Time Machine to configure a New Computer?

socorose · Nov 11, 2010

Hey All,

Question....I had a computer accident, and I think it my Macbook may be done for, but I do have my computer backed up through Time Machine on an external hard drive (but not a Time Capsule). When I buy a new Macbook Pro can I plug in my external hardrive and somehow configure my new computer to look like/be automatically organized like my old one? (that's what Time Machine is/supposed to do, right?)

For example, I had Vmware Fusion on my Macbook and within it ran the mapping program ArcGis. If I do the "Time Machine thing" when configuring my new computer, will that all be in place (with the same file paths, etc), or will I have to re-install Vmware fusion and ArcGis, etc?

Also, will there be a prompt when I open the new Macbook Pro asking me to connect an external hardrive, or something of that sort? (sorry for the dumb questions...i always backed up on Time Machine for safety, but never thought about actually how to do it).

Thanks so much!

spinnerlys · Nov 11, 2010

MacOS X 10.5, 10.6: How to use Migration Assistant to transfer files from another Mac

Pro Tip of the Week: Move All Your Stuff to a New Mac Quick

Migration Assistant - Use Migration Assistant to Copy Data from a Previous OS

6 easy steps to migrate your Mac using Time Machine

socorose · Nov 11, 2010

so, just to confirm

is that a yes to all of my questions above?
(ie about using Fusion with ArcGIS, file paths, etc?)/the computer looking the same (organization wise)?

Thanks!

spinnerlys · Nov 11, 2010

socorose said:
is that a yes to all of my questions above?
(ie about using Fusion with ArcGIS, file paths, etc?)/the computer looking the same (organization wise)?

Thanks!

Yes to:

socorose said:
Hey All,

Question....I had a computer accident, and I think it my Macbook may be done for, but I do have my computer backed up through Time Machine on an external hard drive (but not a Time Capsule). When I buy a new Macbook Pro can I plug in my external hardrive and somehow configure my new computer to look like/be automatically organized like my old one? (that's what Time Machine is/supposed to do, right?)

via

spinnerlys said:
...

6 easy steps to migrate your Mac using Time Machine

For example, I had Vmware Fusion on my Macbook and within it ran the mapping program ArcGis. If I do the "Time Machine thing" when configuring my new computer, will that all be in place (with the same file paths, etc), or will I have to re-install Vmware fusion and ArcGis, etc?

Yes.

Also, will there be a prompt when I open the new Macbook Pro asking me to connect an external hardrive, or something of that sort? (sorry for the dumb questions...i always backed up on Time Machine for safety, but never thought about actually how to do it).

Thanks so much!

No, but if you connect the Tim Machine HDD and you use Setup Assistant as pointed out in that bolded link, you can select that TM HDD to import data from. It is best to use Setup Assistant and import the user, instead of crating a user during Setup Assistant and using Migration Assistant later and import data from the old user into the new user, as that might frell up permissions.

socorose · Nov 11, 2010

Thank you!

thanks for the extra help...i was raised since i was a kid with Macs, so it's always what i've used, but I know little to nothing about how they actually work...thanks!!!

socorose · Nov 12, 2010

accessing files on the hard drive?

Hi,

Apart from my question above, I have a different question about using the same hard drive that I used for Time Machine. I now know that when I get a new computer, I can restore my old computer's setting/programs/documents through my HD/time machine to look exactly like my old computer, which is great! and what I really want/need! (woohoo!)

But, in the meantime, can I plug in this same Harddrive, into a friend's macbook pro, for example, just to pull off a few files? or is the way the Time Machine backup is done, it doesn't work to just grab a few files, it's more functional, as an entire system restore?

Thanks!!!

also, i looked on the buying guide and it says not to buy a macbookpro right now because a new one will be coming out soon...does anyone know if it will be around thanksgiving? or closer to christmas? thanks!!!

spinnerlys · Nov 12, 2010

socorose said:
...
But, in the meantime, can I plug in this same Harddrive, into a friend's macbook pro, for example, just to pull off a few files? or is the way the Time Machine backup is done, it doesn't work to just grab a few files, it's more functional, as an entire system restore?

Yes, you can use the Time Machine HDD as storage for files too, as the backup is stored in one folder called "Backups.backupdb" and if you don't mess with that folder in Finder. all will be well.

also, i looked on the buying guide and it says not to buy a macbookpro right now because a new one will be coming out soon...does anyone know if it will be around thanksgiving? or closer to christmas? thanks!!!

No new MBPs this year. An update is likely to happen in Q1/2011, when Intel releases the Sandy Bridge architecture.

socorose · Nov 12, 2010

Yes, you can use the Time Machine HDD as storage for files too, as the backup is stored in one folder called "Backups.backupdb" and if you don't mess with that folder in Finder. all will be well.

but, there is no way to access those files in the "Backups.backupdb", folder...is that correct?

also, really? no new mac laptops around thanksgiving or xmas? so Q1/2011 means what? January or Feb? thanks!

spinnerlys · Nov 12, 2010

socorose said:
but, there is no way to access those files in the "Backups.backupdb", folder...is that correct?

The "Backups.backupdb" folder is visible in Finder.

also, really? no new mac laptops around thanksgiving or xmas? so Q1/2011 means what? January or Feb? thanks!

Q1/2011 = 1/2011 till 3/2011
The Buyer's Guide is only based on a statistical analysis of past updates.

socorose · Nov 12, 2010

hi,
thanks for the help again...you're super fast! but, i dont think you realize how computer dumb i am.

because at first you said

"Backups.backupdb" and if you don't mess with that folder in Finder. all will be well.

but then you said its right there in the finder. so, is it easy to go into that folder and pick out files without messing up the time machine/restore back-up, or should i just leave that part alone until im ready to restore a new computer?

im just unclear as to whether or not I can grab a few files off my time machine backup through that backups files, or if it shouldnt be touched for fear of messing it up...thanks!

spinnerlys · Nov 12, 2010

socorose said:
hi,
thanks for the help again...you're super fast! but, i dont think you realize how computer dumb i am.

because at first you said

but then you said its right there in the finder. so, is it easy to go into that folder and pick out files without messing up the time machine/restore back-up, or should i just leave that part alone until im ready to restore a new computer?

im just unclear as to whether or not I can grab a few files off my time machine backup through that backups files, or if it shouldnt be touched for fear of messing it up...thanks!

That "Backups.backupdb" folder is just like any other folder. If you don't touch it or remove files, you will not harm. That folder can be used to manually restore certain files, especially while on other Macs, where TM is not configured to work with that TM HDD.

With that said, you can still use the TM HDD to store other files on it, I did, others did it.

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