Reinstall Protools and OS X?

[Oroz]

Hi everyone! I need some advise, I'm planning to reinstall everything on a studio that I'll start working in, but have some doubts about plug ins reauthorizations and stuff like that. The previous engineer seemed to not know what he was doing so I want to reinstall OS X, Protools with all the plug ins, the whole troubleshooting process (which I thing was never done previously on that machine) , etc. Do you recommend me to do it? I've searched the forum for information but I still have my doubts about doing it.

Thanks.

Protools 6.7, HD 3 Accel, Power Mac G5 (don't know the exact model yet, sorry jeje), Mac OS 10.3.5.

[Craig F]

If the plug-in's are I-Lok you are fine.
If not check with those manufactures about reauthorization.
You want to make a backup of any Plug-in settings you want to keep

[jre3132]

yeah, backing up plug-in settings is a must. I made that mistake once and spent forever getting everything back. Had to go back thru and save everything all over. I have mine on a thumb drive so I can take them with me anywhere I work.

I've saved all the update files for protools too, all the cs updates so I didn't have to re-download everything. The worst part is getting up to the current updates for all your programs, mainly OS X or whatever your operating system.

Like Craig F said, Ilok, you're good. Some plugs, like vocalign (if its disk auth) you have to deactivate the plug first before they will reauthorize your plug.

If you have Waves stuff as a disk auth, I'd be very careful with them. if you mess that up, they may or may not allow you to reauthorize depending on how the wind blows and how they feel at the time.

[Oroz]

OK, so I'm gonna reinstall everything, what's the best procedure to do it? Do I uninstall Protools first? Or do I just insert OS X's installation disc and reinstall everything?

[Tweakhead]

I would repair permissions then clone the existing drive as it is right now using Carbon Copy Cloner.
Then:
1. Re-initialize your drive.
2. Install OSX. (Custom install. Do not install any other languages or printer drivers)
3. Run software update repeatedly until everything is fully updated.
4. Repair permissions. Restart.
5. Make a Carbon Copy Clone of this stage saving you hours of work in the future if you ever need to re-install again.
6. Install Pro Tools.
7. If you are installing Pro Tools 7 make sure ALL your plug-ins are PT7 compatible.
8. Mount the original Carbon Copy backup image. Copy your plug-in settings back to the appropriate place.
9. Repair permissions. Restart.

[Oroz]

Thanks Tweakhead, the thing is that I don't have access to the internet from the studio and I don't have Carbon Copy Cloner neither. What do you think? Do I go for it anyways? (I'm installing Protools 6.7)

[Richard Barrie]

In this day and age you MUST have broadband access to your ProTools rig to be able to service and maintain it. It is virtually impossible to install the optimum software and to keep everything up to date without.

[Tweakhead]

Carbon Copy Cloner is available from macupdate.com. It is shareware.
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/7032

Move your mac to a location where all these internet updates can be done.

Why are you installing 6.7? That HAS to be one of the worst releases of Pro Tools ever to get out. You list PT7 in your signature line.

You should at least be running PT6.9.3r2 if you don't want to use PT7 yet.
http://www.digidesign.com/download/693r2/hdmac/

[Oroz]

Why are you installing 6.7? That HAS to be one of the worst releases of Pro Tools ever to get out. You list PT7 in your signature line.

You should at least be running PT6.9.3r2 if you don't want to use PT7 yet.
http://www.digidesign.com/download/693r2/hdmac/

Thanks for your replies everyone! I have Protools 7 for my M-Box, Mac Mini, OS 10.4.2, home studio, but the studio that I'll start working at has Protools 6.7 and Mac OS 10.3.5.
But your right, this weekend I'm gonna bring the studio's computer to my home (where there is internet access, sorry but I live in a small town in Mexico and things aren't always as we want jejeje) and update everything.
What version of Protools and Mac OS do you guys recommend me? The TDM studio is running a Dual 2 GHz G5.

[Oroz]

I was also wondering if there's a way of reinstalling OS X without the password of the previous engineer? I'm having trouble trying to contact him and I need to reinstall everything right a way.