Apple has designed OS X/macOS so that one can just upgrade to the next version, "over the top," seamlessly. With this kind of upgrade, all user data, settings and accounts remain as before, and that works for most users most times. However, there are occasions when a user needs to do what's called a "Clean Install." This is like setting up a Mac as if it first came out of the box and then personal data is restored. This article, after a brief introduction, will list the steps needed for that Clean Install. There are some users who suspect that a Clean Install is a good way to approach a complete new version of OS X or macOS. Over time, a lot of cruft, that is, unused extensions, app support files, preferences and other files in your Library folder or System Library folder can become troublesome or even a security issue, like Java. Or just take up too much space. See, for example: "How to Manage the Secret Software That Google Chrome Installs on Your Mac." In addition, sometimes the normal housecleaning process with apps like Spring Cleaning and App Zapper can't solve a particularly difficult issue, and the only way to get a fresh start is a Clean Install.

But First, Let Me Talk You Out of Doing This A Clean Install, as you'll see below, can be a time intensive process. On the other hand, over the years, we've learned that OS X is pretty good about ignoring things that are no longer applicable. For example, in OS X Yosemite, unless a kernel extension is digitally signed by Apple it won't load. Adam Christianson (@MacCast) has written "If you aren’t really having any issues or problems then just download the new OS, install over the top and go on your merry way." We both agree that an over the top is generally the best idea. Those who still pursue the thought of a Clean Install usually reconsider when they realize that everything they own will be deleted from the Mac. However, there is a way to do a Clean Install and restore all your data if you really want to. That's what this article is all about. In summary, you will: I suggest you read this entire article first, understanding all the steps before you begin.

Steps #5 and #6 require some preparation, are particularly tricky and must be handled with care. Disconnect any unnecessary peripherals such as printers, tablets, microphones, etc. Try to work with just attached drives and a wired mouse and keyboard. Identify which items are backed up to iCloud. System Preferences > iCloud. Use Disk Utility to make sure your boot drive permissions are all repaired and that the disk directory is verified as good. This will make sure your Time Machine backup doesn't get scrambled. air purifier reasonThen you're ready for the next step.harley stock air cleaner coverI recommend two methods.portable air duct cleaning equipmentDo one last Time Machine backup. (Menu Bar > Time Machine > Backup Now.)

Later, if you have a curent Time Machine backup and something goes very wrong, you can boot from the recovery partition (CMD-R) and do a complete erase (Disk Utility) and then restore from your Time Machine archive. You'll be back where you were before you started. File by file with Carbon Copy Cloner. This is a preferred tool by many for making an exact copy of your boot drive to an external Hard Disk Drive (HDD) or Solid State Drive (SSD). That way, you can always mount that external drive, access and copy over individual files. 2.1 You may want to have a log of all your application licenses in a copyable format so that when you restore your apps, you'll have this information handy and can paste it in. 2.2 If you try to take a short cut and just copy back in your Library folder, to make licensing easier, you'll be defeating the idea of a Clean Install. That's because the personal Library folder is one place that typically needs a thorough housecleaning. 2.3 Take note of all your mission critical apps and make sure they're all compatible with El Capitan.

Barring sufficient information there, you'll have to visit the developer's website. 2.4 Some simple apps can be copied back to the Applications folder in El Capitan and run just fine. Others will require an installer that places supporting files on your Mac in various places, for example, your personal Library folder. Catalog these apps so that you'll know which ones came from the Mac App Store and can be readily recovered and those which require you to download a new installer from the developer's website. 2.5 Note that Carbon Copy Cloner takes care of accounts on your Mac other than your own. For example, your spouse. Next page: Steps #3 to #7: Download, Install and Restore.Safari Extensions are a new way for developers to enhance and customize the browsing experience. If you know how to develop web pages, then you already know how to make extensions for Safari. Join the Apple Developer Program todayBest Deals of the Week, August 29 - September 2 - Deal Alert Best Deals of the Week, August 29 - September 2 - Deal Alert

Take a look at the cool 2-in-1s and laptops from IFAIn this day and age, one of the most common questions regarding device maintenance evolves around “is this homemade method safe?” This is an especially popular concern for laptop displays. To properly groom your laptop, you’re going to need to learn the safest and most reliable way to clean a laptop. To help you avoid damage, it’s important to know the differences between safe and unsafe cleaning practices. “Can I Clean My Laptop with Alcohol?” and many other concerns will be addressed in the following list. Laptops are the dirty, overworked, and underpaid cousins of desktop computers. They require so much use on a daily basis, only to be tossed into a travel backpack and brought along for a smelly ride on public transportation. Then, they get dragged into bed with Netflix-watching owners, complete with fresh Cheetos stains still coating their fingers. It’s time we learned to treat laptops right. Or as Randy from Parks and Recreation says: “Treat yoself.”

A number of sites such as this one and this one recommend using rubbing alcohol on your laptop screen. When you Google the question, you get a robotic answer with the advice “50% water, 50% isopropanol alcohol.” You now have permission to enter your natural face-palm state. Please hold off on using alcohol on your laptop screen. While alcohol might have been a decent option for screens in the past, most new displays have coatings that will not do well with any alcohol-based or ammonia-based detergents. That means NO WINDEX, RUBBING ALCOHOL, ISOPROPANOL, NAIL POLISH REMOVER, OR SKOL VODKA. Everyone has them lying around the house: marvelous Chlorox/Lysol wipes that work wonders in the nasty bathrooms and kitchens of the world. But you should take any bottle that has the poison control hotline and eyewash instructions on the back with a grain of salt when cleaning a device that is constantly in contact with your hands (and by association, your mouth and eyes). Many of these types of wipes contain strong chemicals, often including both alcohol and ammonia.

They will also leave a streaky residue on your keyboard and screen that gets more annoying every time you look at your friend’s baby pictures cluttering up your Facebook feed. In general, household wipes are just too harsh for regular laptop cleaning. Your laptop is sticky and the screen is covered in dust and fossilized sneeze particles dating back to freshman year. You have a ten page report on “The Actual Last Known Whereabouts of Waldo” due in twelve hours and need a final form of procrastination: cleaning your dirty laptop screen. The only problem is you don’t even have Lysol wipes or alcohol laying around (which is as we saw in the 2 previous section a pretty good thing since it would likely damage your screen) anywhere. Time for the old standby: water and elbow grease. These two tools are readily available without requiring a trip to the store, which adds to the appeal of using them for cleaning. The problem with water and hand scrubbing (usually a lint-free or microfiber cloth is suggested) is that it doesn’t really clean anything.

It can give the illusion of looking cleaner (“this is good enough!”), but not much else. Think about it this way: if you just rinse your hands off under water after using the restroom, would you honestly believe your hands are as clean as if you used hand soap? The hospital waiting room. Water simply won’t do your expensive device justice. Water from the tap often contains strong chemicals that can damage your laptop screen, so it’s worth considering using deionized water or boiled water to avoid further damage to your laptop.  If you HAVE to use water and have no other choice, make sure that it is deionized. So apparently everything you’ve Googled or been instructed on when it comes to cleaning laptops is wrong.  You read this whole list and gotten no where. C’mon, do you really think I’d want to waste your time like that?   Allow me to introduce a display cleaner that you can rely on daily without fear of causing screen damage: ScreenDr 5 oz. Cleaning Solution.

ScreenDr is an alcohol/ammonia free cleaning solution that is designed specifically clean your laptop screen and keyboard (as well as your phone and TV displays). Ever since learning that phones are dirtier than a toilet seats, we sought out to develop a screen cleaner designed to ACTUALLY clean your device screens.  Many screen cleaners exist, yet the results truly stand out with ScreenDr. ScreenDr comes in an all-in-one, eco-friendly bottle design that includes a premium microfiber cloth and a clear, odorless solution that do not break down any protective layer on your computer. In fact, ScreenDr will have your shiny MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Chromebook, or Dell (any laptop model you can think of) looking like the eye candy it once was on the show floor of your favorite electronic store. Now that you’ve settled on ScreenDr, here’s a shortlist of how to properly clean your laptop screen and keyboard once and for all:Your screen  looks and feels twenty times cleaner.