Clean install or Time Machine restore

scottajronan · 11-19-2012, 01:42 PM

I have picked up a new iMac from Apple's refurb store and it arrives tomorrow. I currently have a white iMac Intel core duo 2.16 running Lion with loads of apps and data. My iTunes library is on a separate disk but even so I still have in excess 200gb of data to copy however I am unsure about whether or not I should do a clean install or copy over everything from my Time machine backup. Does anyone here have any recommendations? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

benwiggy · 11-20-2012, 09:38 AM

I think the benefits of clean installs are overstated. I've installed Panther (10.3) over ... 10.2 on my G3 Powerbook; then Migrated to an Intel iMac running Tiger and installed Leopard, Snow Leopard and Lion straight on top, with all user data intact. I've now used Migration Assistant to transfer that to my new Mac on Mountain Lion.
I'm sure there's some vestige of the original 10.2 system in there somewhere!

I think you can use Migration Assistant to Migrate a Time Machine backup onto a clean new system (so that the core OS won't get copied over, but everything else will).

If you do a total clone, then you'll be up and running immediately, with everything as you left it. (Assuming your hardware doesn't use a special build of the OS specifically for that hardware.)
Any other transfer onto a clean OS, and you'll have to sort out various bits and pieces. But you won't be carrying over any unwanted cruft.

onceagain · 11-20-2012, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottajronan


	Does anyone here have any recommendations? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

I recommend the clean install every time.

1). It is the only way to ensure there isn't something already on the machine that should not be there.

2). It provides you with an opportunity to avoid installation of crap you simply don't want, and takes up a lot of space (this is a big deal on MBAs with a small SSD, for example).

3). It gives you a chance to enable your primary drive for full disc encryption.

4). It's an opportunity to de-cruft your stuff and ensure you don't have any old crap lying around, and get rid of crap that may have found its way on there that shouldn't be there.

I tried using "Migration Assistant" exactly once - just last week - when I got my wife a new machine. What a waste of time. I ended up formatting the machine and doing a clean install anyway.

chabig · 11-20-2012, 03:37 PM

I think the time saved with a migration is worth it, and the time spent doing a clean install isn't. In the end, there will be no difference in your systems, except in your mind. If you're happy with the current system, your new system will be fine too. Full disk encryption can be turned on any time.

11-19-2012, 01:42 PM	#1
scottajronan Prospect Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 11	Clean install or Time Machine restore I have picked up a new iMac from Apple's refurb store and it arrives tomorrow. I currently have a white iMac Intel core duo 2.16 running Lion with loads of apps and data. My iTunes library is on a separate disk but even so I still have in excess 200gb of data to copy however I am unsure about whether or not I should do a clean install or copy over everything from my Time machine backup. Does anyone here have any recommendations? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

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11-20-2012, 09:38 AM	#2
benwiggy League Commissioner Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 5,040	I think the benefits of clean installs are overstated. I've installed Panther (10.3) over ... 10.2 on my G3 Powerbook; then Migrated to an Intel iMac running Tiger and installed Leopard, Snow Leopard and Lion straight on top, with all user data intact. I've now used Migration Assistant to transfer that to my new Mac on Mountain Lion. I'm sure there's some vestige of the original 10.2 system in there somewhere! I think you can use Migration Assistant to Migrate a Time Machine backup onto a clean new system (so that the core OS won't get copied over, but everything else will). If you do a total clone, then you'll be up and running immediately, with everything as you left it. (Assuming your hardware doesn't use a special build of the OS specifically for that hardware.) Any other transfer onto a clean OS, and you'll have to sort out various bits and pieces. But you won't be carrying over any unwanted cruft.

11-20-2012, 03:37 PM	#4
chabig Hall of Famer Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 2,934	I think the time saved with a migration is worth it, and the time spent doing a clean install isn't. In the end, there will be no difference in your systems, except in your mind. If you're happy with the current system, your new system will be fine too. Full disk encryption can be turned on any time.