What’s your clean install procedure?

[[email protected]]

Hey guys, I recently switched to 2018.7 from 12.8.1 and other than all the new features, the system is just as 9093 ridden as before. I’m on 10.12.5.
People are saying high sierra is now stable and I’m thinking of updating.
I’m curious- clean install is always the best way to go, but my system takes about 3 days to install. I don’t really have that time.
What do you guys do when you do a clean install? Do you import ANY settings from backup? Or all new and clean? Would love to hear from some power users...
Last time I did a full clean install was about a year ago into my current setup and it didn’t really improve stability so not only was it a lengthy process, but a futile one...

[musicman691]

I've done OSX installs many different ways mostly as a test.


Doing things the Apple Way of installing a new OSX over the old wasn't stable with random errors. Incompatible drivers, license issues and weird workings with some plugins. Ditto for putting the new OSX on a clean partition and using Migration Assassin (aka Assistant) to bring programs and data over. One of the problems with bringing old data or settings over is knowing exactly what to bring over and how to get it to go where it's supposed to go.


The most stable for me was to put the new OSX on a totally clean partition or drive and then manually install everything. I'm lucky in that I have every download I've ever downloaded saved off to a disk drive so reinstalling things is a relative walk in the park. One problem is dealing with unsigned programs and installing on Sierra which you may have run into. Apple in their infinite stupidity removed the 'anywhere' option in Gatekeeper. But that is easily remedied via Terminal. See this link: https://www.tekrevue.com/tip/gatekeeper-macos-sierra/ This same command also works for High Sierra.


This is one of those instances where having one's samples and sessions on separate drives than the operating system is a good thing because you don't have to spend the time reinstalling all that material.


A couple of things to mention is to have a working clone of your current system on a separate drive before you do anything. Having a safety clone is a good thing in any case. Another is if you're not sure if you really want to keep on using HS is to partition your system drive using OSX disk utility and put HS on the new partition leaving your original partition alone.


Any way you look at it you're in for a lot of work if you want to do it right and have as few issues as possible.

[[email protected]]

Thanks Jack, that's exactly what I do. (all of it)
But even though I have all my samples (content) and VI's on separate drives, reinstalling my ENTIRE system still takes about 3 days... Especially for NI (even though the content is on my separate drive), and sometimes Arturia... Oh, and iZotope is a whole other install... (3 separate ones, really)

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by [email protected]

Thanks Jack, that's exactly what I do. (all of it)
But even though I have all my samples (content) and VI's on separate drives, reinstalling my ENTIRE system still takes about 3 days... Especially for NI (even though the content is on my separate drive), and sometimes Arturia... Oh, and iZotope is a whole other install... (3 separate ones, really)

NI shouldn't take that long. The installers themselves go real quick. The bugaboo is pointing the plugins to where sample data is installed and even that is a doddle and doesn't take that long. Unless you have a HUGE system with a couple of hundred plugins it shouldn't take three days.

Which procedure that I outline do you do? The last one with a complete clean install is the longest and for me I can do in a day. Like I said I have everything organized so if/when I have to do a clean install I don't have to hunt around for things. I like to be prepared for disasters.

[[email protected]]

Originally Posted by musicman691

NI shouldn't take that long. The installers themselves go real quick. The bugaboo is pointing the plugins to where sample data is installed and even that is a doddle and doesn't take that long. Unless you have a HUGE system with a couple of hundred plugins it shouldn't take three days.

Which procedure that I outline do you do? The last one with a complete clean install is the longest and for me I can do in a day. Like I said I have everything organized so if/when I have to do a clean install I don't have to hunt around for things. I like to be prepared for disasters.

I'm the same way- and yes- the clean one and the longest. Some plugs insist on doing a full download and even just with NI- opening EACH AND EVERY app and pointing it to its relative directory takes a long time...

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by [email protected]

I'm the same way- and yes- the clean one and the longest. Some plugs insist on doing a full download and even just with NI- opening EACH AND EVERY app and pointing it to its relative directory takes a long time...

Okay so you just said something here - you don't have things downloaded and saved off to a separate drive do you? You really should have the installers downloaded and saved so you don't have to download and waste time again. And as far as linking the NI stuff that takes less than half an hour to do. You don't have to open every plugin - just the instruments.

While things are going on I don't have to actually participate in I'll pick up a guitar and practice or a pair of drumsticks and workout on the practice pad.

[[email protected]]

Originally Posted by musicman691

Okay so you just said something here - you don't have things downloaded and saved off to a separate drive do you? You really should have the installers downloaded and saved so you don't have to download and waste time again. And as far as linking the NI stuff that takes less than half an hour to do. You don't have to open every plugin - just the instruments.

I do have installers on a separate drives but things get updated over time so by the time you do a clean install, you need to re-download most things...

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by [email protected]

I do have installers on a separate drives but things get updated over time so by the time you do a clean install, you need to re-download most things...

You may not have to re-download anything. First do the clean install of PT, get that working like you want and then install your plugins. You may well be surprised that things work like they should.