ID: q127033
The information in this article applies to:
If you are troubleshooting problems on a Macintosh, you may want to do a clean installation of the System software.
Doing a clean installation of the system software creates a "clean" copy of your System Folder. Creating a clean copy means that you do not have to move or hide the various files in your System Folder. If you are running System Software 7.5 and above, you can use System Installer program to create a new System Folder. (Your old System Folder will be saved as "Previous System Folder.")
1. Start your computer from the existing System folder on the hard drive.
2. Insert either the Install Disk 1 or the System CD, and
double-click the Installer program.
4. If you are installing System 7.5 or System 7.5.2, press COMMAND+SHIFT+K
in the System Installation dialog box. Click "Install New System
Folder", then click OK.
If you are installing System 7.6, click Options in the Install System
Software dialog box. Click "Install New System Folder", then click OK.
OK.
You should now be back in the System Software Installation dialog box.
Install.
To speed up the troubleshooting process, you will probably want to do a
minimal installation of the System software, which will install the
minimum number of files necessary to start your Macintosh.
the Xs from) all the check boxes EXCEPT for the Minimal System For The
Macintosh Only check box.
NOTE: If you are working with a Power Macintosh with 16 MB of RAM or
less, you may also want to install Memory (under Control Panels).
NOTE: If you have a CD-ROM, you should also click the triangle next
to Multimedia Software and select the CD-ROM item to install the
extension for accessing your CD-ROM drive.
The installation program then proceeds, starting with "Install Disk 1"
and continues with "Install Disk 2" and "Install Disk 4," and then
finally "Install Disk 1" again.
When you get a screen that talks about Power Talk and QuickDraw
GX, click the Continue button.
Your original System Folder will be renamed "Previous System Folder." Do NOT delete it just yet. Your new System Folder will contain the following items:
Apple Menu Items folder
Control Panels folder
Extensions folder
Finder file
Fonts folder
Preferences folder
Startup Items folder
System suitcase
1. Start your computer from the existing System folder on the hard drive.
2. Insert either the Install Disk 1 or the System CD, and
double-click the Installer program.
3. In the Welcome screen, click Continue.
4. Select the "Perform Clean Installation" check box in the Select
Destination dialog box, then click Select.
5. In the Important Information dialog box, click Continue.
6. In the Software License Agreement dialog box, click Continue. Click
Agree in the dialog box that appears.
7. Click Customize in the Install Software dialog box.
8. In the "Custom Installation and Removal" dialog box, clear all of the
check boxes except for the "Mac OS 8" check box, then click Start.
9. Click Continue in the "Welcome to MacOS 8" dialog box.
Install.
NOTE: If you are working with a Power Macintosh with 16 MB of RAM or
less, you may also want to install Memory (under Control Panels).
NOTE: If you have a CD-ROM, you should also click the triangle next
to Multimedia Software and select the CD-ROM item to install the
extension for accessing your CD-ROM drive.
The installation of the System Software proceeds to run. If everything installs successfully, you will be asked to Restart your computer.
Your original System Folder will be renamed "Previous System Folder." Do NOT delete it just yet. Your new System Folder will contain the following items:
Apple Menu Items folder
Application Support folder
Control Panels folder
Control Strip Modules folder
Extensions folder
Finder file
Fonts folder
Launcher Items folder
MacTCP DNR file
Preferences folder
Scrapbook File file
Scripting Additions folder
Shutdown Items folder
Startup Items folder
System suitcase
Text Encodings folder
If you successfully installed a clean System folder by following the steps 1-9 above, but need to go back to the original System folder, do the following:
1. Restart your computer from either your Disk Tools disk or your System
CD.
NOTE: If you have difficulty forcing your machine to start from the
CD-ROM drive, refer to the articles listed below for instructions on
how to control boot drives.
For additional information about booting from CD-ROM, please see the
following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: Q120099
TITLE : Booting a Power Macintosh from the System CD
ARTICLE-ID: Q99948
TITLE : Booting Macintosh Centris and Performa Machines
The drive from which the computer starts will have its icon displayed
on top of all other drive icons on the desktop.
empty the trash.
"System Folder" (without the quotation marks).
This step allows your computer to recognize this new System Folder.
You should now be starting from your original System Folder on your
hard disk drive.
NOTE: If your computer cannot find a System Folder on the hard drive
after you restart the computer (a disk icon appears showing with a
question mark), you probably did not open and close the System folder,
as outlined in Step 4. You will have to insert either the Disk Tools
disk or your System CD and then repeat steps 4 and 5.
"Power Macintosh User's Guide," pages 93-96
For additional information, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: Q124635
TITLE : Troubleshooting Microsoft Excel 5.0 for the Macintosh
Keywords : offmac xlmac
Version : MACINTOSH:4.20
Platform : MACINTOSHLast Reviewed: February 3, 1998