How do I install Panther without trouble?

wapstar

wapstar

iAussie
I am about to get my copy of Panther and wanted some advice on installing. More importantly has anyone had issues installing on a 17" iMac 800mhz
Should I back up my data (I know I should anyway)
Will my mail be there on startup? (apple mail)
- itunes music library?
- iphoto library?

basically will AI lose all/any of my stuff and ways to avoiding it. :)

Cheers folks
 
Don't use the Upgrade option, which simply converts your old system into Panther. The best method is the clean install, which requires a reformat. The next best method is Archive & Install, which simply moves your old system and installs the new one, leaving your Library and User folders untouched.

And you should back up your data anyway. ;)
 
And as you should backup your data, anyway, I'd urge you to backup your

- home folder
- "/Applications" (the ones you've installed yourself at least)
- "/Library/Application Support"

... then install Panther with the option to erase your harddisk. After installation, you can move the things back into place from your backup. (Make sure your usernames are the same for no problems...)
 
Right... this is the best way to do it, but if you don't want to wipe out/reinstall everything, use Archive & Install.

And definitely do NOT use the Upgrade option.
 
arden said:
Right... this is the best way to do it, but if you don't want to wipe out/reinstall everything, use Archive & Install.

And definitely do NOT use the Upgrade option.
Click to expand...

I cannot subscribe to that view. I have upgraded on two machines flawlessly. The real issue is "hacks" and "apllication enhancers". Remove such crap first and - most likely - you'll be fine!


;)
 
He won't necessarily be fine doing an upgrade. There are a lot of people that had serious problems with just doing an upgrade. I have a G4 PowerBook, nothing on it except the system and a few apps, Word, Excel, Photoshop and the Apple apps. I upgraded that and it was a mess. I had to reformat the drive. That machine had no haxies at all or third party system enhancers of any kind.

Some people are doing well with an upgrade, others aren't. Just check the Aple boards and other Mac forums. Overall performance will be better if a reformat and clean install is done, which is the best way to install Panther.
 
arden said:
Don't use the Upgrade option, which simply converts your old system into Panther. The best method is the clean install, which requires a reformat. The next best method is Archive & Install, which simply moves your old system and installs the new one, leaving your Library and User folders untouched.

And you should back up your data anyway. ;)
Click to expand...


I have some followup questions. This is my first time installing an upgrade on a Mac so please bear with me. With a "clean install" does it mean that it removes everything on the drive, including apps/drivers...etc? What's the difference between the "Upgrade" and "Archive & Install" option? Since both seems to retain some degree of data on the drive.

If I go out to an Apple store to purchase the Panther in the retail box, does it mean it's a full version and not just an "upgrade"?

Thanks in advance!

---
15" Powerbook, 1GHz, 1GB Ram, OS 10.2.8
 
bobw said:
Overall performance will be better if a reformat and clean install is done, which is the best way to install Panther.
Click to expand...
What about the intermediate option of "archive and install", which is what I have used in the past? Have many problems been reported with that?
 
Okay, here goes:
  • Upgrade simply takes your old system (10.2.8, 10.2.6, whatever) and morphs it into Panther. It changes the stuff that is new while leaving stuff that hasn't been changed between the two versions. It also leaves behind all the junk that has accumulated, which can lead to conflicts.
  • Clean install means installing onto a clean hard drive, which requires you to reformat (reinitialize, wipe out, etc.) your hard drive and start anew. This is the best method because you are starting with a clean slate.
  • Archive and install means it leaves your old system intact but relabels it Previous System, and installs Panther anew. It doesn't touch much else, and it leaves your settings in place. This is the best method if you don't want to reformat your hard drive.
Obviously, clean installing is the only thing you can do on an empty hard drive. You have to have an older system to do either of the other two.

Also, any method you take will result in the full version of Panther, which is the only thing you can buy anyway. "Upgrade" just means that's what it does to your old system, not that the installer won't run without an old system... you just won't be able to run the Upgrade option without an older system.

You dig me? ;)
 
Thanks for the information, it answered my questions.

With "Archive & Install" is there an option of deleting the "Previous System" when Panther is running fine?

Just out of curiosity, when a major OS is released, which method would you prefer to perform the upgrade? If Apple releases a new OS every 9 months (just guessing) would a "clean install" be too much of a hassle? ...having to reinstall all apps and drivers again when everything is set up to the way you wanted it to be.
 
It may take a bit more than drag-to-trash-empty-trash, but yes, you can simply delete 10.2.X when you've done an Archive & Install... it is labeled Previous System. Trash this folder any way you see fit.

As for the best method, the Clean install is the best in terms of stability, but Archive & Install is the best compromise between time and stability. It takes much less time and it is much more stable than the Upgrade option.
 
Ok. IF you plan on doing a clean install, read this.
FIRST take your system restore CD/DVD and do a clean install of that, as Panther will be missing all that special stuff that came with the iMac. Then Archive and Install Panther, and trash the OS that was on the restore CD/DVD. ONLY do this if OS X 10.0 or higher was on the restore CD/DVD.
 
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