backed up hard drive to external HD, installed new 250GB...how do i get everything

[NickSwagger]

ok, i searched for a while and didnt see anything, so forgive me if this was discussed somewhere.

I bought a new internal hard drive for my 13" macbook, before installing i backed everything up from my factory 80gb HD to a western digital passport. After installing the new hard drive, i cant figure out how to transfer my backup onto my new internal hard drive. just dragging everything over doesnt seem right, some applications (like digidesign's pro tools) dont transfer and open properly, is there another/better way to get everything from my factory hard drive onto the new one.

i would assume by putting everything over, everything that is the same (like apps and stuff) wouldnt get copied over, but everything that isnt there will be copied over.
I appreciate anybodys help in advance

 

[sushi]

Not sure if I follow you completely.

If you still have your original internal HD, then you can use Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper to clone your internal HD to the external.

Then after replacing your old internal with the new 250GB internal, then clone from the external to your internal HD.

 

[NickSwagger]

ok, that makes sense, but now i have to take out the new hard drive and put in the old one to clone it? originally, i just used time machine to back it up to the external, thinking i could just use time machine once the new one is in to copy everything back over, but if youre saying to put the old one in, download super duper, clone it to the external, then swap the new one in and...

thanks for the super fast reply, ive been at this for a few hours now...

 

[sushi]

ok, that makes sense, but now i have to take out the new hard drive and put in the old one to clone it? originally, i just used time machine to back it up to the external, thinking i could just use time machine once the new one is in to copy everything back over, but if youre saying to put the old one in, download super duper, clone it to the external, then swap the new one in and...

thanks for the super fast reply, ive been at this for a few hours now...

Personally, I have not used Time Machine and restore, so I am not sure if that will work as I have not tried it.

However, I have used both Carbon Copy Cloner (prefer) and SuperDuper. Both work very well.

So the steps would be:

1. Install original internal HD.

2. Original internal HD clone to external HD.

3. Install new internal HD.

4. External HD clone to internal HD.

 

[trainguy77]

Boot off your install DVD. Then in one of the menus you can do a full time machine restore. I think thats what you want.

 

[sushi]

Boot off your install DVD. Then in one of the menus you can do a full time machine restore. I think thats what you want.

Have you tried this?

If so, how does it work? Any issues?

 

[trainguy77]

Have you tried this?

If so, how does it work? Any issues?

No i haven't but i know for a fact the menu exists and others have done it. I haven't heard of any pressing bugs with it so i assume it works.

Time Machine would be useless if the restore function didn't work.

 

[peapody]

I posted a similar question about time machine and restoration of applications, and I got replies saying that it was possible to essentially get everything back hooking up the external time machine back up and running the install dvd.

CCC or superduper seems a sure fire way to do this though, because I haven't really found any confirmation that time machine does a full back up applications and all.

 

[trainguy77]

I posted a similar question about time machine and restoration of applications, and I got replies saying that it was possible to essentially get everything back hooking up the external time machine back up and running the install dvd.

CCC or superduper seems a sure fire way to do this though, because I haven't really found any confirmation that time machine does a full back up applications and all.

Yes it does a full backup of applications. It does everything. Unless you put things into the exclude list that is.

 

[sushi]

No i haven't but i know for a fact the menu exists and others have done it. I haven't heard of any pressing bugs with it so i assume it works.

Time Machine would be useless if the restore function didn't work.

A friend of mine tried it out and had nothing but problems.

That was his experience. He is knowledgeable so I am not sure what didn't work.

I am conservative when I recommend solutions. I know CCC and SD work, so that is why I recommended them.

I posted a similar question about time machine and restoration of applications, and I got replies saying that it was possible to essentially get everything back hooking up the external time machine back up and running the install dvd.

CCC or superduper seems a sure fire way to do this though, because I haven't really found any confirmation that time machine does a full back up applications and all.

I do weekly backups for three computers using CCC.

I always boot from the backup, and then run Disk Utilities to repair permissions, and repair the HD, to keep it in good running order. Never had a problem with either CCC or SD making the clone.

So I can recommend CCC or SD for sure.

 

[trainguy77]

A friend of mine tried it out and had nothing but problems.

That was his experience. He is knowledgeable so I am not sure what didn't work.

I am conservative when I recommend solutions. I know CCC and SD work, so that is why I recommended them.


I do weekly backups for three computers using CCC.

I always boot from the backup, and then run Disk Utilities to repair permissions, and repair the HD, to keep it in good running order. Never had a problem with either CCC or SD making the clone.

So I can recommend CCC or SD for sure.

Those who i have recommended use it on the forums came back with smiles. But your method would work too.

 

[NickSwagger]

Personally, I have not used Time Machine and restore, so I am not sure if that will work as I have not tried it.

However, I have used both Carbon Copy Cloner (prefer) and SuperDuper. Both work very well.

So the steps would be:

1. Install original internal HD.

2. Original internal HD clone to external HD.

3. Install new internal HD.

4. External HD clone to internal HD.

Ok, but using SD, how would I do the last step? When I had the old drive in, I backed everything up to an external, I dunno if that's what u meant by "cloning". When the new hard drive is in, I can't simply drag and drop everything over from the external bcuz it says "_ _ _ _ folder can not be modified because mac OSX uses it". Or something very close to that. I just want to be able to get all the apps I had, and everything. I originally thought it would just copy everything over to the new drive unless it was already there from reinstalling the OS. I just don't want to have to reinstall a bunch of stuff again. Thanks to all for the replies though, I appreciate the help.

Oh, and I also tried making a disk image of the old drive using SD, but when I open it and try to copy everything over I get the same message

 

[trainguy77]

Ok, but using SD, how would I do the last step? When I had the old drive in, I backed everything up to an external, I dunno if that's what u meant by "cloning". When the new hard drive is in, I can't simply drag and drop everything over from the external bcuz it says "_ _ _ _ folder can not be modified because mac OSX uses it". Or something very close to that. I just want to be able to get all the apps I had, and everything. I originally thought it would just copy everything over to the new drive unless it was already there from reinstalling the OS. I just don't want to have to reinstall a bunch of stuff again. Thanks to all for the replies though, I appreciate the help.

Oh, and I also tried making a disk image of the old drive using SD, but when I open it and try to copy everything over I get the same message

The simplest solution is just going to boot from your install disk and do a time machine restore. You shouldn't be able to just drag the files across if you use time machine. As some of the files are system files that can't be replaced unless you boot from a different disk as they are in use. So just give time machine a shot.

http://duncandavidson.com/2008/01/restoring-from-time-machine.html