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Resolved Question

re-installing OS10.6.8, what about apps?

by Jan 22, 2014 5:52AM PST

Hi all. iMac (2.11, 2010 vintage) i3 3.06 ghz, 8 gig RAM, OS 10.6.8.

I'm tired of the flaky install on this computer,and want to wipe the system drive,re-install the OS, my apps and data.

System drive is backed up completely (via SuperDuper). I'm clear on how to wipe and re-install the OS and the bundled apps that came with the iMac (I have the original drives and know where the 10.6.8 update resides on Apple's website).

HOWEVER...I have lots of other non-Apple apps, and the data that goes along with them. (Let me mention here that I'm changing the OS install slightly, and only creating one user, who will be the Admin as well...this differs from the current install, which features a separate [main] User and Admin). Am I going to have to install all these apps from their original sources? Any suggestions on helping that process along?

Discussion is locked

Mike Janowski has chosen the best answer to their question. View answer
8 Posts
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Best Answer

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First I think it depends on what you call a "Flaky Install"
by Forum moderator Jan 22, 2014 9:11AM PST

SuperDuper, which is a very good app, makes a clone of your hard drive which, in your case, means it has a clone of the "Flaky Install"

Personally I would go with Time Machine, and SuperDuper, as this will give you the flexibility that SD does not give by itself.

Time Machine will allow you to reinstall those non-Apple apps, and the data that goes along with them, after you have installed OS X again.
In the absence of a TM backup, you would need to backup all the data that was created and save it else where until you have installed, from their original sources, all the non-Apple apps.

You may also have a permissions problem if the data you are trying to recover was created by the original Main User.
On that subject, the recommended number of accounts is two. One Admin and one Non-Admin that is used as the main account on the machine. It's a security thing.

P

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Yes, thank you!
by Mike Janowski Jan 22, 2014 11:17AM PST

Yup, I understand that the clone is just that, and will contain all the "flakiness" I'm experiencing...which is why I want to re-install from a blank drive and start again.

Excellent suggestion re: Time Machine (as long as it works like you say it will. I have limited - and poor - experience with it, but will brave it again.)

Thanks for the reminder about permissions, oh yes, I'm sure that will be a doozy. Thinking I'll get around it by creating an account called "Admin", which is what the Admin account is called now. Only dif (from a practical standpoint) will be that this Admin will get all the data, prefs, etc., from the old Main User...

I currently have the Admin/Main User type setup...as that seems to be "best practice"...but on this machine its caused nothing but headaches (Main User has never been able to create a screencap, for instance. And I'm thinking that's why certain other programs seem wonky.)

And I have a clone of my current setup, so if all else fails I just fall back to that and start over again.

Thank you so much!

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one last thing re: security
by Mike Janowski Jan 22, 2014 11:40AM PST

If I'm missing something here let me know...but this computer is used by two people, one of whom doesn't ever install anything...so I see that as a non-concern.

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Always good practice to have an account for each user
by mrmacfixit Forum moderator Jan 22, 2014 8:13PM PST

Makes things easier as you go down the road


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Essentially, there is only one user on this computer...
by Mike Janowski Jan 22, 2014 9:19PM PST

...and though having an Admin/Main User setup may be "best practice", In actual practice it's been nothing but a bother on this machine.

Also, I have literally years of practical experience with my other computer (right now, an aging MacPro tower), using the same Admin as Main User setup...never have to switch users to do maintenence tasks, never have to switch users to do installs.

What, in your opinion, is easier about the Admin/Main User method...I'm curious.

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I didn't really mean easier,
by mrmacfixit Forum moderator Jan 23, 2014 7:50AM PST

I really meant safer, as you go down the road. It's not Admin/Main User, jut Admin or User.

Not sure what you are referring to as a "bother" but I have not had problems with that method.
If anything needs installing, I use the admins name (happens to be mine) and password and the stuff gets installed.

If I'm logged in on the Admin account, I just need to supply the password as the username is already populated.

When logged in as the Admin, there are things that can be installed without needing the Admin password and there will come a day when the nasties finally get in and there you are, nicely logged in as the Admin and giving the nastie free range.
Admittedly, that day is not here....yet. Someone, somewhere will finally figure it out.

However, it is your machine and you are free to do what you feel is OK. Just offering suggestions.

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thanks, appreciate the advice...
by Mike Janowski Jan 23, 2014 11:23AM PST

by "bother"...
-MainUser has never been able to do a screen cap (apple-3 or apple-4)
-MainUser has continual problems with MacMail which haven't been resolved by re-installing, tossing accounts and re-populating, or any other fix.
-MainUser exhibits flaky behavior with several programs (most notably, our QuickBooks company), such as not opening properly, opening but not displaying windows, and other weird behavior.

None of these pop up when I run things from the Admin. So I'm getting rid of the separate user. it's worked as I mention on my editing computer system for years.

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(NT) Understand, good luck with the reinstall
by mrmacfixit Forum moderator Jan 23, 2014 8:48PM PST
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