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Getting a new Mac, how to transfer from old one?

S

SaMaster14

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 23, 2010
350
0
Los Angeles, CA
Well, I have an older MBP 17" (its at least 3-4 years old), and I'm getting a new MBP very soon.

Basically, I want to transfer my applications (downloaded stuff like Skype, Firefox, and my Photoshop application) as well as my pictures and iTunes library (all of it...)

Do you think the Mac guys at the apple store will help if I make an appointment, or is there a simple way to do it all (pictures/files should be easy... just drag and drop over a shared network or with a flashdrive/external harddrive), but I feel like I would have trouble with applications (just download them again on the new laptop maybe?) and I also feel like I may run into trouble trying to bring my entire iTunes library over.

Thanks for any suggestions!
 
The slightly advanced user will use firewire (and perhaps even thunderbolt in the future) and use target disk mode (multiple ways to do it once in target disk mode), it is super easy and all you need is the two computers and the cable, that's it.

But I run a Mac Pro (which has four hot-swappable drive bays), I just plop a new hard drive in and use Disk Utility's Restore feature, two clicks and it makes a mirror image.

You can do the same and you are good to go with just a few clicks.

If you are upgrading to Lion, however, I'd take the time and trouble to do everything fresh. Lion's apps are going to require various calls to take advantage of Lion's new features -- many old apps aren't Lion ready, losing functionality. Something to think about.
 

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I have regular Leopard on my current MBP, and the new one will come pre-installed with Lion.

I will most likely do the firewire way... and if necessary set up an appointment at the mac store so they can help me.

And thanks for the links simsaladimbamba, I'll check them out.
 
If you have a time machine backup you can just use migration assistant to move all of it to the new computer
 
Setup Assistant - not Migration Assistant - is the way to go. It will ask you when you first fire up the new machine if you want to transfer files. You do. It then leads you through the process and transfers everything - including your account names and settings - painlessly.
 
Batt said:
Setup Assistant - not Migration Assistant - is the way to go. It will ask you when you first fire up the new machine if you want to transfer files. You do. It then leads you through the process and transfers everything - including your account names and settings - painlessly.
Click to expand...

Yeah that's what I meant. Just select that you want to transfer stuff from a backup when you install
 
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