what does Migration Assistant copy?

[wmmk]

Hey. I just got a MBP, and all of my files and apps are on my mac mini. I don't have a FW cable, so I was going to borrow my friend's tomorrow and use that, but it's a new (to me, it's actually a refresh) MacBook Pro, and waiting until tomorrrow afternoon would be torture. I have my 30 gig iPod, which should be good enough to carry over all my apps and files in 2 or 3 trips. So, I was just wondering what files/directories Migration Assistant copies so that I could just put those on my iPod.
Thanks a billion,
wmmk

 

[wmmk]

wait, i just found this

Setup Assistant can transfer:

• Any user account with preferences
• Network settings
• Applications folder
• Files and folders on your main drive
• Other hard disks

so does this mean that if apps require files in the library, they have to be reinstalled? that kinda sucks!
can I just copy over the application support folder? thanks again,
wmmk

 

[Westside guy]

wait, i just found this

so does this mean that if apps require files in the library, they have to be reinstalled? that kinda sucks!
can I just copy over the application support folder? thanks again,
wmmk

You are given the choice regarding what to copy - user directories, apps, other files, etc.

If you select the Applications folder to be migrated, the files from your /Library directory will also be moved for the very reasons you mention (some apps won't work unless files they put into /Library/Receipts or other places).

It also won't overwrite newer versions that already exist on the new computer. I suspect it's just using rsync in the background.

Having said all that - I couldn't get Migration Assistant to work to completion when I tried moving stuff from my G4 Powerbook to my new C2D Macbook Pro. But it worked just fine moving my daughter's files from her iBook G4 to the Powerbook. Too bad - when it does work it's pretty slick.

 

[wmmk]

You are given the choice regarding what to copy - user directories, apps, other files, etc.

If you select the Applications folder to be migrated, the files from your /Library directory will also be moved for the very reasons you mention (some apps won't work unless files they put into /Library/Receipts or other places).

It also won't overwrite newer versions that already exist on the new computer. I suspect it's just using rsync in the background.

Having said all that - I couldn't get Migration Assistant to work to completion when I tried moving stuff from my G4 Powerbook to my new C2D Macbook Pro. But it worked just fine moving my daughter's files from her iBook G4 to the Powerbook. Too bad - when it does work it's pretty slick.

hmmm...
so if I copy my libraries, apps folder, and user directories on to my iPod then on to my MBP and make sure not to overwrite anything, I should be fine?
thanks again

 

[0010101]

I just used Migration Assistant a few days ago to transfer all the stuff I had on my old drive to my new 250GB drive.

It copied all the applications i'd installed, my custom color profile, and all by browser settings, cookies, and bookmarks, Mail accounts and settings, as well as all the files and folders I had on my desktop.

In fact, when I launched FireFox for the first time after 'migrating', it asked me if I wanted to pick up where I left off.. I clicked 'ok' and BLAM! I had the same pages up in the browser as I did before I shut down to install the new drive.

All in all, I was quite impressed. Everything was transferred over to the fresh install with the exception of:

Dock Icons:
I had several applications I use frequently in the dock. I had to put those back, and remove the ones I didn't want (iChat, iCal, etc).

Widgets:
Migration Assistant apparently does nothing with this.. so I had to go thru and close the Widgets I don't want that are there by default, as well as re-select my Zip code for things like the Weather and Yellow Pages widgets.

System Sounds:
Migration Assistant did NOT transfer the sounds i'd added, like the Wild Eep and Moof, so I had to put those back. Wild Eep has been a part of MacOS as long as I can remember.. it's sacrilege that it was dropped on OSX.

 

[xlii]

Used migration assistant 2 weeks ago. Worked well transfering from a 5 year old ibook to a new MBP. Let migration assistant (MA) create the account you plan to use on your new machine. If you want to create an account when you first power on your new machine DO NOT select the same user name you have on your old machine. MA will not transfer files from account (JOE) on the old machine to account (JOE) on the new machine. Let MA create the (JOE) account on the new machine and it will work just fine.

 

[Westside guy]

hmmm...
so if I copy my libraries, apps folder, and user directories on to my iPod then on to my MBP and make sure not to overwrite anything, I should be fine?
thanks again

I'd think so; as long as you're including /Library and not just ~/Library.

 

[jalagl]

You are given the choice regarding what to copy - user directories, apps, other files, etc.

If you select the Applications folder to be migrated, the files from your /Library directory will also be moved for the very reasons you mention (some apps won't work unless files they put into /Library/Receipts or other places).

It also won't overwrite newer versions that already exist on the new computer. I suspect it's just using rsync in the background.

Having said all that - I couldn't get Migration Assistant to work to completion when I tried moving stuff from my G4 Powerbook to my new C2D Macbook Pro. But it worked just fine moving my daughter's files from her iBook G4 to the Powerbook. Too bad - when it does work it's pretty slick.

When I sold my old Powerbook, I ran Carbon Copy Cloner and cloned the HD of the old Powerbook to an external FW drive. Then, when I finally got my new PB (I was powerbook-less for about a week), I ran the migration assistant and plug in the FW drive - it imported all the setting flawlessly.

So, if your iPod is large enough, you may be able to do something like that - clone your HD to the iPod, then import the settings from the iPod. I don't know if the fact that it is an iPod might get in the way. It may be worth a shot.

 

[wmmk]

When I sold my old Powerbook, I ran Carbon Copy Cloner and cloned the HD of the old Powerbook to an external FW drive. Then, when I finally got my new PB (I was powerbook-less for about a week), I ran the migration assistant and plug in the FW drive - it imported all the setting flawlessly.

So, if your iPod is large enough, you may be able to do something like that - clone your HD to the iPod, then import the settings from the iPod. I don't know if the fact that it is an iPod might get in the way. It may be worth a shot.

the only difference is that you were going from PPC to PPC, whereas I'm moving from PPC to intel.

Anyway, my neighbor is a computer science professor and I borrowed his FW cable and am currently running MA.
Just a question:
Will MA overwrite any files? The reason I'm slightly concerned is that I changed the icons of system apps like safari, finder, the iLife apps, etc. on my Mac Mini, but I'd like to just have the standard aqua icons on the MBP.
thanks again

 

[Westside guy]

Just a question:
Will MA overwrite any files? The reason I'm slightly concerned is that I changed the icons of system apps like safari, finder, the iLife apps, etc. on my Mac Mini, but I'd like to just have the standard aqua icons on the MBP.
thanks again

The docs for Migration Assistant state that it won't overwrite any existing apps on the target computer, unless those apps are older.

Not sure what it'll do with your icons - those are in the resource for I assume. I'm guessing it won't touch them.

 

[YS2003]

I don't trust one of those "easy-to-transfer" apps. When I start off with a new Mac, I start it anew by reinstalling apps from DVD/CD/Disk Image. Even if there is a 100% guarantee the migration asistance works, I would opt out and go with my old way by starting fresh.

 

[wmmk]

well, the transfer is complete, and everything went really well. MA is amazingly slick! iWeb and GarageBand iCons got changed, but i'll find the original ones on in some package on the software restore discs and all will be well. this is easily the most underrated OS X feature.

 

[baummer]

System Sounds:
Migration Assistant did NOT transfer the sounds i'd added, like the Wild Eep and Moof, so I had to put those back. Wild Eep has been a part of MacOS as long as I can remember.. it's sacrilege that it was dropped on OSX.

Cool! How did you add sounds?