Reinstalling the OS

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Anic - 31 Jul 2007 19:24 GMT

Hi,

I have installed a software from a damaged CD. Even by reinstalling a
more recent version, it still is damaged and refuses to fully work
(there are certainly extensions or similar but I could not locate them).
So I have to reinstall my OS (the only way to be sure these
bad-installed files go away) but I want to keep the files I've modified
(some are OS files).

I think there is no way to reinstall my OS with preserving the files I
have modified (well, I can maybe archive my current OS and then compare
every file by size but it will take too much time). But I hope to be
wrong and I ask here: is there a way to do that?

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Hugh Watkins - 31 Jul 2007 20:11 GMT

> Hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> every file by size but it will take too much time). But I hope to be
> wrong and I ask here: is there a way to do that?

there was under system 9

but no point in going further without a full description of hardware
and software

HUgh W

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Anic - 31 Jul 2007 20:48 GMT

Hugh Watkins a écrit:

>> Hi,
>>
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> but no point in going further without a full description of hardware
> and software

Thanks.
Yes, I'm using Mac OS X 10.4.10. I'm someone who uses intensively my
computer and, therefore, has many applications and plugins (etc) installed.
Usually, I keep anything I download so I "think" I may be able to
reinstall all but I'm not sure. To be short: I don't want to lose something.
My computer is a PowerBook G4.

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John Gentile - 31 Jul 2007 21:43 GMT

> Hugh Watkins a écrit:
>>> Hi,
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
> something.
> My computer is a PowerBook G4.

I don't see a real need to reinstall your system. If it was a bad
application then I would think that just those files would be affected.
Software installation does not affect any system files. You should be
able to find all your files with Spotlight, then just delete them and
empty the trash. You can also look in your hard drive in Library, and
then in Application support, or find the name of the program in a
folder, and or look in the Preference Panes to locate things to delete.

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John Gentile MS, M(ASCP)
Laboratory Information Mgr.
VA Medical Center
Providence, RI
yjgent@cox.net

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Anic - 31 Jul 2007 22:43 GMT

John Gentile a écrit:

> I don't see a real need to reinstall your system. If it was a bad
> application then I would think that just those files would be affected.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> then in Application support, or find the name of the program in a
> folder, and or look in the Preference Panes to locate things to delete.

Thanks.
For example, Virtual PC installs a networking extension (a .kext file).
I call that a system file (but I see your point: a system file (named
so) is in the system folder, not the library folder of the root directory).

I tried deleting all related files (I don't tried with Spotlight as I'm
not convinced about new things) but I even looked into files whose
content contains the name of the application (from the "Finder" search
function). I deleted all of them and reinstalled the most recent version
I have. The problem is still there (evaluation: something cannot be done
in the application).
There is, "of course", no uninstaller available...

I thought like you that no system file would be affected, but it can
only be the case. Weird, isn't it?

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Mac Forum / General / General / July 2007

Reinstalling the OS