Q: save iMessages and format mac

Hi erickjguzman,

I understand you would like to format (erase) your iMac and put your saved Messages back on the computer.  The easiest way to do that is by using the Time Machine application to back up your computer, and then either restore the entire system, or use Migration Assistant to transfer just the files you want.

Use Time Machine to back up or restore your Mac

Back up using Time Machine

After you set up Time Machine, it automatically makes hourly backups for the past 24 hours, daily backups for the past month, and weekly backups for all previous months. The oldest backups are deleted when your backup drive is full.

• To back up now instead of waiting for the next automatic backup, choose Back Up Now from the Time Machine menu .
• To stop automatic backups, turn off Time Machine in Time Machine preferences. You can still back up manually by choosing Back Up Now from the Time Machine menu.
• To pause a backup, choose Stop Backup from the Time Machine menu. To resume, choose Back Up Now.
• To check backup status, use the Time Machine menu. The icon shows when Time Machine is backing up , idle until the next automatic backup , or unable to complete the backup .

 

Restore everything:

• To restore everything in your Time Machine backup, use OS X Recovery.
• To copy the files, settings, and OS X user accounts in your backup to another Mac, use Migration Assistant.

 

Cheers,