re-installing OS, reconfiguring user...what about apps and data?

[mike janowski]

Hi all. iMac 3.06 ghz (iMac 2.11, 2020 vintage) 8 gig RAM,OS 10.6.8.

I want to re-install the OS, changing its user config so that the Admin and Main user are the same (currently, I the Main user and Admin accounts of this machine are different).

I've cloned the system drive, and have the original OS and "bundled apps" install disks at the ready. My questions revolve around getting the data back to the proper place on the fresh system drive, and installing the non-Apple apps. What's the best way to accomplish this? I'm especially worried about important business apps like QuickBooks (this computer is my business computer), the i-Libraries (iPhoto and iTunes), and Mac Mail, which my wife uses and which has been problematic in terms of her being able to access email without password snafus.

Any advice?

 

[Kaveman]

important business apps like QuickBooks

nothing important should be on a computer this old!

 

[mike janowski]

nothing important should be on a computer this old!

OK you smart Kiwi, let me rephrase that...any USEFUL advice? 'Cuz a 3.06 ghz i3 processor running some version of "the world's smartest operating system™" is MORE than powerful enough to run QuickBooks, Mac Mail and a few browsers. Note the question was not what I should buy...but the proper (and easiest and safest) way to do this.

 

[Kaveman]

I'm not being smart, serious Hard drives that age are bound to fail ;-(

 

[mike janowski]

Thank you, that's the sort of info I can use.

And I'm well aware of the fragility of hard drives (I'm a video editor, I go through them by the boatload). The computer in question is backed up via SuperDuper every night, and I'm currently running Time Machine as well, as someone in another forum has given me a methodology for accomplishing what I want to do (that requires a TM backup).

I'll let you know how it goes...