Newbie: System Restore?

I'm a new Mac customer because I couldn't take any more of Billosoft's, but now with the Mac, I don't understand how to do a system restore. With windows, it was as easy as going to start, my programs, accessories, and bam! But now, with the Mac (OSX 10.3.9), I can't seem to restore my disk back to an earlier date. What do i do?

Ever since about last week, the mac has been acting up, and that is why I'm trying to restore. If it can't be done, but is there a way it can be done?

system restore?! you arent using windows anymore buddy!

first tell us what exactly your computer is doing.
second, search the forums on how to do a 'repair your permissions'
third, dont swear
-chris

There is no actual system restore like windows. You can put in your OS X disc and do an Archive and Install

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107120

Or you can just reinstall

Eek, I don't want to reinstall. And sorry about the language. I just want to revert to maybe a week ago, before forced restarts started popping up, or before these weird text things came on the screen, freezing the rest of the comp. Thanks.

bluntski said:

Eek, I don't want to reinstall. And sorry about the language. I just want to revert to maybe a week ago, before forced restarts started popping up, or before these weird text things came on the screen, freezing the rest of the comp. Thanks.

Click to expand...

ahh, sounds like a kernal panic.....usually caused by faulty hardware. have you installed ram around the same time that this all began happening? or changed anything at all re: hardware? or moved your computer(if its not a laptop)?

btw, an 'archive and install' just reinstalls the os and keeps all your personal stuff in tact
-chris

Yeah, I moved my Mac from my old house to my new. What do I do about Kernal Panics?

Also, I can't seem to do a software update. Everytime I attempt, it'll freeze after it downloads and begins to verify and install... I tried downloading the file from apple.com, and when attempting to install it, I got the forced restart screen. It's sad to say, my Windows is working 10x better than my Mac :/ And my Windows is older. That is what I'm typing on now too...

Turn on the computer and hold down Apple + S
When the prompts are finished loading type

/sbin/fsck -f

and hit enter. If it repairs anything, run the test again until it doesn't find anything. If it can't fix errors then you will need to send it to apple

Hmm, I think that may have worked, it said everything was done successfully... But now the mac gets stuck at Login Window starting. Is there a way to start up comp in safe mode and do some thins in there?

similar question

I too am a new mac user. I recently lost a file off of a computer from work and heard that by restoring the mac I could retrieve that information. Is this correct and how would I go about doing it? Thanks!

What do you mean by "lost a file"? What is it you did to lose a file?

No, you can't retrieve a file by re-installing the OS, unless the file is one that the OS installs.

If that is the case, what file is it?

lost file

The file was a data file on a computer at work. It was suddenly missing from the desktop one day and we have found no trace of it. We checked in the trash, which hadn't been emptied for a while. We also searched for the file name of some of the contents and found nothing. Nothing else is 'missing' off of the computer. It seems to have been completely deleted. The file contained research data that had been generated over a few months and amazingly had not been backed up in one central location.