you should be okay.

     

    When you restore using Setup Assistant, the work will be done for you. No need to manually copy.

     

    You should get everything back.

  • by keg55,Helpful

    keg55 keg55 Feb 1, 2015 7:50 AM in response to scrutinizer82
    Level 6 (8,434 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 1, 2015 7:50 AM in response to scrutinizer82

    (1) I insert the DVD, then press Option+Power Button, then select Install OS X Mavericks DVD, then Disk Utility (erase and format HD), quit DU, return to boot menu, then "Install OS X", select Macintosh HD - exactly as described here http://osxdaily.com/2013/10/26/clean-install-os-x-mavericks/ ?

     

    (2) when I restore I replace new folders/files with older (backed up) ones? Is it OK, to just copy them manually in the respective folders?

     

    P.S. However you didn't answered: will I be able to have my latest version of Mavericks, iTunes (11.4) and iWork 2013?

    1. You should be able to boot directly from the DVD by restarting and holding down the 'C' key. The rest looks good

    2. Yes, you can just copy your data manually from the back up after you finish installing instead of migrating it during Setup.

     

    PS - Not knowing what version of Mavericks you used to create your DVD, I can't answer this. I added to use Software Update which should bring your OS up to date as well as built in apps like iTunes. Be careful with iTunes as your DVD might have version 11.x but Software Update may ask if you want to update it to version 12. As far as iWorks, you would re-download those from the App Store if that is where you purchased them. For your other apps, you would reinstall those you use or need. Or during Setup, you could migrate your apps from your back up.

  • by scrutinizer82,

    scrutinizer82 scrutinizer82 Feb 1, 2015 8:18 AM in response to keg55
    Level 1 (43 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 1, 2015 8:18 AM in response to keg55
    holding down the 'C' key

    C key? Not Option one? Are you sure, never heard of that?

     

     

    what version of Mavericks you used to create your DVD

    I downloaded the version of Mavericks to further create a DVD  in December. My latest iTunes was 11.4, and iWork 13.2.2 (that is iWork' 13 2.2 versions). I need to to get them back when I reinstall Mavericks.

  • by keg55,

    keg55 keg55 Feb 1, 2015 8:20 AM in response to scrutinizer82
    Level 6 (8,434 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 1, 2015 8:20 AM in response to scrutinizer82

    scrutinizer82 wrote:

     

    C key? Not Option one? Are you sure, never heard of that?

     

     

    I downloaded the version of Mavericks to further create a DVD  in December.

    Yes, the C key. Look here (Press C during Startup). I'm assuming when you said you want to reinstall from a bootable DVD of Mavericks, you created the DVD to be able to boot from it. Pressing the C key during startup does this without having to choose anything from the Startup Manager (option key).

     

    If you downloaded Mavericks in December 2014, then you have 10.9.5 which is the latest version.

  • by scrutinizer82,

    scrutinizer82 scrutinizer82 Feb 1, 2015 8:24 AM in response to keg55
    Level 1 (43 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 1, 2015 8:24 AM in response to keg55

    But I want to erase my HD. At what stage should I perform this - before or during the reinstallment start-up?

  • by keg55,Solvedanswer

    keg55 keg55 Feb 1, 2015 8:45 AM in response to scrutinizer82
    Level 6 (8,434 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 1, 2015 8:45 AM in response to scrutinizer82

    When you boot off your DVD you will get the OS X Utilities menu with the 4 options of which Disk Utility and Reinstall OS X are 2 of.

     

    If you made your DVD correctly, it's like using a USB thumb drive and the Option key at Startup to select the USB thumb drive. With a CD/DVD drive one only has to press the C key to boot from that device ONLY instead of selecting what to boot from.

     

    Try it so you see what I'm talking about. Insert your DVD, restart and at the black screen press/hold the C key. You should hear your CD/DVD drive start and your Mac should boot off it and to the OS X Utilities menu screen.

  • by scrutinizer82,

    scrutinizer82 scrutinizer82 Feb 1, 2015 8:39 AM in response to keg55
    Level 1 (43 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 1, 2015 8:39 AM in response to keg55

    Thanks!!!! Appreciate your help. Now the time has come, hope I have luck.

  • by Drew Reece,Helpful

    Drew Reece Drew Reece Feb 1, 2015 8:55 AM in response to scrutinizer82
    Level 5 (7,689 points)
    Notebooks
    Feb 1, 2015 8:55 AM in response to scrutinizer82

    scrutinizer82 wrote:

     

    (2) when I restore I replace new folders/files with older (backed up) ones? Is it OK, to just copy them manually in the respective folders?

     

    I don't meant to sound rude, but do you know which files & folders are actually important to you?

     

    Manually moving items back can be 'hit or miss', e.g. which preferences do you actually need from the user Library? How about Application Support & other items… can you copy preferences back when logged in or will the App re-write it's prefs that are cached in memory (running apps overwrite .plists in 10.9).

     

    I wonder if the answer is to move back the entire user folder via Migration Assistant or Setup Assistant that runs during install? This takes only your user files & puts them into the clean OS. All your user stuff should still be the same as it was.

     

    Setup Assistant is simplest to use –

    During install when prompted to move older data connect your backup

    Select the options to move User data only (Applications & other data can be avoided)

    It will create the user account for you & move all the user files

     

    It's best to have a bootable to Time Machine backup so the assistant can recognise it as a source.

    Migration Assistant can be run after install, but only if the old username is not already in use.

     

    The only time I would avoid this type of migration is when the user account is unstable or damaged in some way.

     

    FYI

    ~/Library/Keychains covers passwords

  • by scrutinizer82,

    scrutinizer82 scrutinizer82 Feb 1, 2015 9:11 AM in response to Drew Reece
    Level 1 (43 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 1, 2015 9:11 AM in response to Drew Reece
    I don't meant to sound rude

    You don't

     

    but do you know which files & folders are actually important to you?

    I do.

     

    Manually moving items back can be 'hit or miss', e.g. which preferences do you actually need from the user Library? How about Application Support & other items… can you copy preferences back when logged in or will the App re-write it's prefs that are cached in memory (running apps overwrite .plists in 10.9).

    In the beginning I was willing to have my iTunes and iBooks Library untouched with all the album art and so on. But now I decided to rebuild it from scratch. I don't want to mess up my clean system again, avoiding conflicts etc.  This regards all my apps as well, I'd rather choose to re-install them, I care about core app bundles mostly, the rest is simpler.

  • by scrutinizer82,

    scrutinizer82 scrutinizer82 Feb 1, 2015 3:40 PM in response to keg55
    Level 1 (43 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 1, 2015 3:40 PM in response to keg55

    I just started running the process of the most complete possible erase of HD by selecting 7 pass erase. Will I be able to install OS afterwards?

  • by Drew Reece,

    Drew Reece Drew Reece Feb 1, 2015 4:29 PM in response to scrutinizer82
    Level 5 (7,689 points)
    Notebooks
    Feb 1, 2015 4:29 PM in response to scrutinizer82

     

    Have fun with the spring cleaning, ask if you can't find anything.

     

    All the best,

    D

Page 1 Next