MacOS – How best to reintroduce files after clean MacOS install

disk-formatinstallmacosmigration

I'm having seriously annoying issues with my new MBP. Processes crashing extremely frequently, so that I now have to close about 7 or 8 crash reports before I shut down at night. Issue here: "normalizerd quit unexpectedly" constantly happening(!!)

I've spoke with Apple support countless times but had no resolution.

The fact this is a new device and it also happened with my previous device, I am linking this to files on my device that were brought across via Migration Assistant when I was transferring data to this new laptop.

I've created a new, test account to see if the same crashing appears – it doesn't. So I am going to do a clean MacOS install.

However, I am wondering – what is the best method of reintroducing files that I need to have on my device after the formatting is complete? I will be putting minimal files back onto the laptop, but there are some I simply have to bring across.

Is Migration Assistant the best? Or backup to Dropbox / Drive etc and download after formatting?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Best Answer

"I've created a new, test account to see if the same crashing appears - it doesn't. So I am going to do a clean MacOS install."

If a new user account works fine, then there is nothing wrong with the system installation, and a clean OS install is unnecessary.

The problem is something in your original user account.

Either migrate to the new user account, or go back to the old account and find the problem in your user Library. It may be a Login Item or Launch Agent that is loading an unstable or incompatible process; corrupt caches or incorrect settings in preference files.

Test by removing files from your user Library, (restart/relogin if necessary), then check whether the problem remains. If it is fixed, put back half the files you removed, and test again. If not, remove the remaining half.

For your specific problem, you may want to remove things relating to CUPS, the printing process, Adobe CC or Preview. Anything in <user>/Library/Application Support/Adobe can be entirely removed: the apps will just revert to their default settings. Anything named Adobe in <user>/Library/Preferences is also fair game, and the same for things with cups or print. The same for <user>/Library/Caches.

The thing about migrating to a new user account is that it fixes the problem but doesn't solve it, and if it happens again, you'll have to move to a third new account, and so on.

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