Time for a reformat

[smknSRT8]

My computer has been a little wierd lately so I think I am going to reformat my computer. Any tips.
I already ran time machine and backed everything up. I am not going to restore from backup, just start over then transfer the files over. What about applications that I paid for but may not have the CD or the activation code?

[Saverino]

My computer has been a little wierd lately so I think I am going to reformat my computer. Any tips.
I already ran time machine and backed everything up. I am not going to restore from backup, just start over then transfer the files over. What about applications that I paid for but may not have the CD or the activation code?

I think those would pretty much be gone... It happened to me when I had to reformat my MacBook.

[smknSRT8]

Damn that is what I was afraid of. I have CS3 but I don't have the discs for them. I will just have to put CS3 on hold for a while I guess. Do I just pop the disc in and go through the steps?

[Saverino]

Damn that is what I was afraid of. I have CS3 but I don't have the discs for them. I will just have to put CS3 on hold for a while I guess. Do I just pop the disc in and go through the steps?

If I remember correctly, if you just insert the discs, it'll re-install and everything, but all your info will still be there.

I'm pretty sure that's what happened to me maybe ?2 years ago on my iMac...

[smknSRT8]

Isn't it better to completely start fresh and not reinstall, rather just wipe everything clean and re-download everything etc. Basically getting rid of the unnecessary files.

[Saverino]

Isn't it better to completely start fresh and not reinstall, rather just wipe everything clean and re-download everything etc. Basically getting rid of the unnecessary files.

IMO, yes. I actually want to do this with my MacBook. Its giving me tons of problems...

[smknSRT8]

IMO, yes. I actually want to do this with my MacBook. Its giving me tons of problems...
After I do a time machine backup, can I still access my contacts and calender information? Or since it is synced up with my phone, the first time I sync my phone to my computer it will just sync everything?
I was going to do it in the background of me studying but I don't want to lose anything important so I am going to way this this week to do it.

[Saverino]

After I do a time machine backup, can I still access my contacts and calender information? Or since it is synced up with my phone, the first time I sync my phone to my computer it will just sync everything?
I was going to do it in the background of me studying but I don't want to lose anything important so I am going to way this this week to do it.

That, I honestly can't tell you. I don't want to tell you the wrong thing and end up having you lose all your info.

Lets let someone else chime in on that...

[acosmichippo]

ok, lotta questions here... let me do one-by-one...

[acosmichippo]

My computer has been a little wierd lately so I think I am going to reformat my computer. Any tips.
I already ran time machine and backed everything up. I am not going to restore from backup, just start over then transfer the files over. What about applications that I paid for but may not have the CD or the activation code?

I'm sure you can find the activation code in the software on your computer... usually in the "about [software]" option in help.

Damn that is what I was afraid of. I have CS3 but I don't have the discs for them. I will just have to put CS3 on hold for a while I guess. Do I just pop the disc in and go through the steps?

yeah, but when you boot to the restore disc, you will have to open "disk utility" to reformat your hard disk... otherwise, it will do a non-destructive restore (saves all of your apps, data and settings).

Isn't it better to completely start fresh and not reinstall, rather just wipe everything clean and re-download everything etc. Basically getting rid of the unnecessary files.

if you want to be absolutely sure, yes. It's very possible restoring from a backup could solve many of your problems... hard to say. For instance, if there are corrupt system files, or if your hard disk is very fragmented... those problems would get fixed by restoring from a backup.

After I do a time machine backup, can I still access my contacts and calender information? Or since it is synced up with my phone, the first time I sync my phone to my computer it will just sync everything?
I was going to do it in the background of me studying but I don't want to lose anything important so I am going to way this this week to do it.

I'm not sure what your first question means...

But the first time you sync your iphone, iTunes will ask you if you want to "merge" the contact and calendar data, and this will load all of that stuff from your phone back to your macbook.

[smknSRT8]

Thanks cosmic, you were the man I was looking for with this one. Since it would be a hassled to start from new, and I don't want to have to worry about losing anything right now, I think I am just going to go with a restore from backup. Hopefully this cures my problems.
So I am just going to pop in the disc, go through some options and click "Restore From Backup" at some point?
I will give this a shot and report back.

Cosmis, the last questions, I asked it weird, but you answered it by the iPhone and iCal and Address Book merging information.

[iHero]

I recently reinstalled OS X on my Mac mini, and all I really did is backup the installers from the CS3 apps, reinstall them on the new install, insert the serials, and it works.

[smknSRT8]

Just popped in the disc to reformat and it won't read the disc!!! ahhhhhhh

[acosmichippo]

doesn't even show up when you login to OSx?

[smknSRT8]

doesn't even show up when you login to OSx?

Nope. I put the disc in and it comes back out after a minute or so. I talked to Apple and they are sending me a new one. I do not know what it could be though because I put a music CD in my computer and it worked, and I put the OSX dvd in a friends computer and it registered the disc.

[acosmichippo]

you could copy the image of the disc with disk utility on your friend's computer, and burn a new one.

hell, you may even be able to boot to the image on a flash drive.

[smknSRT8]

I am going to try this. I need my comp to be reformatted, or at least restored from backup. I don't know how It got so bad.

[TarekElsakka]

Damn that is what I was afraid of. I have CS3 but I don't have the discs for them. I will just have to put CS3 on hold for a while I guess. Do I just pop the disc in and go through the steps?

Yes. Pop in the installation discs, reboot your computer, hold the ALT key, and then choose the CD to boot from. About your paid-for applications, can't you get them from your email? I mean, doesn't each application have a website that requires an account? I think each account has a purchase history. I don't know if you understand me but I mean, I guess you can download them again for free.