Hard Drive Erase, Clean Install and Time Machine

Question

Hard Drive Erase, Clean Install and Time Machine

I am currently running OS X 10.10.3 and I want to do a clean install. All my content is backed up with Time Machine via external drive.

First, how do I erase my hard drive and install a fresh version of OS X 10.10.3?

Second, is it better to use a USB drive for the clean install or just you the Recovery Mode?

Last, once i finally have a clean installation of OS X 10.10.3, am i able to access my external drive via time machine to bring back some of my old files...i have read that the folder in the external drive is not accessible and not accessible through time machine.

I appreciate the response and guidance!

MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012), OS X Yosemite (10.10.3)

Posted on Apr 19, 2015 2:13 PM

Reply

Answer 1

norm123

Community Specialist

Apr 22, 2015 2:12 PM in response to jacobfromwaterloo

Hello Jacob,

All of these are good questions to have when erasing and installing OS X Yosemite. To answer your first question you would need to boot to either your Recovery HD or through the Recovery USB and follow the steps in the first article below. Either option will get the task accomplished and will install OS X Yosemite. For your final question about restoring from a Time Machine back up, you will see the option to restore when going through the setup process of your Mac. Let me know if the information below is of help or need further assistance.

OS X Yosemite: Erase and reinstall OS X

https://support.apple.com/kb/PH18869

OS X: About Recovery Disk Assistant

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202294

OS X Yosemite: Recover your entire system

https://support.apple.com/kb/PH18848

Take it easy,

-Norm G.

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Answer 2

May 16, 2015 5:12 PM in response to jacobfromwaterloo

Hey Norm, thanks for the response! The articles were very handy. Just wondering if it is possible, similar to erasing an iPhone and starting clean, can i erase my Mac, start completely fresh on the latest OS X version and recover certain files from my external disc that was used with Time Machine?

I read somewhere that if i try to open up time machine, it will not recognize the disc if i were to click on 'enter time machine' and then not allowing me to choose certain files...does the migration assistant allow a pick-and-choose option when using that application?

More-or-less, I'm trying to clean out old files and start anew again.

Thank you for your help

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Answer 3

Eric Root

Level 10

685,293 points

May 17, 2015 1:38 PM in response to jacobfromwaterloo

That should work If you have trouble accessing Time Machine, which you shouldn't, see below.

Inherit a Backup

Inherit a Backup (2)

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