I'm about to replace my old 8.6 operating system with 9.1, then I will upgrade to 9.2.

1- I'm wondering, if I clean install onto hard disk 1 (it's partitioned into 2 "disks"), will files and programs on disk 2 be left unaffected?

2- With the hard disk petitioned into 2 disks, everything (i.e. all files, programs, system etc.) is currently on disk 1. Is it possible to relocate:
[a] the Limewire Shared folder to disk 2, and then change the LW library
settings -and thus avoid having to backup .mp3 files externally before doing clean install?
[b] the whole LW program to disk 2 to avoid having to download/install
LW all over again and lose current settings?

3- Or is it better to just copy all LW files and preferences as they are to a floppy or CD?

Now I know that if you have an update disc in windows you keep all your previous files, If you are updating mac os there should be A restore in place folder which will update only the files that you need to update. But if you are totaly cleaning your system with a new os, its best to back up.

Are you doing a clean install of the sys software or wiping your disk/volume? Of course a backup is always a good idea when you do this, but a clean install will only touch your sys software, not your other files.

You can have your LW downloads on a different volume than the program. I do that with a Firewire HD. No problems. Just make sure you give LW adequate directions where to find the incomplete and shared folders.

OS 9.1 is very different from 8.6 I'm told, so I'll be doing a clean install. If it doesn't affect files other than the system, that's great.

LW is such a large program, and I can't do much of anything else while it's running (or the Mac crashes). I thought it might somehow be less domineering if it was on disk 2. (It may make no difference at all, just thought I'd try it.)

Anyway, If I want to move the Shared folder to disk 2, is it a simple thing to change the settings on LW? Most of those locations were automatically set during installation, and I couldn't see a way to do it.

Thanks, guys.

9.1 is not "very different" from 8.6 except that it eats a lot more ram and has a "keychain" for various passwords. I've never used that software. It also crashes more. 9.2 is really only interesting for people who are running X. It is an update so the interface between "classic" and X runs more smoothly. If you aren't going to be running X, then you don't need to upgrade to 9.2.

In fact, 8.6 was the most stable Mac OS. If you have an older Mac and have no other reason for upgrading, you should stick with 8.6. If you have less that 350 MHz to play with, you will also take a speed hit with 9, though not dramatic.

To change locations for the sharing folder, go to tools>options>sharing.

Actually, Limewire is a rather small program. What you are seeing devouring your computer resources is Java. Think of it as running a really lousy version of VirtualPC in order to run Limewire.

I still am not sure we are talking about the same thing. To upgrade to 9.1, all you have to do is stick in the CD, tell it which volume, and install the software. You don't have to prepare in any other way except the customary backup of files you can't replace. A "clean install" usually refers to installing the same version of the sys software in order to alleviate various problems. There is an option to create an entirely new system folder upon installation. This is a "clean install", because there are not yet any third party extensions, etc. in the sys folder. What you are planning sounds to me like simply upgrading your sys software. The installer does this automatically. There are also no strange holdovers as there was when you upgraded from 8 to 8.5.

Changing the location of an app is not going to change the way it behaves, except with certain video editing software, where it is helpful to have various files on different drives. LW will still eat the same amount of computer power regardless of where you put it -- besides the trash, that is!

My Mac is an 8600/200 with a G3 280 MHz upgrade. So it looks like I'll be taking that speed hit.

Now that you mention it, I'll be doing an upgrade, not a clean install. When I had 8.5, some serious crashing was happening, so I did a clean install of 8.6 to clear up whatever the problem was. It's been fine, though I still get a few crashes each week. If I leave LW on (with monitor off) overnight, it has usually crashed by the next day.

I might be wasting my money, but I bought 9.1 because it seemed that a lot of new software requires 9. And I heard that i-Tunes, which comes with it, was nice.

The folks at Apple said 9.1 was unstable, like you said, so after installing I should immediately download 9.2 upgrade which is more stable. I have heard before that 8.6 is the most stable, and I'm having no problems really. But it looks like the new software will be only for 9 or X. What do you think?

Thanks!

Have you tried this forum? http://discussions.info.apple.com/we...6U^51@.ef81d26

There are many very helpful people there that really know Macs. They've helped me out alot.

Well, since you've already bought the software, go ahead. There is a patch that enables iTunes to run on 8.6. But realistically, your computer is getting fairly old and won't be able to run the latest and best, most of which adds useless stuff anyway.

The Apple forums are a good place to go for advice.