Loss of Files?
- Thread starter MLE
- Start date
dmetzcher
Metzcher.com
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58042
Check out the link above first. The question you asked in a previous post has the same link in a reply from me.
Regarding your re-install question, someone who has done this can answer, but I don't believe that if you do a re-install you will lose your current data, as long as you don't reformat the disk. I've only done a re-install after reformatting the disk, so I have no experience with this, but someone else posted problem on here last week and said that he re-installed the OS several times to correct it. It was not corrected, according to him, but his settings and data were left in-tact, and that's what you care about, so you should be ok. The question is, will this fix your issue? Try the link about first before you re-install your OS.
A question for someone else: Will all his user account settings still be in tact, including his iLife apps' preferences and libraries, etc, after he does a re-install without first formatting his disk?
Check out the link above first. The question you asked in a previous post has the same link in a reply from me.
Regarding your re-install question, someone who has done this can answer, but I don't believe that if you do a re-install you will lose your current data, as long as you don't reformat the disk. I've only done a re-install after reformatting the disk, so I have no experience with this, but someone else posted problem on here last week and said that he re-installed the OS several times to correct it. It was not corrected, according to him, but his settings and data were left in-tact, and that's what you care about, so you should be ok. The question is, will this fix your issue? Try the link about first before you re-install your OS.
A question for someone else: Will all his user account settings still be in tact, including his iLife apps' preferences and libraries, etc, after he does a re-install without first formatting his disk?
perfessor101
Registered
Your re-installation options depend on what you have done in the past. If you have upgraded OS X from the version you have on the install CDs you will have to do either an Archive & Install or an Erase & Install. The Archive & Install will save all of your current user data and settings. Complete instructions for performing an Archive & Install, including the available options for saving your user data will be found in Apple Knowledge Base article 107120. After the Archive & Install you will have to reapply all previously installed updates. If you are reinstalling OS X 10.4 (Tiger) you should also take a look at Apple Knowledge Base article 302350.
For OS X 10.2 (Jaguar) you should also look at Apple Knowledge Base articles 25430 and 25454.
For OS X 10.3 (Panther) look also at 107904 and 300592.
An erase install will, of course, erase everything on the drive/partition including all user data and settings.
Depending on why you want to reinstall if you are at say OS X 10.3.9 reapplying the 10.3.9 Combo updater might solve your problem. If you are running Tiger then use the 10.4.3 Combo updater.
For OS X 10.2 (Jaguar) you should also look at Apple Knowledge Base articles 25430 and 25454.
For OS X 10.3 (Panther) look also at 107904 and 300592.
An erase install will, of course, erase everything on the drive/partition including all user data and settings.
Depending on why you want to reinstall if you are at say OS X 10.3.9 reapplying the 10.3.9 Combo updater might solve your problem. If you are running Tiger then use the 10.4.3 Combo updater.
perfessor101
Registered
OS X 10.3.9 is Panther. But even then you are technically downgrading from 10.3.9 to 10.3 then you would need to run the 10.3.9 combo updater to get back where you were before the Archive & Install.
I strongly urge you to immediately run the combo updater because several things changed in 10.3.9 in preparation for Tiger (10.4) and you may find some applications not running until you make the update. Once again, you have not indicated why you want to reinstall but if you updated to 10.3.9 with the Software Update incremental updates applying the combo updater may well solve your problems without having to reinstall Panther.
I strongly urge you to immediately run the combo updater because several things changed in 10.3.9 in preparation for Tiger (10.4) and you may find some applications not running until you make the update. Once again, you have not indicated why you want to reinstall but if you updated to 10.3.9 with the Software Update incremental updates applying the combo updater may well solve your problems without having to reinstall Panther.
First of all, I appreciate all of your help. Second of all, the reason I need to reinstall is because on booting up, I am taken to a gray screen with a folder icon along with the flashing question mark. I have 10.3.9 installed on the hard drive, but during my recent move to a different city, I lost them. The only installation CDs I have is 10.2 - hence asking if I installed 10.2 on a 10.3 OS, will I lose all of my data?
perfessor101
Registered
Assuming your volume/directory system is not totally trashed or the HD hasn't gone over the the dark side, an archive and install will not effect your data files but be sure and read the Apple Knowledge Base articles before you begin. However you will likely find that some number of your applications will no longer run because they require OS X 10.3.
Before attempting any install, boot from the 10.2 install CD and on the installer menu select Disk Utility. In DU select your hard drive and run Repair Disk. Rerun DU > Repair Disk until either no errors are found or DU reports unrepairable errors. If unrepairable errors are found your only options are to purchase DiskWarrior 3.0.3 or TechTool Pro 4.0.6 and see if they can repair the damage or you will have to do an erase and install in which case you will lose everything that is not backed up to another drive or media.
Before attempting any install, boot from the 10.2 install CD and on the installer menu select Disk Utility. In DU select your hard drive and run Repair Disk. Rerun DU > Repair Disk until either no errors are found or DU reports unrepairable errors. If unrepairable errors are found your only options are to purchase DiskWarrior 3.0.3 or TechTool Pro 4.0.6 and see if they can repair the damage or you will have to do an erase and install in which case you will lose everything that is not backed up to another drive or media.
ElDiabloConCaca
U.S.D.A. Prime
If your computer has a known-good installation of OS X 10.3 on there, but just won't find it, try booting with the 'option' key held down -- this will present you with a menu of all the bootable partitions available on your computer. Look for one with a little picture of a hard drive if one appears.
If this works, your Startup Disk preference probably just needs to be reset. Go into System Preferences > Startup Disk and re-select your hard drive.
Sometimes, when a computer is unplugged for an extended time and has a weak battery, these kinds of settings (startup disk, volume level, etc.) get corrupted or reset and cause this kind of situation.
If your installation is truly gone, you'll probably just see two icons: an arrow and a circular arrow. In this case, reinstalling as described above would probably be the best course of action (after, of course, DiskWarrior and/or TechTool if that's an option).
If this works, your Startup Disk preference probably just needs to be reset. Go into System Preferences > Startup Disk and re-select your hard drive.
Sometimes, when a computer is unplugged for an extended time and has a weak battery, these kinds of settings (startup disk, volume level, etc.) get corrupted or reset and cause this kind of situation.
If your installation is truly gone, you'll probably just see two icons: an arrow and a circular arrow. In this case, reinstalling as described above would probably be the best course of action (after, of course, DiskWarrior and/or TechTool if that's an option).