Cloning from iMac

Use Migration Assistant. Not necessarily a good idea to do a clone, especially from an iMac.

Even if you clone many programs are likely to break, especially pro apps that require serial numbers. Their activation is linked to your old machine.

mfarris2 said:

OK, thank you for the information. I am hoping that I will not have to go back and manually install each program,....register, enter keys, etc.

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Just warning you, this is nearly impossible, especially with pro apps. The Adobe apps will all need to be re-serialized, possibly even re-installed, even with a clone. They're linked to the motherboard of your old machine.

Add to the list of re-activating Microsoft Office. Seems to need this regardless if migrated or using Disk Utility's Disk Restore.

goMac said:

Use Migration Assistant. Not necessarily a good idea to do a clone, especially from an iMac.

Even if you clone many programs are likely to break, especially pro apps that require serial numbers. Their activation is linked to your old machine.

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Go. I have never had any issues cloning either bare metal or .dmg. Adobe doesn't even need serials re-set (CS4+) much less Apples stuff. Tested with FCP, Logic, all manner of cheaper sharewares. Clone is exact replica and no "Apps" in Mac OS have ties to the board EFI/ firmware. Not even Adobe, they are web based activations. They write text files to hidden directories that are copied when you clone.
Little Snitch and a few other ~/ apps needed tweaking but nothing else.
It's all I've done, hundreds, if not thousands of times. I keep many corporate images all serialized and set and deploy to many new and old boxes when needed. I DO keep Macbook Pro, iMac and Mac Pro images separately. Never a problem. 10+ years in the industry.You will need to patch after clone with current combo update even if at same version.

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nambuccaheadsau said:

Add to the list of re-activating Microsoft Office. Seems to need this regardless if migrated or using Disk Utility's Disk Restore.

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You re-activate but you never need to re-serialize and pull out your number if you've done the clone correctly. I usually use .dmg via SuperDuper.

goMac said:

Just warning you, this is nearly impossible, especially with pro apps. The Adobe apps will all need to be re-serialized, possibly even re-installed, even with a clone. They're linked to the motherboard of your old machine.

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Not true. I have migrated installations of CSx with no problem whatsoever.

gullySn0wCat said:

Not true. I have migrated installations of CSx with no problem whatsoever.

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I've never been able to. CS4 and higher have activation that locks it to a specific machine. You can't even have more than one machine activated at a time.

goMac said:

I've never been able to. CS4 and higher have activation that locks it to a specific machine. You can't even have more than one machine activated at a time.

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Stop buying retail serials.
There is no "lock" to specific machine. It is a text file on the root HD. in a hidden directory. That is all. I know as I have cracked it before. It get's moved during the clone. You can't run simultaneous CS versions on the same network with the same serials no. But moving and only using 1 active copt is no problem.

derbothaus said:

Stop buying retail serials.
There is no "lock" to specific machine. It is a text file on the root HD. in a hidden directory. That is all. I know as I have cracked it before. It get's moved during the clone. You can't run simultaneous CS versions on the same network with the same serials no. But moving and only using 1 active copt is no problem.

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No, there is Windows style authentication. It goes and talks to a central server, even after first launch.

Trust me, I've worked in Adobe shops. You can't CS suite.

Yes, a cracked version will probably transfer fine, because the activation was likely disabled. But I'm assuming OP is using a legitimate copy.

"Trust me, I've worked in Adobe shops."
That's all I do for work Go. Everyday. Support and build.
If you worked in Adobe shop you most likely also had volume licensing that is even easier to move around. If you didn't I feel bad for your purchasing agent.
But hey, we aren't getting anywhere with this. I do my way that has zero ill effect, that's why I continue to have a job
You do the longer way that will also be successful.
My shortcuts might not be the best advice to give novices anyway.

Help me understand how it worked with me.

I bought an academic CS5 and was told I'd get 2 installs.

I put it on my Mac Pro 1,1 and used it for a few months.

Then I got a new Mac Pro. I used Migration Assistant to move everything over to the new one, and I used it there with no Adobe request to verify. So I thought that although it was in fact on two machines, that it was being counted as one install. I was surprised, but pleased.

I shipped the 1,1 to my second work site, and went there to work. No one was using the new MP at the old work site. Everything was fine.

Then I wanted to install it on my laptop at the new work site, and it wouldn't register -- too many installs.

I talked to Adobe and they explained about deactivating (which I hadn't done, not thinking it was necessary). I didn't care much about the laptop install so I let it go.

I deactivated when I left my second work site, went back to the first place, successfully registered it on the laptop, and it was all good.

What I'm curious about is why my first post-migration assistant CS5 use didn't trigger anything I was aware of (I wasn't asked to verify anything), but indeed somehow it alerted Adobe to the second install.

It's all sorted out and I've learned to activate and deactivate when moving between sites, but I'm still wondering about that first time.

goMac said:

No, there is Windows style authentication. It goes and talks to a central server, even after first launch.

Trust me, I've worked in Adobe shops. You can't CS suite.

Yes, a cracked version will probably transfer fine, because the activation was likely disabled. But I'm assuming OP is using a legitimate copy.

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Even on my legal copy I disable Adobe's phone home servers by adding them to my hosts file. No app should be able to do that.

clone the old hard drive to the new one, or just put the old drive in the MP, and then reformat (archive install). this wipes the system data, which is slightly different between models, but keeps your user folder, which is where your config files are.

I think Migration Assistant does the same thing (import your user folder), but some problem always came up so I don't bother.