Installing Leopard.

[Epical]

With Leopard on the horizon, once I receive a copy and I install it on our Mac downstairs, how will things go? To be honest, I know next to nothing about the installation procedure for Mac OS's, so this'll be a first. Can you boot from disc? Will you lose all your files and stuff like on Windows-based PCs when installing a new OS?

[Killgannon]

I'm pretty sure Mac OSX is a smooth installation. I don't know how it works exactly (the upgrade) but it should be pretty simple (light years ahead of a windows install), and I'm betting you wont lose anything with the upgrade to it as its an upgrade and not a reinstall.

[Isiolia]

Assuming that it works like previous Mac OS installs...you'll have an option to upgrade, or to do a clean install (might have the option to wipe the drive and install too, but usually I'd just do Disk Utility first in that case). In the event you do a clean install, it'll make a directory called Previous System Folder containing (surprise) your old System folder. Kinda like how when you delete an account, the default behavior is to make a .dmg of that account folder.

Pretty straightforward. Generally speaking, you're best off doing a clean install, unless you have a lot of 3rd party extensions and things. You should wind up with a fresh System folder and all your user data and apps intact.

And yes, you can boot from the disc (hold down C at startup, it'll bypass your set startup disc and usually result in booting from the CD/DVD). If you've never needed to, you can actually reset passwords, run utilities like Disk Utility, and other things from a Mac OS X CD/DVD as well (just go up to the File menu under Applications I think, not booted into one atm).

Obviously, make sure you have backups. As a general rule, regardless of platform, or that you're upgrading your OS, etc...but -definitely- when you do that >_>
I've personally never had a problem with a Mac OS upgrade, pre or post OS X...but there are people who have.

[Kimiko]

Yeah, from all the folks I talk to while at work, I'm hearing a LOT of good things about leopard. I may be even tempted to switch if I can find an alternative to playing FFXI on PC (outside of a 360).

[Epical]

In the upgrade to Leopard, will I lose things like iWork/iLife '08, and any other installed programs?

[Isiolia]

No. Those are apps, not the OS. The only thing that might change would be bundled apps that have a newer version. But if it's not listed here http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/300.html then it won't be touched.