Reinstalling Mac OS

[RavenSword]

So I'm wondering what is the best way to reinstall Mac OS El Capitain. Is it best to do a clean instal, meaning deleting the drive and reinstalling mac OS, or would a regular reinstall from the recovery menu without wiping my drive be just as good? is there any issues with performance from just reinstalling it without wiping my disc drive? when I reinstall Mac OS, does it literally just replace the OS, or does it pile on a additional copy of it, causing redundant data and cruft?

 

[Just_Me_D]

I reinstalled every iteration of OS X that my MacBook supported over the years (with the exception of El Capitan) and I've already started from scratch. Is that the "best" way? It was for "me". El Captian is currently installed on my old MacBook, but I've yet to "reinstall it".

 

[RavenSword]

I reinstalled every iteration of OS X that my MacBook supported over the years (with the exception of El Capitan) and I've already started from scratch. Is that the "best" way? It was for "me". El Captian is currently installed on my old MacBook, but I've yet to "reinstall it".

Well, I'm just worried that there might be slowdowns or performance issues if I do t do a "clean" install. Meaning I wipe the drive and reinstall OSX. Last time I tired soon. A clean install I messed up and couldn't get my drive to remount. So I'm nervous about trying again. Which is why I'm thinking of just doing a regular reinstall without wiping the drive

 

[Just_Me_D]

Well, I'm just worried that there might be slowdowns or performance issues if I do t do a "clean" install. Meaning I wipe the drive and reinstall OSX. Last time I tired soon. A clean install I messed up and couldn't get my drive to remount. So I'm nervous about trying again. Which is why I'm thinking of just doing a regular reinstall without wiping the drive

I understand...

 

[RavenSword]

I understand...

But do you think there would be slowdowns or issues if I didn't wipe the drive also and just reinstalled it?

 

[Just_Me_D]

But do you think there would be slowdowns or issues if I didn't wipe the drive also and just reinstalled it?

No, I do not. I think you'll be fine doing it the way you mentioned.

 

[RavenSword]

No, I do not. I think you'll be fine doing it the way you mentioned.

But it doesn't create two copies of the same OS, right? Does it literally just replace what was there before?

 

[Rob Phillips]

But it doesn't create two copies of the same OS, right? Does it literally just replace what was there before?

No, it does not create two copies. It replaces what was there before.

 

[RavenSword]

No, it does not create two copies. It replaces what was there before.

So it wouldn't create any cruft or redundant data?

 

[mrjayviper]

backup any files. create a USB install. boot into it. open disk utility and erase the disk that contains OS X. then proceed to install OS X.

 

[RavenSword]

backup any files. create a USB install. boot into it. open disk utility and erase the disk that contains OS X. then proceed to install OS X.

I can't erase the disc. Doing so breaks my fusion drive into two separate drives and I can't rebuild it unless I go into terminal and do a lot of stuff. Unless apple has fixed this issue, then I can't do a "clean install"