Copying files & restoring after Mac OS clean install.

[derrickgoh]

Each time i change imac i would restore from time machine back up & even for Mac OS upgrades i just upgrade rather than do clean install. For convenience i guess.

Well i think my imac has finally given up the ghost. I though it would be a good time to get either an imac or MBP with Mojave installed but NOT doing a restore from a previous time machine back up.

Document, photos & videos no issue, i can copy to another usb hdd then copy back to the new mac. As for apps, this would be a great time NOT to reinstall apps that i seldom use. For those apps i use, im assuming once i set up itunes store on my new mac, i can easily download?

What about any settings that i had set previously? Im assuming those will be gone for good? Safari add ons also must manually reinstall i guess?

What if my existing imac is dead & i have time machine backup? When i plug in my TM hdd will i be able to NOT restore from it. But rather copy the docs, pics & vids from an earlier back up then manually install my apps?

 

[davidktw]

Each time i change imac i would restore from time machine back up & even for Mac OS upgrades i just upgrade rather than do clean install. For convenience i guess.

Well i think my imac has finally given up the ghost. I though it would be a good time to get either an imac or MBP with Mojave installed but NOT doing a restore from a previous time machine back up.

Document, photos & videos no issue, i can copy to another usb hdd then copy back to the new mac. As for apps, this would be a great time NOT to reinstall apps that i seldom use. For those apps i use, im assuming once i set up itunes store on my new mac, i can easily download?

What about any settings that i had set previously? Im assuming those will be gone for good? Safari add ons also must manually reinstall i guess?

What if my existing imac is dead & i have time machine backup? When i plug in my TM hdd will i be able to NOT restore from it. But rather copy the docs, pics & vids from an earlier back up then manually install my apps?

A fresh installation is what it is, effort required
Time machine can be accessed by another mac just like a normal file system. You don’t even need to cofngiure it as a time machine target to access the files. Try it and see for yourself

 

[derrickgoh]

A fresh installation is what it is, effort required
Time machine can be accessed by another mac just like a normal file system. You don’t even need to cofngiure it as a time machine target to access the files. Try it and see for yourself

Thanks. Well new imac not bought yet so cant try but good to know.

My concern was that my existing time machine hdd had to be set as time machine target before the files could be accessed. That’d have been a disaster cos since im doing clean install, i obviously will not want any of the exisitng stuff restored.