# Best way to move from Tiger to Leopard?



## beachboy_ce (Jun 25, 2007)

With Leopard around the corner (well, more like dead ahead), what is the best way to move from Tiger to Leopard? 

Backup and Fresh Install? or use the upgrade option?

Thanks!


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## GWR (Jan 2, 2003)

I have always just upgraded and have never had any problems.


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## monokitty (Jan 26, 2002)

GWR said:


> I have always just upgraded and have never had any problems.


Agreed.


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## csonni (Feb 8, 2001)

I have always fresh installed and never had any problems.


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## MannyP Design (Jun 8, 2000)

I've done both with success.

I guess it's a matter of personal preference. Myself, I like the idea of a fresh clean system... but having to disable my software (like my Adobe apps) and then re-install my entire suite of production applications, fonts, utilities and then transfer my docs, e-mail, etc. can take an hour or two easily.


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## Gamalen (Sep 7, 2007)

I'm new to macs and so far loving it! Glad I switched.
Are you saying that I can install leopard right on top of my Tiger? So i won't lose my picture and music libraries? What if I have parallels installed? Will this be affected?


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

Gamalen said:


> I'm new to macs and so far loving it! Glad I switched.
> 
> Are you saying that I can install leopard right on top of my Tiger? ---> YES
> So i won't lose my picture and music libraries? ---> YES
> What if I have parallels installed? Will this be affected? ---> better check with Parallels people


I use an external HD backup and follow these steps before a major OS upgrade.

1. run disk warrior type utility on backup HD
2. repair permissions on backup HD
3. repeat 1 and 2 for boot drive
4. run OnyX for boot drive
5. make backup onto external HD using SuperDuper
6. install OS upgrade on boot drive
7. repair permissions on boot drive

been using this since 10.3 on a g3/900 mhz ibook
been thru 5 laptops since


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

That would be exactly a good thing. :clap:
tho bit on the overkill.

I'd run a fresh backup with Superduper.
Then run Onyx ( does not work in Leopard )
Update to Leopard.
Run Disc Utilities and correct any permissions issue.

If you want a speed bump and have the time.

Run the fresh backup
Boot off backup drive
Run Onyx
Clone back to the boot drive
Upgrade to Leopard
Run Disc Utilities and correct any permissions issue.

This method with correct scattered file structures and is quite noticeable on it's own and Leopard's speed will pop your eyes open.


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## mac_geek (May 14, 2005)

MacDoc said:


> This method with correct scattered file structures and is quite noticeable on it's own and Leopard's speed will pop your eyes open.


Off topic... I know Apple's position on defragging your HD, but what is the best low-cost app to defrag easily?


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## Gamalen (Sep 7, 2007)

Check out the following article about upgrading from Tiger to Leopard. I found it pretty informative. 

PC World - Getting Ready for the Leap to Leopard

As it stands right now, i'm pretty happy with Tiger and the way my macbook is set up. I don't think i'm going to upgrade unless I really have to.


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

MacDoc said:


> That would be exactly a good thing. :clap:
> tho bit on the overkill.
> 
> I'd run a fresh backup with Superduper.
> ...



OnyX will only work on the current boot drive

I run "smart update" using SuperDuper and that's why I run directory repair and permissions repair on the backup HD


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

What don't you understand about running Onyx on the cloned TIGER backup when you are booted off it????

I'm not sure that using incremental backups restructures the fix scattering tho it might.
You would have to view it after a series of incrementals.


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## rgray (Feb 15, 2005)

I will be going the whole 9 yards.. Before doing a Clean Install I will zero the hard drive, etc., etc.

A new OS is a good time to purge the system of all the crap that has been downloaded, installed and then never used for anything.

I say give the machine an serious enema and start fresh...


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## meall (Aug 15, 2007)

I personally always do a fresh install. That's the best way to clean out problem you may encounter by doing an upgrade.


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## Pelao (Oct 2, 2003)

I have done the following from Panther to Tiger and will do so again:

I make sure my SuperDuper clone is in good shape.

Then I do clean install, and migrate all my apps and info onto the new OS using Migration Assistant.


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## MACinist (Nov 17, 2003)

How about just migrating off an external?


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## beachboy_ce (Jun 25, 2007)

when you use Migration Assistant, what exactly does it migrate? Will it install all my 3rd party apps back? Settings for printers, Mail, etc?

I think I'm going to take some screenshots of all my system prefs/settings, dock, and applications folder just incase this doesnt work. This is the first time I've done anything like this. An OS upgrade sounds "major"!!


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## rgray (Feb 15, 2005)

beachboy_ce said:


> when you use Migration Assistant, what exactly does it migrate? Will it install all my 3rd party apps back? Settings for printers, Mail, etc?
> 
> I think I'm going to take some screenshots of all my system prefs/settings, dock, and applications folder just incase this doesnt work. This is the first time I've done anything like this. An OS upgrade sounds "major"!!


Apple claims that you can just upgrade and move on. Experience suggests that OS version change is a good time to think and re-think your system. 99 times out of 100 the upgrade process is fine. I have looked after the machines of a small lab and the usual user hand-holding. Experience says to zero the hard drive and do a clean install for the sake of future peace of mind. Make sure you have a good and recent backup of your user folder and use the Migration Assistant on that or for the most part, just copy it back. Try not to copy any un-needed files..


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## Pelao (Oct 2, 2003)

> How about just migrating off an external?


No problem, as long as it's a clone. When you install the new OS it will ask you if you want to migrate anything. Select yes, but select the option to migrate from a drive on ‘this Mac’. Then choose the stuff to Migrate.


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## messed_kid (Jun 13, 2007)

MacDoc said:


> Then run Onyx ( does not work in Leopard )



What, what , WHHHAAATTTTT???!?!?!?!

:-(


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## 8127972 (Sep 8, 2005)

My upgrade routine goes something like this:

1. BACKUP THE COMPUTER! (check MacDoc's sig for a link to SuperDuper, which is all you need besides an external HD). 

2. Run utilities such as DiskWarrior, OnyX to clean things up.

3. I then do an archive and install. That way I get a clean system folder.

This has worked for me in the past.


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

MacDoc said:


> What don't you understand about running Onyx on the cloned TIGER backup when you are booted off it????
> 
> I'm not sure that using incremental backups restructures the fix scattering tho it might.
> You would have to view it after a series of incrementals.


what I don't understand is making a backup of your HD BEFORE making sure the original data is good enough to be backed up

but, to each his own


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## Ants (May 6, 2003)

MacDoc said:


> What don't you understand about running Onyx on the cloned TIGER backup when you are booted off it????
> 
> I'm not sure that using incremental backups restructures the fix scattering tho it might.
> You would have to view it after a series of incrementals.


After reading this thread, I decided to try what MacDoc suggested. So I booted off my clone and ran OnyX but I did encounter one issue when trying to reboot.

When trying to reboot from the clone after running OnyX, the clone would not start up. Tried a couple of times, same results. Waited for 15 minutes before shutting down.

Re-ran SuperDuper and was able to boot off the clone once again.

FWIW - I've been doing incremental backups (aka Smart Updates) for some time now and have never had any issues.


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

> Re-ran SuperDuper and was able to boot off the clone once again.
> 
> FWIW - I've been doing incremental backups (aka Smart Updates) for some time now and have never had any issues.


and how often did you boot off the clone?? 

I'm not 100% convinced Smart updating is perfect from a system structure standpoint.
I always do erase and clone.
I use an alternative Odd/Even backup for that so there is always one spare.


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## Ants (May 6, 2003)

MacDoc said:


> and how often did you boot off the clone??
> 
> I'm not 100% convinced Smart updating is perfect from a system structure standpoint.
> I always do erase and clone.
> I use an alternative Odd/Even backup for that so there is always one spare.


I usually will boot from the clone once every couple of months, when I want to run Disk Warrior or after having cloned an OS system upgraded (for example: 10.4. to 10.9), just to make sure the clone works as should.

Never had issues using the Smart Update feature. 

Usually do an erase and clone if the OS is a fresh install or major upgrade (from Panther to Tiger)

I do not use two externals at this time but maybe I should....


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## powz (Apr 25, 2007)

If I don't have an external drive, would it be possible to backup my home directory files (~20 gigs) to my Windows partition (via VMWare Fusion or Parallels), do a clean install of Leopard on the OS X partition and then restore the files from the Windows partition?


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