Clean Install

A clean install is frequently applied to the Mac OS as a general (and efficient) troubleshooting technique. Non-System application programmes can also be "clean-installed".

Until (and excluding) System 7.5
To do a clean install in system versions prior to System 7.5, proceed as follows:


 * 1) Locate your installation disk (Disk 1).
 * 2) Go to the System Folder.
 * 3) Drag the Finder icon into a different folder (e.g. the Extensions folder or the Preferences folder).
 * 4) Run the installer programme from the system installation disk.
 * 5) Proceed to install the system software as usual.

System 7.5
To do a clean install of the system software as of System 7.5, proceed as follows:


 * 1) Run the installer programme from Disk 1 or the system installation CD.
 * 2) At the main screen (with the Install button), press command-shift-K.
 * 3) Check the option "Clean Install".
 * 4) Install as usual.

Mac OS 9
To do a clean install of the Mac OS as of Mac OS 9, proceed as follows:


 * 1) Run the installer programme from Disk 1 or the system installation CD.
 * 2) At the main screen (with the Install button), click the Options... button.
 * 3) Check the option "Clean Install".
 * 4) Install as usual.

Mac OS X (versions 10.0.x and 10.1.x)
Versions of Mac OS X prior to Mac OS X 10.2 are notoriously clean install-unfriendly. To do a clean install of the Mac OS under these system versions, proceed as follows:


 * 1) Back up the entire hard drive (or portion of the hard drive with Mac OS X on it).
 * 2) Run the installer programme from the Mac OS X Install CD.
 * 3) At the main screen (with the Install button), click Options.
 * 4) Select all options that will wipe the destination drive clean.
 * 5) Install as usual.

Mac OS X (versions 10.2.x and above)
To do a clean install of the Mac OS under these system versions, proceed as follows:


 * 1) Run the installer programme from the Mac OS X Install CD (CD 1).
 * 2) At the first screen (with the Install button), click Options.
 * 3) Choose the Clean Install option. You may also choose to preserve all network settings.
 * 4) Install as usual.