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Best Transfer Practice to New Macbook?

B

bms259

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 20, 2008
55
1
I just ordered a new Retina MBP, and need help figuring out the best way to transfer what I need from the old machine.

I have an older MBP with a SSD and an additional HDD. System files plus some working RAW image files are on the SSD. My user files, including a lot of RAW image files, are on the HDD.

The new rMBP will have enough space on the SSD for pretty much everything except my RAW photos, and some other media. I'd like to be able to use the rMBP without an external attached, and then use my current MBP's HDD as a working drive for my photos and other media.

Then I will either use the smaller SSD in my current MBP as the only drive in it, as my wife's main computer, or I may load it in an older Macbook.

I'm kinda stuck on what the best way to go about this will be. When I've upgraded my Macbook in the past I've just used Timemachine to restore my old set-up, and when I've upgraded the drives, I've always just copied the old to the new and swapped them out.

Thanks for the help!
 
Use Migration Assistant to copy across what you want. You will be prompted to do so when you first power up the new Mac.
 
benwiggy said:
Use Migration Assistant to copy across what you want. You will be prompted to do so when you first power up the new Mac.
Click to expand...

That will still work even tho I have things spread across two disks?

What's the best way to use Migration Assistant? A connection between old mac/new mac or should I take the drives out and put them in an enclosure?

Is there are good way to transition my current HDD with User Files into a Working Drive with just my RAW photos and other media, without all the Mac User files? Maybe clone the drive to another drive and then wipe & restore the files I need?
 
Use Migration Assistant to copy your apps and user settings from the SSD, and thne just drag copy over the stuff on the other drive.

No need to take the drive out! MA will work over wireless or Ethernet.
 
benwiggy said:
Use Migration Assistant to copy your apps and user settings from the SSD, and thne just drag copy over the stuff on the other drive.

No need to take the drive out! MA will work over wireless or Ethernet.
Click to expand...

It also works over USB, which is nice if you want to restore from a cloned disk.
 
bms259 said:
I just ordered a new Retina MBP, and need help figuring out the best way to transfer what I need from the old machine.

I have an older MBP with a SSD and an additional HDD. System files plus some working RAW image files are on the SSD. My user files, including a lot of RAW image files, are on the HDD.

The new rMBP will have enough space on the SSD for pretty much everything except my RAW photos, and some other media. I'd like to be able to use the rMBP without an external attached, and then use my current MBP's HDD as a working drive for my photos and other media.

Then I will either use the smaller SSD in my current MBP as the only drive in it, as my wife's main computer, or I may load it in an older Macbook.

I'm kinda stuck on what the best way to go about this will be. When I've upgraded my Macbook in the past I've just used Timemachine to restore my old set-up, and when I've upgraded the drives, I've always just copied the old to the new and swapped them out.

Thanks for the help!
Click to expand...

If you use Time Machine don't transfer network settings! This could screw up the drivers in the new Mac. Just manually rejoin your wireless networks.
 
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