Preparing for Tiger

[muzikool]

I've already decided to do a clean install of 10.4. Not that it's absolutely necessary, but it just feels good if you know what I mean.

So concerning backups... what's the best method? I took a look at backing up my entire Home folder, but it's 24 GB and I was planning on backing everything up on DVDs. I'd rather not use 6 or 7 discs... should I partition a portion of the drive instead?

Also, what should I be sure to save that doesn't exist in my Home folder? I'm not really concerned with application preferences, as I plan on reinstalling all those from scratch anyway. I don't have a custom hosts file either. I can't really think of anything outside my Home folder, so I'm afraid I might be missing something.

 

[Geffy]

Xie showed me these last night
http://tigervittles.com/?p=6
http://mundy.org/blog/index.php?p=28

 

[muzikool]

Those are pretty good guides, though they assume that you are making a full system backup on a 2nd disk. I don't want to do that and don't think I need to... plus I don't have another hard disk.

I'm most concerned with making sure I don't forget a certain file when I make my backup.

 

[Electronic Punk]

Your pre-order didn't arrive already?

 

[muzikool]

I don't have it yet, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[Geffy]

read the part about the Archive and Install, it will backup your stuff for you and then do a clean install... in theory

I will test it once Tiger arrives.

If you just want to make sure you dont forget anything then I would backup your home directory, and probably your apps folder and then maybe the /Library/ directory.

make sure you get all your . prefixed folders in your home directory as well

 

[SPeedY_B]

Your pre-order didn't arrive already?

Tiger is officially released on the 29th.

 

[muzikool]

Yeah, I read about the Archive & Install. It's the "in theory" part that makes me want to do a complete erase.

 

[Geffy]

do you have no other machine that you can dump stuff onto via SMB, FTP or some other such thing....

from what I have heard the Archive and Install method is the way that most Mac users update the OS, its apparently very effective and works well.

Still its a bit scary if its your first time doing it

 

[Xie]

Yeah I'm in a toss up between doing a "archive and install" or a "clean" install. I just hate reinstalling all my apps/settings ...

 

[muzikool]

I don't really mind reinstalling apps and stuff. It's always been kind of enjoyable to me, actually.

@Geffy - I sold my old PC and just have the G5. My fiance has a PC laptop but I'm not going to copy 24+ GB over the network back and forth from Mac to PC.

 

[Xie]

...I'm not going to copy 24+ GB over the network back and forth from Mac to PC.

Be a good time to convince the lady friend you need Gigabit.

 

[Geffy]

I don't really mind reinstalling apps and stuff. It's always been kind of enjoyable to me, actually.

@Geffy - I sold my old PC and just have the G5. My fiance has a PC laptop but I'm not going to copy 24+ GB over the network back and forth from Mac to PC.

what are you planning to backup to then... just a bunch of CDs or summat

 

[muzikool]

Planning on backing up on DVD-Rs.

 

[Geffy]

should only take 10 to backup a 40gb drive, 75 or so for an 80gb one, could still possibly do a full clone onto those

 

[muzikool]

Yeah, I'll probably end up doing that with just my Home folder.