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Duplicate a laptop in its entirety

S

SparkyCanada

macrumors regular
Original poster
Feb 9, 2008
127
8
Hi there.

I have a Macbook Pro running Lion (I use Lion because the music programs are happy with it and it is stable) - that I use on stage.

Recently I purchased a new laptop - making the one I use daily - available for me to use as a back-up for my stage set-up.

Both the stage & now stage back-up are the same 2008 versions - but different operating systems (Lion & Leopard).

I am not sure how to make an identical copy of my stage laptop -> my stage duplicate laptop.

I know I could use time machine - but I don't have access to another hard drive right now.

So I guess I'm asking if there is a way to connect the 2 and have a process initiated that will make an exact copy of my stage set-up -> operating system & files...?

Thanks,

SparkyCanada
 
SparkyCanada said:
Hi there.

I have a Macbook Pro running Lion (I use Lion because the music programs are happy with it and it is stable) - that I use on stage.

Recently I purchased a new laptop - making the one I use daily - available for me to use as a back-up for my stage set-up.

Both the stage & now stage back-up are the same 2008 versions - but different operating systems (Lion & Leopard).

I am not sure how to make an identical copy of my stage laptop -> my stage duplicate laptop.

I know I could use time machine - but I don't have access to another hard drive right now.

So I guess I'm asking if there is a way to connect the 2 and have a process initiated that will make an exact copy of my stage set-up -> operating system & files...?

Thanks,

SparkyCanada
Click to expand...
Target disk mode and a firewire cable is all you need.

Boot the computer that'll be a backup while holding down T. Plug it into the firewire port of your main computer. Have disk utility erase the backup computer's disk and restore the main computer's disk to it.

Carbon copy, without an external hard drive.
 
snaky69 said:
Target disk mode and a firewire cable is all you need.

Boot the computer that'll be a backup while holding down T. Plug it into the firewire port of your main computer. Have disk utility erase the backup computer's disk and restore the main computer's disk to it.

Carbon copy, without an external hard drive.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the awesome solution!

Will it matter that the operating systems are different?

SparkyCanada
 
SparkyCanada said:
Thanks for the awesome solution!

Will it matter that the operating systems are different?

SparkyCanada
Click to expand...

Your backup will become a "clone" of your newer one, so no, IT will end up
having the newer OS installed on it during the process.

One caveat - as you are using several music apps / plugins :

As they will end up on your backup, which is a different machine id, you will
have to re-authorise probably most of your software - just be aware of that.

Regards,
M
 
SparkyCanada said:
Thanks for the awesome solution!

Will it matter that the operating systems are different?

SparkyCanada
Click to expand...

If you use Carbon Copy Cloner, it will make both laptops identical including the operating system. Be sure the newer laptop is capable of running the older operating system, otherwise it won't boot.

With CCC you can specify which directories to clone, so if you wish too, you can leave the operating system untouched.
 
I recently upgraded laptops. I simply booted into the new laptop into target disk mode and booted the old laptop into the disk utility section of recovery mode and restored my original hard drive on my new laptop.
 
Thanks everyone.

Only thing is... I want to have both of them on the older operating system - 'cause that's the most stable.

Will the above solutions still apply?

SparkyCanada
 
SparkyCanada said:
Only thing is... I want to have both of them on the older operating system - 'cause that's the most stable.

Will the above solutions still apply?
Click to expand...
It all depends on whether the newer computer can run the older OS. Generally speaking Mac's are not backward compatible, that is the oldest version of OSX that can run on a given Mac is the one that it came with.

If you bought a brand new retina MBP, then you'll not be able to run Lion on it. If its a 2012 cMBP than I believe you should be able to run Lion on it.
 
maflynn said:
It all depends on whether the newer computer can run the older OS. Generally speaking Mac's are not backward compatible, that is the oldest version of OSX that can run on a given Mac is the one that it came with.

If you bought a brand new retina MBP, then you'll not be able to run Lion on it. If its a 2012 cMBP than I believe you should be able to run Lion on it.
Click to expand...

The 2012's came with Lion on them when they came out, so yes, Lion will run.
 
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