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Can I use disk utility to clone old hard drive to new MB Pro?

PackFan

PackFan

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 22, 2009
275
104
Twin Cities, MN
Just wondering...

Can I make a disk image of my current MB Pro (early 2008) and copy it to my new i7 MB Pro to retain all my docs and programs?

Thanks.
 
You can use migration assistant or import from a time machine backup. You could probably restore a carbon copy cloner image too. I have no idea about using disk utility to restore an image. It seems plausible.
 
Does migration assistant copy over everything? Programs, docs?

How about my Windows partition? Am I best off reinstalling everything there? Or can I use CCC/disk utility to do that?
 
you can use superduper! it works great. i had the stock 160 gb and used it to clone it into a 500gb 7200 rpm drive. i don't kno how much it cost but i think you can buy it at a place that rhymes with biofunt for i think .01 cent or around there :)
 
I've used SuperDuper! before with great results.

Question. My old computer is running Leopard. How would one go around this being that my new mbp is going to be running Snow Leopard and I am not able to install Snow Leopard on my old machine? Hmm....
 
dausone said:
I've used SuperDuper! before with great results.

Question. My old computer is running Leopard. How would one go around this being that my new mbp is going to be running Snow Leopard and I am not able to install Snow Leopard on my old machine? Hmm....
Click to expand...

If I had 2 machines, one old and another brand new running Snow Leopard, I would use migration assistant to transfer from old to new. If I remember correctly it will only copy apps that your new machine does not have. So it will not overwrite new Snow Leopard programs with old Leopard programs of the same name. It does a great job of transferring your user data (email, safari, iphoto, itunes, user settings and data).
 
xlii said:
If I had 2 machines, one old and another brand new running Snow Leopard, I would use migration assistant to transfer from old to new. If I remember correctly it will only copy apps that your new machine does not have. So it will not overwrite new Snow Leopard programs with old Leopard programs of the same name. It does a great job of transferring your user data (email, safari, iphoto, itunes, user settings and data).
Click to expand...

Ahhhh.. Migration assistant. I've never used that before. Great tip. Thanks!
 
PackFan said:
Does migration assistant copy over everything? Programs, docs?

How about my Windows partition? Am I best off reinstalling everything there? Or can I use CCC/disk utility to do that?
Click to expand...

Any other thoughts? How do people transfer from their old Mac to a new one?
 
Don't do a direct clone. I think the system files might be different and possibly cause problems with hardware etc. For example, if you clone a MBP HDD to a MB, it won't even boot. So, to be safe, either restore from a Time Machine backup or use migration assistant. I tend to reinstall everything myself, but I realize that's a lot of effort.
 
Ok - sounds fine.

How about the Windows 7 partition? Is Windows smart enough to adapt to the new hardware if I just copy the partition?
 
Migration Assistant worked perfectly. It is a pretty amazing tool that I am dumbfounded it took me all these years to realize it existed.

I wish I would have migrated everything over upon initial startup of my new mbp, that way my old main user account would be my new main user account. Now I am stuck with two accounts, the one I setup my new mbp with and my old migrated laptop. Hope that makes sense to those wanting to try this out. :)
 
PackFan said:
Ok - sounds fine.

How about the Windows 7 partition? Is Windows smart enough to adapt to the new hardware if I just copy the partition?
Click to expand...

All Windows OSs phone home to activate; part of the process links the license to your hardware configuration.

I know it doesn't work on PCs; I suspect it is unlikely to work on Mac.
 
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