Fresh install of El Cap, best approach..

iMacMart · 3 Jun 2016 at 11:17

Hi Guys

I want to do a fresh install, what's the best approach to do this

Not got anything on there to backup as I copy all to the NAS

Also is there a good free office alternative for OSX currently

Thanks all

M

MacRS4 · 3 Jun 2016 at 11:36

Create a USB stick from the installer and do it from there - far quicker.

You may want to download a new copy however as the older ones often expire, resulting in this issue.

chroniclard · 3 Jun 2016 at 11:39

Cant you install from the boot menu via the net. Easymode.

Feek · 3 Jun 2016 at 11:58

MacRS4 said:
Create a USB stick from the installer and do it from there - far quicker.

You may want to download a new copy however as the older ones often expire, resulting in this issue.

I had exactly this issue, just reset my iMac clock back to the date I created the USB stick for the duration of the install, it worked fine after that.

iMacMart · 3 Jun 2016 at 18:49

Thanks gents

So dig out the installed and go from there

Any options on Office equivalents?

M

snapdragon69 · 3 Jun 2016 at 20:35

Best Free Office is Libreoffice, or get a student with an email address to download MS Office for free.
Also Apple's Pages, Keynote and Numbers can be updated to the current app store versions for free and adopted to your AppleStoreID, if you get copies of the old versions that orignally shipped as iWork place them in your Applications folder, even trial versions. See youtube etc.. for how to.

No-One · 4 Jun 2016 at 06:44

I did this for my sister yesterday. Just hold down Command & R when you turn it on. You'll get the OS X recovery screen. Make sure it's connected to wifi. From there you can load up disk utility to wipe your hdd and then download and install a new copy of OS X. No need to mess about with USB drives.

iMacMart · 4 Jun 2016 at 07:25

No-One said:
I did this for my sister yesterday. Just hold down Command & R when you turn it on. You'll get the OS X recovery screen. Make sure it's connected to wifi. From there you can load up disk utility to wipe your hdd and then download and install a new copy of OS X. No need to mess about with USB drives.

That sounds like a better option

Thanks

MacRS4 · 6 Jun 2016 at 12:32

Only downside is it can take an age to download it over your Internet connection?

If you're OK with that it doesn't matter of course.

iMacMart · 6 Jun 2016 at 12:39

MacRS4 said:
Only downside is it can take an age to download it over your Internet connection?

If you're OK with that it doesn't matter of course.

Did via the download option, wiped and installed inside an hour

put the bits back on I needed and did a fresh time machine

All sorted now chaps, many thanks