Clean install help needed

[andym]

Hi all,

My hard disk is on it's way out, so I've taken the plunge and ordered a shiny new SSD.

I've done a backup using Carbon Copy Cloner, and now need advice on the best way to proceed when the SSD arrives.

I believe I have two options:
Clean install
or
Restore

Obviously the easy thing to do would just do a restore to the new disk using CCC, but I heard that a clean install would be better.

If I go for a clean install onto the SSD, how can I then retrieve all my apps and documents from the old one? The documents would probably be easy, just copy them across, but what about all my apps?
I really don't want to re-install all the apps, so is there anything that will let me copy them across?

Thanks in advance.

 

[IWT]

Hi andy m

Welcome to the Forums

As I understand it, a clean install requires that you make a Boot Installer on, say a USB, install this on your new SSD, migrate the Docs etc to the SSD and reinstall all apps, which is a mega-bind.

The following links explain this in great detail and far better than my abbreviated summary above. Although the Links relate to Yosemite, this applies to any OS X, in principle.

Links:

http://osxdaily.com/2014/10/16/make...mail&utm_campaign=Feed:+osxdaily+(OS+X+Daily)

How to make a bootable OS X 10.10 Yosemite install drive | Macworld

How to Clean Install OS X Yosemite | OSXDaily

Hope this answers your question. Good luck.

Ian

 

[andym]

Many thanks for the welcome and the speedy reply Ian, I'll check out the links you posted.
(The first link appears to be broken by the way)

 

[Terry_C]

If you have a Time Machine backup then during the final Yosemite installation it will ask you if you want to copy information back from Time Machine. I was able to select user accounts, documents and apps. Worked very well for me on a reformat and clean install.

HTH

 

[andym]

Thanks Terry!
I really don't want to have to reinstall all my apps, so Time Machine could be the way to go.

Presumably the difference between using only CCC and Time Machine is that CCC performs an exact clone of the original disk, whereas ™ restores everything neatly?

 

[andym]

Hmm after further reading, Im holding off installing Yosemite on the new drive as there are issues with Trim.

Does a clean install make a huge difference, or would cloning my new SSD from my CCC backup be ok?

 

[harryb2448]

If you are using a MacBook a clean install will make a huge difference.