Apple Training Series: Mac OS X Support Essentials v10.6: A Guide to Supporting and Troubleshooting Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard

What are the different configuration choices when installing Mac OS X?

What things should you do before you upgrade Mac OS 9.x to Mac OS X?

What is the purpose of the local account?

What are the quick fixes to consider when troubleshooting an installation problem?

Mac OS X can be installed on a single partition along with Mac OS 9.x. You can also install Mac OS X on one partition or volume while Mac OS 9.x is installed on another. Mac OS X can also be installed by itself, without Mac OS 9.x. You can also choose to update a previous version of Mac OS X to Mac OS X 10.4.

Before installing Mac OS X, you should make a backup of the data on your hard disk, read the Read Before You Install document, collect network configuration information from Mac OS 9.x, upgrade firmware (if necessary), and upgrade to Mac OS 9.2.2 (if you plan on using Classic applications).

The initial local account is automatically an administrator account with which you can change settings in System Preferences, install applications, and use certain utilities.

Check the installation log; confirm that firmware is up-to-date; restart/reinstall; check for disk problems; disconnect nonessential hardware; and turn off Energy Saver and Screen Saver preferences.