Bringing back macbook....how can I backup?

Instead of trying to use Time Machine, I would instead use Carbon Copy Cloner to create an exact duplicate of your drive to the external drive. I would then copy the clone from the external drive to your new machine when you get it. I did this when I had the same dilemma going from an old MacBook to a new one. After I finished cloning the drive to the new machine, I then whiped the external drive and setup Time Machine to use that drive for backups for the new machine. Essentially this does the exact same thing as Time Machine would, with a few extra steps, but I am not certain if you can use Time Machine backups to restore data from a different machine. With Carbon Copy Cloner I know this works from personal experience.

Time machine will work to transfer data I think, you just may have to enter your user/pw from the old computer, no?

It would be the same as getting a new HD for your current computer and restoring with Time Machine, which works just fine.

iphonesrq said:

I'm going to be bringing back my uniMB to get the new one tomorrow. I would like to know if I do a time machine back before I return, when I get my new MB can I just run the restore off time machine?

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Yes use Time Machine.... I did exactly what you want to do but I did it from the WhiteBook to the Collectors Edition. Worked flawlessly!
When you first start your new "pro" , choose the option for a Time Machine Restore.

Are you sure that you're getting a TM backup of your virtual machine/xp? Sometimes those are omitted because they have constant changes and will fill up a drive quickly. -GDF