Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

General Discussion

alborz
seal-mask
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree seal-36
alborz
Full Stack JavaScript Techdegree Graduate 30,885 Points

I apparently need to reinstall my OSX due to an issue

But before I do, I thought I'd seek your help.

I've never had to reinstall my OSX before.

I mistakingly installed osx-gcc-installer while simultaneously having Homebrew installed. When I run brew doctor, I get the below:

Warning: You have an outdated version of /usr/bin/install_name_tool installed. This will cause binary package installations to fail. This can happen if you install osx-gcc-installer or RailsInstaller. To restore it, you must reinstall OS X or restore the binary from the OS packages.

Warning: You seem to have osx-gcc-installer installed. Homebrew doesn't support osx-gcc-installer. It causes many builds to fail and is an unlicensed distribution of really old Xcode files. Please run xcode-select --install to install the CLT.

In regard to running xcode-select --install, it appears I already have xcode, which is version 2003 -- so I don't see how that particular issue can be resolved.

My concern is, since I must reinstall OSX, I'm a little apprehensive about it -- I hope I don't lose any file or settings that I have right now.

So my question is should I purchase an external hard drive to ensure that my files and settings are secure? This is what I am seriously considering. And by reinstalling OSX, would I then have to reinstall the things that I installed through the terminal, like Sass, Homebrew, Git, etc? I'm just frustrated and really would like to get through this hindrance so as to finish the Rails track, since I cannot install gems like "money" and "awesome_print", part of the Rails track, which really breaks my heart!

Much thanks!

2 Answers

Tim Knight
Tim Knight
28,888 Points

Hi Alborz,

I think it's always important to make a backup first especially before reinstalling. I would highly recommend getting an external harddrive and running a Time Machine backup of the current state of your computer.

There might also be some possibility for you to uninstall osx-gcc-installer with the information at http://stackoverflow.com/questions/9332196/how-to-remove-the-osx-gcc-installer

Another thing I would consider doing before you get too far in the process of reinstalling everything is check out the App Store and make sure you have the newest version of XCode. With that installed and upgraded then go into your terminal to run the xcode-select --install command to install the newest command line tools.

alborz
seal-mask
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree seal-36
alborz
Full Stack JavaScript Techdegree Graduate 30,885 Points

Hi Tim,

I'm just a little confused after running the install command for xcode. It appears the terminal just returns a list of commands instead of installing the newest command line tools. Or was installing it from the app store sufficient for the command line tools to be installed?

When I go to Apple's app store via their app on my computer, it says on the app store that xcode was last updated October 20, 2014; yet when I check to see the version via the terminal, it returns "version 2003". Here's my terminal below:

albys-mbp:~ alby$ xcode-select --install Usage: xcode-select -print-path or: xcode-select -switch <xcode_folder_path> or: xcode-select -version Arguments: -print-path Prints the path of the current Xcode folder -switch <xcode_folder_path> Sets the path for the current Xcode folder -version Prints xcode-select version information albys-mbp:~ alby$ xcode-select --version xcode-select version 2003. albys-mbp:~ alby$

James Barnett
James Barnett
39,199 Points

You don't need to re-install just need to restore an essential file.

Check out https://github.com/Homebrew/homebrew/issues/29989 for details

alborz
seal-mask
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree seal-36
alborz
Full Stack JavaScript Techdegree Graduate 30,885 Points

James,

When I followed the directions, the files apparently do not exist. Here's what I got from the terminal when running the commands:

albys-mbp:~ alby$ open /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app/Contents/SharedSupport/InstallESD.dmg The file /Applications/Install OS X Mavericks.app/Contents/SharedSupport/InstallESD.dmg does not exist. albys-mbp:~ alby$ open /Volumes/OS\ X\ Install\ ESD/Packages/Essentials.pkg The file /Volumes/OS X Install ESD/Packages/Essentials.pkg does not exist.