backing up all my files than clean install?

I want to reinstal tiger
I never did this before my mac is acting strange it wont let me repair permissions and i have 3 gigs of ram and it should be purrring
I have an external f/w drive
if i back up all my apps and files than reinstall
how do I go about putting all of them back on
without having two home folders and that type of thing
I dont have the orignal discs for some apps
and I want to make sure I can stilll use them after all of this
is this possible
I posted this somewhere else and i came across wrong they arent illegal apps
I just installed stuff from my friends disc ex: final cut HD most importantly
I am not some type of crook
Please give me a hand
Thanks

- Go ahead, re-install.
- If you cannot r/p, definately re-install.
- If the app permits, just drag it's folder or icon to the f/w drive and put it back when you're done.

Don't worry, just pop in your os x install disk and then select 'archive and install' as the install option. It'll remove the system, keeping all your files and apps, replace the system with a fresh installation and you're done.

The old system will be put into a folder called 'Previous systems' and you can dump it if you want.

Aptmunich said:

Don't worry, just pop in your os x install disk and then select 'archive and install' as the install option. It'll remove the system, keeping all your files and apps, replace the system with a fresh installation and you're done.

The old system will be put into a folder called 'Previous systems' and you can dump it if you want.

Click to expand...

wot is bein actually archived? wot about my music/video collection?

thx