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After buying new laptop w/Lion, how to transfer over?

S

Schtibbie

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 13, 2007
456
252
I'm sure there are multiple ways to skin this cat, but what's the "best practice"? Scenario: Currently have old Macbook running Snow Leopard, w/ Time Machine backups. File Vault on. In a couple months or so I'll probably buy a new Macbook Pro and let my young son have our old Macbook.

Complications and questions: I have 3 users on the Macbook. An admin superuser I only use for installs and software updates, a standard non-admin account for me to use, and a restricted account for my son to use. My desired end-state is this:
  • New Macbook Pro (with Lion) now has my superuser account and my personal account
  • New Macbook Pro has all of my documents (docs, Itunes, iphoto, etc)
  • New Macbook Pro has all of my software, EXCEPT for versions of stuff that's newer in Lion.
  • Old Macbook no longer has my personal account and files, but does still have my son's.
  • Time Machine backup disk now "belongs" to the new Macbook Pro and contains a full backup of THAT SYSTEM, including Lion OS, not Snow Leopard. Or, alternatively, it belongs to my son's and I get a new one.

What the heck do I DO, and in what order?
 
1. Use Time Machine to bring over your two admin accounts + apps to your new machine.
2. Delete those two accounts on your macbook, keep your son's. You'll have to delete the apps you don't want on there manually. (Alternatively you could clean-wipe it and then use your TM backup to restore your son's account without apps, and install the apps he needs manually.)
3. Start using the TM backup with your new computer, or get yourself a new one, whatever you prefer.
4. That's it.
 
Cougarcat said:
1. Use Time Machine to bring over your two admin accounts + apps to your new machine.
2. Delete those two accounts on your macbook, keep your son's. You'll have to delete the apps you don't want on there manually. (Alternatively you could clean-wipe it and then use your TM backup to restore your son's account without apps, and install the apps he needs manually.)
3. Start using the TM backup with your new computer, or get yourself a new one, whatever you prefer.
4. That's it.
Click to expand...


You make it sound so simple! Why, BTW, wouldn't I use Migration Assistant? I just saw an article on that on the front page of MacRumors indicating that they just released a patch for it ahead of Lion. Are there advantages to restoring from Time Machine over using Migration Assistant?
 
Schtibbie said:
You make it sound so simple! Why, BTW, wouldn't I use Migration Assistant? I just saw an article on that on the front page of MacRumors indicating that they just released a patch for it ahead of Lion. Are there advantages to restoring from Time Machine over using Migration Assistant?
Click to expand...

Migration assistant allows you to choose what you want migrated. TM is all or nothing, you can't make any selections on what you want restored.
 
mrapplegate said:
Migration assistant allows you to choose what you want migrated. TM is all or nothing, you can't make any selections on what you want restored.
Click to expand...

Ah, good point. For some reason I thought during the initial setup screen when it asks you if you have a mac or TM backup to restore from, you could make selections from either.
 
Cougarcat said:
Ah, good point. For some reason I thought during the initial setup screen when it asks you if you have a mac or TM backup to restore from, you could make selections from either.
Click to expand...

Migration assistant should run. It has been so long I forgot if it did. Either way TM is still all or nothing, but it is an option.
 
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