OS and Software > All Things Macintosh > $29.00 Snow Leopard. Can I do a clean install?

$29.00 Snow Leopard. Can I do a clean install?

I don't see why this would be different than previous versions of OS X where you can do a clean install. Apple isn't Microsoft yet...
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reply to SuperNet9
What's kind of odd that there appears to be no full version of Snow Leopard by itself, except in that box-set containing iLife and iWork.

For anyone with Leopard, the $29 is no brainer, but what about those with earlier Intel Macs that came with Tiger. I don't think the $29 upgrade is a legit upgrade for Tiger users.
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reply to HiVolt
I am curious about this, as everything indicates the $29 disc is an updater.

But, if you remember, the 10.1 update was also a free update (the only time I ever used those update coupons) requiring an install of 10.0 to run. But, there was a very easy workaround to convert the disc to a full installer (you had to delete the app that checked for a previous install). Burn that disc, and you had a full installer. I wonder if SL will be the same.

reply to SuperNet9
Yea, see i like clean installs.. I never really like upgrades...

reply to SuperNet9
Probably won't know for sure until it ships, or, someone calls Apple and asks the tough questions.

When I got my Leopard up-to-date disc, it allowed an erase and install, but not direct install for when I formatted the disk and tried to install. Required a reinstall of 10.4 like someone else mentioned.

Instead of restoring and upgrading, I converted the upgrade disc into a retail install.
You see, the upgrade discs are retail installs with a lock-out mechanism. It runs a script that checks for a previous install of OSX and then acts appropriately. By removing this check, the install/upgrade disc never checks for a previous install and lets you load without upgrading.

Navigate to /Volumes/Mac OS X Install DVD/System/Installation/CDIS/Right-Click on “Mac OS X Installer” and Click on Show Package Contents
In the New Window goto Contents/Resources and DELETE the “CheckForOSX” File

Reburn the image to dvd and you have a full retail install.
The complete instructions are available here:
»uneasysilence.com/archive/2007/12/12791/

Don't know for sure if this will also work on Snow Leopard, but if the $29 disc is an upgrade and only does an erase and install, and not an install to formatted disc, then this might be just the solution.

Given all the "if"s and what not, I think the best solution is to call apple and ask what the deal is.

As for me, I used my $25 dollar rewards gift card to amazon and pre-ordered SL for $4
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reply to SuperNet9
All the upgrades i used in the past just asked me to put in and older OSX disk when doing a clean install.
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reply to Epikos
As an alternative to calling Apple, one could wait a week or 2 after Snow Leopard comes out. By that time, I expect the various Apple news outlets will have articles available explaining all of the installation secrets.

reply to SuperNet9
With Windows, I'd agree. With OS X, I believe an upgrade is as good as a clean install.

I plan on doing a full rebuild from scratch.

reply to ArchAngel21x
One advantage to a clean install- it gives you an opportunity to look at all of the different applications you have installed over time and decide which ones are worth carrying over to the new operating system. Also, some applications may need to be abandoned because they have not been (and never will be) updated for the new OS.

A switch to a new OS seems to represent the perfect time for system housecleaning. On my Mac Pro, I intend to write all zeroes to one of the extra hard drives, then install Snow Leopard (Family Pack) on it. While continuing to use Leopard as my main OS, I will add applications to the SL drive as time permits (and as I hear that they are SL-compatible). Finally, when I decide that my SL drive is ready for prime time, I will clone it to my main hard drive using Super Duper. I will also set up my Macbook Pro in Target Disk mode and clone the SL drive over to it.

This is the procedure that I used when I upgraded from Tiger to Leopard.

reply to SuperNet9
You can do a clean install, according to this:

»www.appleinsider.com/articles/09···acs.html

reply to SuperNet9
So since people are getting their copys, Can I do a fresh install?

yes you can. Several sources have said so thus far.

reply to SuperNet9
I simply loaded the disk utility and erased my drive

It installed fine on the freshly formatted drive.

reply to SuperNet9
its a full install disk but upgrade is recommended to keep your iLife and other programs installed, otherwise if you do the "erase and reinstall" option from Apple you will end up with just the operating system and all your programs will be gone including iLife & such

reply to makaze

said by makaze:

I simply loaded the disk utility and erased my drive

It installed fine on the freshly formatted drive.

reply to Yeyo

said by Yeyo :

its a full install disk but upgrade is recommended to keep your iLife and other programs installed, otherwise if you do the "erase and reinstall" option from Apple you will end up with just the operating system and all your programs will be gone including iLife & such