Mac OS Application + Upgrade goof up

metalheart

Disciple
NOTE: For a background of the problem, please read this thread (if you have the patience :) )

Partially my fault for not possessing the foresight to make a backup as soon as I got comfortable with my new Mac (about 5 months ago). Partially Apple Store's fault for giving me a DVD of Mac OS X Leopard instead of 10.6.

10.6 was the default OS on my Macbook Pro. I had just about finished customizations and had got really comfortable with iPhoto, iMovie and other OS X specific software. The trouble began when I experienced a startup problem. Unable to fix that after a full-fledged research campaign + tech support, I decided to let this one slide and re-install the OS all together. I made a rough backup of the entire Mac disk (without using Time Machine) and ended up with a dump of the original hard disk.

I installed OS 10.5 without realizing that it was the older version and clumsily copied applications and their corresponding libraries (itunes, iPhoto, iMovie, Garageband etc). What I ended up achieving was an incomplete or damaged libraries for most of my applications.

***I could not resolve the problem for a long time as my exams carried on endlessly (don't they always? :() ***

Now what I want to know is:

1) Is there a way to upgrade to Snow Leopard without losing data?

2) Somehow re-install core applications so that they..."just work"?

NOTE: I cannot possibly back up any data as all forms of external storage in my possession are currently full and I'm going through a financial crisis (a seemingly perpetual one :ashamed: ) so I cannot possibly buy a new external HDD.
 
In short, yes you can perform a fresh install without losing your data.

Just pop in the 10.6 DVD and perform a regular install WITHOUT erasing your install partition through Disk Utility. Your current apps and home folder will remain intact.

But i don't recommend it especially after you've already done it once and restored a previous version of the OS. A clean install is more suited in the current situation for optimal performance.
 
Styx said:
In short, yes you can perform a fresh install without losing your data.

Just pop in the 10.6 DVD and perform a regular install WITHOUT erasing your install partition through Disk Utility. Your current apps and home folder will remain intact.

But i don't recommend it especially after you've already done it once and restored a previous version of the OS. A clean install is more suited in the current situation for optimal performance.
But is there a way to isolate the libraries of different applications from the OSX DVD?
 
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