Building and freezing an error free Snow Leopard system image w/ my apps and scripts

I am building a new image for my system on my mbp17. I want to do this one RIGHT. I started from a 1 pass Disk Utility formatted drive and then a fresh install.
I wish to be in the right forum, to start with. If I am not please instruct me.
My objective is to produce an image that is error free and then saving an image of it, and making a SuperDuper clone of it as a base, and then importing my cleaned and pruned data such as documents, media, bookmarks mail and scripts.

I wish to be able to build it an app and script and setting at a time-- testing each change for stability errors, system performance, degradation, etc. In particular I am interested in SW conflicts, memory leaks, un noticed and unnecessary processes, Networking roadblocks or hindrances, etc. before going on to the next.

I am looking for resources on how to go about this; things such as instructions, apps, scripts, diagnostics, etc.


Currently I am running 10.5.8 from a SuperDuper clone from an ext drive.

My 10.6.2 Snow Leopard image is my local MBP drive.
I have successfully installed all my Apple apps and most First tier developer apps. { ilife, iWork, Aperture3, CleanApp3, iStatpro, } with all the latest updates and versions.
It’s running lean and mean. I am testing apps on my Clone 10.5.8 drive first. I would like to test on my Clone 10.6.2 instead, but I don’t have all the tools and data of my working 10.5.8 drive on my Show Leopard Clone yet.

I have yet to set up:
• Mail
• FireFox
• Other browsers
• Itunes, libraries
• SongBird
• Any other 2nd or 3rd tier developer apps
• Any scripts

I have a list of what I have already installed and a list of apps, browsers, and scripts I intend to install.
I want to then propagate this image to my other systems. Using a 3-prong approach: Online backup, local SuperDuper, and local TimeCapsule for backup.

I have in mind an archive strategy involving a local tower with CD, DVD, and Bluray Burners, as well as old and new drives –(later, when I can afford it, I will get a Drobo setup.) Any Suggestions?

I also will need advice on doing the same with Boot Camp and Fusion. (Hate Parallels! Been there, done that. WON’T be wasting my time and money again.)

Any suggestions or leads will be appreciated.

BTW, my machine will be a machine that I will be using to develop iPhone and iPad apps—until I can afford a iMac for the same and use my laptop for just personal entertainment and use.


• I also have concerns about installing apps that are not needed, since OSX already provides out of the box or with scripts and automations.

• I am concerned about using my name and personal info in settings and directories: ie: my home folder: my name or a nickname, machine name, location, etc.

• I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A FEW WEEKS NOW, SINCE IT TAKES A LITTLE TIME TO GET ALL THE SOFTWARE together, formatting, moving data, cleaning data, etc. So, I am serious about doing this the right way.


Thanks for reading.

wpbdude said:

Thanks for reading.

Click to expand...

It's a pleasure

Wow. You have certainly created a lot of extra work for yourself!

By default, Mac OS X isolates the "user folder" away from the main system, and also has a system of user accounts that are kept separate from each other, so really a lot of what you're talking about trying do by hand is completely unnecessary.

My suggestion to you is to simply set up at least two accounts: one for day-to-day use, and an "extra clean" one for development, both Admin-level users.

You are, in my judgement, really overthinking this, particularly from a security standpoint. I take it you used to be a Windows user?

Snow Leopard (and the other OS X versions before it) had a *default* state of "error-free" in terms of doing whatever the user asks of it. Simply avoiding running a lot of background processes and beta software should be all that's required to keep the system running as well as it can. Most users here haven't had any serious issues with their system for months or years, even though many of us run them 12-18 hours a day for months without restarts.

Macs do require a little bit of routine maintenance, but not much (at least, much on the user's part). I find that a bi-annual clone/nuke-and-pave/clone back operation restores my somewhat fragmented HD back to top performance and that periodic use of OnyX or similar utilities keep the day-to-day operations running smoothly. I also engage in some "best practices" like keeping the number of active programs open to a minimum, keeping software (system or applications) up-to-date, and making regular automated backups (I personally use both Time Machine *and* a weekly bootable clone, but whatever works for you). Off-site backups are done only for irreplaceable files such as family photos and personal writings, etc.

Relax and enjoy your Mac!

I figure, if you do this properly, carefully adjusting and tweaking everything, you might eventually make things fast enough to save enough time, a fraction of a second here, another fraction of a second there, over the entire life of the machine, to add up to the amount of time you spent setting it up in the first place.

But I doubt it.

chas_m said:

Wow. You have certainly created a lot of extra work for yourself!

By default, Mac OS X isolates the "user folder" away from the main system, and also has a system of user accounts that are kept separate from each other, so really a lot of what you're talking about trying do by hand is completely unnecessary.

My suggestion to you is to simply set up at least two accounts: one for day-to-day use, and an "extra clean" one for development, both Admin-level users.

You are, in my judgement, really overthinking this, particularly from a security standpoint. I take it you used to be a Windows user?

Snow Leopard (and the other OS X versions before it) had a *default* state of "error-free" in terms of doing whatever the user asks of it. Simply avoiding running a lot of background processes and beta software should be all that's required to keep the system running as well as it can. Most users here haven't had any serious issues with their system for months or years, even though many of us run them 12-18 hours a day for months without restarts.

Macs do require a little bit of routine maintenance, but not much (at least, much on the user's part). I find that a bi-annual clone/nuke-and-pave/clone back operation restores my somewhat fragmented HD back to top performance and that periodic use of OnyX or similar utilities keep the day-to-day operations running smoothly. I also engage in some "best practices" like keeping the number of active programs open to a minimum, keeping software (system or applications) up-to-date, and making regular automated backups (I personally use both Time Machine *and* a weekly bootable clone, but whatever works for you). Off-site backups are done only for irreplaceable files such as family photos and personal writings, etc.

Relax and enjoy your Mac!

Click to expand...

====================
Thanks Chas.

Yes I am a Windoz user. I do have a tendency to over-think things-- but I am a tinkerer--so I get into trouble--oftentimes without even knowing it until much later when I have forgotten what I changed. So, yea, I'm a bit paranoid. I am considering Faronics SW to keep myself out of trouble. I can't do the TimeCapsule--no dough; or the Time Machine--use MBP-so...and I dont think it will just do a nightly backup- at least it did not when I bought this machine, an airport extreme and a Terabyte drive so I could use TM--(Yea, I was one of those suckers who believed Steve when he rolled out Leopard and is Time Machine. 3 months later they had the TC?) But anyway, lost my Airport Extreme and express in a freak storm where the spike came in over the (supposedly protected at the box) cable line. I had s $300 Line conditioner/surge for EVERYthing--yet since I was a Cable guy, and since i checked the installation myself- i did not put it through the protector---BAD idea >>>lived in Florida<<<<

At any rate, I was going about my build and made two (that i know of ) BAD mistakes:
1. migrated most of (all but settings and documents) 2 previous used profiles from my ext SuperDuper clone.--thinking I'd get my mail and Itunes stuff transferred---WHAT A dweeb I was

2. I tried a hack that involved me installing Rosetta.

Now, Kernel task is running over 230mb of real memory and 65 threads---! BTW my machine was running cool -below 160F or so (CPU temp) while running SL--Leopard was always hot -over 160F...

Is there a way out?

Thanks Again

technologist said:

I figure, if you do this properly, carefully adjusting and tweaking everything, you might eventually make things fast enough to save enough time, a fraction of a second here, another fraction of a second there, over the entire life of the machine, to add up to the amount of time you spent setting it up in the first place.

But I doubt it.

Click to expand...

Dude, is it common for OSX to "pause" often when you move from one app to the next or one field to the next and you have plenty of ram and the proc is just sittin there twiddling it's thumbs?

Thats why I did a clean SL install and wow! it worked. BUT. I migrated some of my old user profile and now I'm starting to see the same trouble.

Worse yet...I did not know that migration was irreversible. Nor did i know that it would gut my SuperDuper Clone, so now I cant go back to it--my mail and my Itunes are all jacked up.

So, as you can see, I had reasons to be so paranoid

NOW WHAT

Respectfully,

wpbdude said:

I can't do the TimeCapsule--no dough; or the Time Machine--use MBP

Click to expand...

I understand why you can't use a Time Capsule, but not why you can't use Time Machine. All you need is an external drive. The MBP doesn't need to be plugged to it all the time, TM will just "wait" until the drive is available again and then update the backup.

>>>lived in Florida<<<<

Click to expand...

Yeah, I hear that! I lived there for nearly 30 years (Orlando). Clean electric output is a big challenge there.

Hey Chas_M,
Thanks for the response-- My past experiences with TM were bad.... I did some reading on TM again and I am about to set it up again...we'll see.

BTW, I have a few I want to run by you:

Thoughts:
1. using Dropbox for documents and itunes libraries in my home folder (FILEVAULTED)so that my data is available across all platforms and profiles---

2. Maybe even using Mac mail with dropbox also---

What do you think?

Anybody?--

Thanks again...

wpbdude said:

1. using Dropbox for documents and itunes libraries in my home folder (FILEVAULTED)

Click to expand...

Thoughts on FileVault .... STAY AWAY from it. I have had nothing but problems with FV and some of the problems  made it hard to find out anything about it, until it was too late. They didnt even have the decency to let us know. It took me all up probably 60-70+ man hrs to finally sort out.

Just a suggestion and

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

Yes.... beware the Dark Side

Here's the issue with approaching Mac OS X with a Windows mindset: You utterly fail every darn time.

A Mac just isn't the same as a Windows box. There's no point in caring about CPU temp unless you're having issues. There's no point in caring about one second in speedup of boot time unless your bootup is taking over two or three minutes.

Windows people have this inexplicable need to "tweak" things. They want to mess with every option, turn on every UI checkbox and turn off every little service so that they can "squeeze all the performance" out of a computer while sacrificing every benefit that an evolving UI gives them.

Luckily Macintosh doesn't give that option. Just find an efficient workpath and stop sweating all those useless details. Realize that if this were ten years ago, you wouldn't have UNIX options to wade through. Mac OS 9 didn't have crap to tweak.

wpbdude said:

Thoughts:
1. using Dropbox for documents and itunes libraries in my home folder (FILEVAULTED)so that my data is available across all platforms and profiles---

2. Maybe even using Mac mail with dropbox also---

What do you think?

Click to expand...

At the risk of sounding arrogant or unfriendly (neither of which I mean to be), these are terrible ideas.

DropBox is an online storage service NOT a server farm. No matter how fast your internet connection is, it will never be a fraction of the speed of a local hard drive. Your stuff won't be available "across all platforms" -- it simply won't work with ANY of them. Ditto Mail.

As for FileVault, the benefits are incredibly LOW and the risk of permanent data loss is incredibly HIGH. It's like keeping snow tires on your car year-round ... even after you moved to Florida! You're just unnecessarily hindering the performance of your machine for no real benefit.

My suggestion to you is that you really do need to UNLEARN your view of computers as Jaime-Jaime suggested. I do recognise that this is a lot to ask, but you might start by just talking with normal everyday Mac users you come across, or joining the local Mac User Group in your area.

A lot of people in the last few years have switched to the Mac from Windows or other platforms, and if you hang out in the Switcher's forum you'll notice that most of them rave about how easy the switch was; this is primarily because most of them weren't THAT heavily invested in Windows, they just did their best with what was around.

People who are DEEP into the Windows mindset as you seem to be often have an (ironically) *tougher* time adjusting to Mac because there is more to "let go of" than your average user. I think it's rather like jumping into Zen Buddhism -- are these people insane? They do almost nothing but smile and seem happy but they're not stressing over every last tweak!!!

At the risk of sounding like a reject from that old TV show "Kung Fu," try to put yourself in a space where you are approaching the Mac with a completely open mind, ready to re-think, question or even reject EVERYTHING you thought you knew about computers. Only then will you discover that Macs and PCs are actually quite similar, but mindset is *everything.*

Grasshopper.