A few questions....

[dizzydot]

Hi,

apologies for what may seem obvious questions but it’s been a few years since I last bought my MBP so I’m a bit out of touch.

I’ve had my MBP for about 10 years and it’s finally given up the ghost with battery swelling and deformed trackpad ?

Questions...

1) I’m looking to replace it with a new MBP but want to know if I took my old one into an Apple store could they transfer all my info onto the new one in its current state? Do I just turn up to an Apple store and buy an new MBP and ask them to do this or do I need to make an appointment first? Would I need to have pre-ordered the MBP as I’m not sure what spec to go for yet?

2) Also, I would like to be able to run windows alongside macOS as some software doesn’t support macOS, is this possible and if so how?

3) I'm gonna really show my age here, but I like to buy cds then transfer them to iTunes to then put on my iPod to play in my car etc. Is this still possible to do with new MBPs? Do I need to buy a separate drive to do this? Any suggestions which one to go for?

I’m in the U.K. btw if this makes any difference.

So many questions! ?
Thanks in advance for all the help it’s much appreciated

Dizzydot

 

[casperes1996]

As for 1 I have no idea how things work in UK Apple Stores, so can’t tell ya. At least not for things like that. - They can probably transfer your data for you, yeah, but whether you need an appointment, idk.

2) iOS is for iPhones, iPod Touch, and in some way iPad though that’s now rebranded iPadOS but is essentially the same. Macs run macOS or OS X depending on version. In any caste, yes it’s possible to also run Windows. Either in Dual boot, where you pick which OS to launch when the computer starts, or through virtualization which is slower, but both operating systems run at once; Bootcamp comes with all Macs to allow for a dual boot setup. There’s many videos on YouTube of how to set up a Bootcamp setup as well. Apple Silicon Macs won’t support Bootcamp when they come out, but all Intel Macs do.

3) Yes, it’s possible, yes you’ll need a drive; THere’s no CD/DVD drive in the newer Macs. Any drive will work really; I have a Samsung Blu-Ray drive myself, but anything works; Make sure to either get one that works with the ports on the Mac or get adapters as well

 

[dizzydot]

As for 1 I have no idea how things work in UK Apple Stores, so can’t tell ya. At least not for things like that. - They can probably transfer your data for you, yeah, but whether you need an appointment, idk.

2) iOS is for iPhones, iPod Touch, and in some way iPad though that’s now rebranded iPadOS but is essentially the same. Macs run macOS or OS X depending on version. In any caste, yes it’s possible to also run Windows. Either in Dual boot, where you pick which OS to launch when the computer starts, or through virtualization which is slower, but both operating systems run at once; Bootcamp comes with all Macs to allow for a dual boot setup. There’s many videos on YouTube of how to set up a Bootcamp setup as well. Apple Silicon Macs won’t support Bootcamp when they come out, but all Intel Macs do.

3) Yes, it’s possible, yes you’ll need a drive; THere’s no CD/DVD drive in the newer Macs. Any drive will work really; I have a Samsung Blu-Ray drive myself, but anything works; Make sure to either get one that works with the ports on the Mac or get adapters as well

Thanks Casperes1996 ?
I meant MacOS not iOS ? - I’ve edited it now. Shows I’ve been using my iPad for far too long!

 

[Audit13]

I don't know about UK but apple stores in Canada and the USA don't transfer data.

 

[justashooter]

If your 10 year old macbook is not working it is pretty easy to remove the drive, install it in an enclosure and then transfer the data to your new MBP.

 

[dusk007]

as for #1 you should probably just backup to a hard drive if you have one.
Any external harddrive bigger than your internal drive should be fine. Easiest if you can delete the whole thing.
Then you can restore form it. You may need to also get a USB-C hub if it is an old USB external drive.

It can also be restore directly from a different mac but that probably requires them to be of the same OS version so if yours is very old I am not sure.
And in any case that process can take a while. Depending on how much data you have an hour or more so expect to go shopping in the mean time. If it is very little data it may also be quite fast.
With a backup from an HDD you can do that at home at your own time. It is very easy the mac asks you if you want to restore form somewhere and if you have such a backup on hdd you just have to plug it in and wait.

Having a backup on an hdd to keep your data save is generally a good idea. A drive can just fail and all your data is gone. There is also online backup solutions but I guess a drive you can touch might be easier to work with.

 

[dizzydot]

Thanks Audit13, justashooter and dusk007.

I backed up to an external drive just before the battery swelled too much so I should be able to restore from there in case the laptops actual hard drive has had it.

I only want to occasionally use software that needs windows and doesn’t run on macOS, is there any advantages/disadvantages between running windows via bootcamp or buying parallels?

Thanks again all! ??

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

You haven't told us WHAT YEAR the MacBook was made.

IF it's a 2012 (or earlier) design, you might consider replacing the battery.

If you don't want to do that, and (again) if it's a "unibody" MBP, you can EASILY open the back cover and take out the internal drive. You'll need a Phillips #00 driver for the screws on the back. There are "nubs" on the sides of the drive that can be removed GENTLY with a pair of pliers, or use a TORX T-6 driver.

Then, it's a simple matter to get a USB3 2.5" enclosure like this:

SABRENT 2.5 Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool Free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized for SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP)

SABRENT 2.5 Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool Free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized for SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP)

tinyurl.com

Now you can connect it to a new MacBook to transfer your data.
And after that's done, the old drive can "live a new life" in the enclosure, either as extra storage or as a backup drive.

To run Windows "alongside" the Mac OS, you need virtual machine app such as Parallels or VMWare Fusion. This makes it relatively easy.

No new Macs come with built-in DVD/CD drives any longer.
To play CDs, buy a 3rd-party DVD/CD drive (or a BluRay/DVD/CD drive).
These connect via USB.
I recommend that you DO NOT BUY the Apple external drive -- pricey and works no better than a 3rd-party drive.

 

[dizzydot]

OP:

You haven't told us WHAT YEAR the MacBook was made.

IF it's a 2012 (or earlier) design, you might consider replacing the battery.

If you don't want to do that, and (again) if it's a "unibody" MBP, you can EASILY open the back cover and take out the internal drive. You'll need a Phillips #00 driver for the screws on the back. There are "nubs" on the sides of the drive that can be removed GENTLY with a pair of pliers, or use a TORX T-6 driver.

Then, it's a simple matter to get a USB3 2.5" enclosure like this:

SABRENT 2.5 Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool Free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized for SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP)

SABRENT 2.5 Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool Free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized for SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP)

tinyurl.com

Now you can connect it to a new MacBook to transfer your data.
And after that's done, the old drive can "live a new life" in the enclosure, either as extra storage or as a backup drive.

To run Windows "alongside" the Mac OS, you need virtual machine app such as Parallels or VMWare Fusion. This makes it relatively easy.

No new Macs come with built-in DVD/CD drives any longer.
To play CDs, buy a 3rd-party DVD/CD drive (or a BluRay/DVD/CD drive).
These connect via USB.
I recommend that you DO NOT BUY the Apple external drive -- pricey and works no better than a 3rd-party drive.

Hi Fishrrman, it’s an early 2011. Sadly replacing the battery isn’t an option as it’s completely warped the trackpad, and tbh it was long overdue an upgrade anyway. I’ll certainly look at removing the hard drive and try and salvage/give it a second chance at useful life though. ?

 

[casperes1996]

I only want to occasionally use software that needs windows and doesn’t run on macOS, is there any advantages/disadvantages between running windows via bootcamp or buying parallels?

Bootcamp is faster and more compatible since it's a full Windows boot.
A VM setup like Parallels or others is way more convenient, doesn't require a reboot and can come with features to "integrate" your Windows tools more with macOS. Unless the Windows tools you need are demanding on graphics or need direct hardware access, virtualisation is likely your better option

 

[dizzydot]

Thanks again casperes1996 ?

 

[casperes1996]

Thanks again casperes1996 ?

Anytime, friend