TC backup of MacBook restored to new iMac?

[jonfarr]

I have a question regarding TC backup restore. I am planning on selling my macbook pro and going to a iMac. Can I restore my macbook pro backup from my time capsule to my iMac? Also, will all the apps still work like Microsoft office? Will it be as seamless as going from a macbook pro to a new macbook pro? (probably a dumb question, but this is the only way I have ever done it).

[Bear]

Since there are a couple of different ways you might mean "restore", what you want to do is when you start up the iMac during its initial setup, it will ask if you want to import user data and apps from a Time Machine backup. That is what you want to do. And yes it will be okay going between machine types.

The only thing is you will want to double check some system preferences if you copy those as well from the backup.

[jonfarr]

Originally Posted by Bear

Since there are a couple of different ways you might mean "restore", what you want to do is when you start up the iMac during its initial setup, it will ask if you want to import user data and apps from a Time Machine backup. That is what you want to do. And yes it will be okay going between machine types.

The only thing is you will want to double check some system preferences if you copy those as well from the backup.

Ok, I only ask because I would obviously be selling the laptop before getting the iMac and wouldn't have both on hand at the same time.

[LornaP]

Originally Posted by jonfarr

Ok, I only ask because I would obviously be selling the laptop before getting the iMac and wouldn't have both on hand at the same time.

You should be fine. I set up a new iMac from a TC backup (from MBP) and it went very smooth. I also had Microsoft Office on the MBP and everything transferred over, all I had to do was reenter the key code when I opened up Excel (or Word etc) for the first time on the new computer.

[Weaselboy]

Originally Posted by jonfarr

I have a question regarding TC backup restore. I am planning on selling my macbook pro and going to a iMac. Can I restore my macbook pro backup from my time capsule to my iMac? Also, will all the apps still work like Microsoft office? Will it be as seamless as going from a macbook pro to a new macbook pro? (probably a dumb question, but this is the only way I have ever done it).

You don't want to restore, you want to use Migration Assistant, which will present at the end of the setup process on the new machine. Just launch Migration Assistant and point it to your TM drive and it will import everything (check all the boxes in the MA import options).

The only issue you will have is you will have to reenter your MS Office serial number after the migration. The app will migrate, but Office will see it is on a new machine and require the serial number.

Other than that, it is very seamless and works well.

[jonfarr]

Originally Posted by LornaP

You should be fine. I set up a new iMac from a TC backup (from MBP) and it went very smooth. I also had Microsoft Office on the MBP and everything transferred over, all I had to do was reenter the key code when I opened up Excel (or Word etc) for the first time on the new computer.

Originally Posted by Weaselboy

You don't want to restore, you want to use Migration Assistant, which will present at the end of the setup process on the new machine. Just launch Migration Assistant and point it to your TM drive and it will import everything (check all the boxes in the MA import options).

The only issue you will have is you will have to reenter your MS Office serial number after the migration. The app will migrate, but Office will see it is on a new machine and require the serial number.

Other than that, it is very seamless and works well.

Awesome, thanks for both of your replies!

[Dr FranknFurter]

Originally Posted by Weaselboy

You don't want to restore, you want to use Migration Assistant, which will present at the end of the setup process on the new machine. Just launch Migration Assistant and point it to your TM drive and it will import everything (check all the boxes in the MA import options).

The only issue you will have is you will have to reenter your MS Office serial number after the migration. The app will migrate, but Office will see it is on a new machine and require the serial number.

Other than that, it is very seamless and works well.

That's exactly how I did it from my TC backup of my Macbook Air. Works very well indeed. Just be sure to do it right away before you set up any user accounts as it will migrate the accounts for you as they are on the backup.

[xlii]

Originally Posted by Dr FranknFurter

That's exactly how I did it from my TC backup of my Macbook Air. Works very well indeed. Just be sure to do it right away before you set up any user accounts as it will migrate the accounts for you as they are on the backup.

I'll second this. I used migration assistant to move my & my wife's accounts from a Time Machine backup of my 2009 mbp to a new 2012 mac mini. Worked great.