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- iMac 27 (11,3), 32GB RAM, 480GB SSD, 2 TB HD, Logitech Mac KB, Trackpad, 2 USB ext HDD (8 tb)
I am writing this to help those who have never done a clean install of OSX Yosemite. One of the problems is the arcane nature of Apple's software.
If you are doing a clean install, do a disk image backup (or a full backup) of your iMac's current primary HDD to an external HDD (I suggest a Seagate Backup Plus 2 or 4TB drive formatted for Mac as extended journal). You must do this for a clean install. (You are going to wipe the current HDD and install a new copy of OSX Yosemite on it. All files will be lost, including fragments, adware, and such). Gotta back up first.
Then, to create an install disk I used a 8GB USB drive, formatted it as an Apple journaled drive using the existing Disk Utility before starting the project. Just remember to first partition the USB drive as an Apple GUID partition if you have an Intel-based iMac. Then format it as an Apple journaled drive, and label as Untitled.
Next is the arcane part. Download a copy of the OSX Yosemite Installer from the App Store. This will be 5.17 GB in size, so it will fit on the USB drive. The download will stop before starting the install, leaving a copy of the installer program in the Applications Folder on your iMac. Exit the program using the Menu item at the top of the screen. Do Not Proceed to Install at this point.
Obtain a copy of Diskmaker X or SuperDuper! from the web. Then establish where the Install OSX Yosemite file is, whether in Applications or in Download. Call up the Diskmaker X or SuperDuper! program and tell it you want to create an OSX Install disk on the USB drive by selecting the correct drive, and give it the go-ahead.
Voila! You will have a USB thumb drive that WILL install OSX Yosemite on your machine. To install, shut down the iMac, wait a couple of minutes, and press the Start button on the back left and hold down the C key on the keyboard. Select the USB thumb drive for the source, and the iMac's HDD as the target, and let her rip!
This method is easier to do than describe, and it works.
Thanks to many sources here on Mac Forums and articles in MacWorld.
If you are doing a clean install, do a disk image backup (or a full backup) of your iMac's current primary HDD to an external HDD (I suggest a Seagate Backup Plus 2 or 4TB drive formatted for Mac as extended journal). You must do this for a clean install. (You are going to wipe the current HDD and install a new copy of OSX Yosemite on it. All files will be lost, including fragments, adware, and such). Gotta back up first.
Then, to create an install disk I used a 8GB USB drive, formatted it as an Apple journaled drive using the existing Disk Utility before starting the project. Just remember to first partition the USB drive as an Apple GUID partition if you have an Intel-based iMac. Then format it as an Apple journaled drive, and label as Untitled.
Next is the arcane part. Download a copy of the OSX Yosemite Installer from the App Store. This will be 5.17 GB in size, so it will fit on the USB drive. The download will stop before starting the install, leaving a copy of the installer program in the Applications Folder on your iMac. Exit the program using the Menu item at the top of the screen. Do Not Proceed to Install at this point.
Obtain a copy of Diskmaker X or SuperDuper! from the web. Then establish where the Install OSX Yosemite file is, whether in Applications or in Download. Call up the Diskmaker X or SuperDuper! program and tell it you want to create an OSX Install disk on the USB drive by selecting the correct drive, and give it the go-ahead.
Voila! You will have a USB thumb drive that WILL install OSX Yosemite on your machine. To install, shut down the iMac, wait a couple of minutes, and press the Start button on the back left and hold down the C key on the keyboard. Select the USB thumb drive for the source, and the iMac's HDD as the target, and let her rip!
This method is easier to do than describe, and it works.
Thanks to many sources here on Mac Forums and articles in MacWorld.
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