Help me keep my apps!

July 15, 2008 10:26 AM

Upgrading HDD in my MacBook. I'd like to preserve my apps and preferences while re-installing Tiger. I have a backup that would be bootable if not for the fact that it's sitting on a non-Firewire external HD.

If I didn't want to re-install Tiger, I assume I could just boot from the Mac OS X Restore CD and restore from my USB backup. (If that's wrong, please let me know.)

BUT, since I do want to re-install the OS, how would I restore my applications and their preferences from the backup disk?

-- After re-installing Tiger, could I just drag and drop the contents of the backup disk onto my Macintosh HD? It seems like this might negate the benefits of re-installing the OS. I guess I could tell it to skip copying all duplicate items, and just write down all my preferences for the default apps whose preferences wouldn't get copied from the backup disk.

-- Is there some kind of preference-backup program available for Tiger that I could use for this?

-- Would all my app registrations be invalidated by this, requiring me to purchase them again or at least write a nice letter asking for another code? Or would they be preserved?

Thanks so much.

PS: Sorry, I feel like I've seen this question before but I can't seem to find it.

posted by dondiego87 to computers & internet (4 comments total)

Tiger Migration Assistant
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 10:31 AM on July 15, 2008

Of course! I think I knew about Migration Assistant when it was announced, but it completely slipped my mind. Thanks very much.
posted by dondiego87 at 11:13 AM on July 15, 2008

As an aside, USB drives are bootable on Intel Macs.
posted by zsazsa at 11:39 AM on July 15, 2008

Don't reinstall. Put the new drive in a USB enclosure and use Carbon Copy Cloner to move everything over. Done.
posted by SansPoint at 7:55 PM on July 15, 2008