Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Got SSD...now what?
- Thread starter PNGento
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Only after you challenged my advice. For some reason you thought I was saying one was better than the other in my OP. So then I felt like messing with you by saying "Better" and "Fresh"
Although I still think a clean install is the preferred method, as long as you have a proper TM backup.Its a sensitive subject apparently...
But I can say that when I bought my 2012 MBP-15 I used Migration Assistant like I usually do and it had problems - slow, loud, running hot.
I transferred from a 2009 MBP which was from a 2006 Macbook, so it had legacy files/junk from Tiger/Leopard/etc. It had never before been an issue on other upgrades of OS X or to new computers.
When I took it back and got a new machine (same model) I did a manual transfer of files and that seemed to solve all the problems.
This anecdote may or may not indicate that a manual transfer of files to a freshly installed OS can help avoid certain problems, but that seems to be what I found.
But I can say that when I bought my 2012 MBP-15 I used Migration Assistant like I usually do and it had problems - slow, loud, running hot.
I transferred from a 2009 MBP which was from a 2006 Macbook, so it had legacy files/junk from Tiger/Leopard/etc. It had never before been an issue on other upgrades of OS X or to new computers.
When I took it back and got a new machine (same model) I did a manual transfer of files and that seemed to solve all the problems.
This anecdote may or may not indicate that a manual transfer of files to a freshly installed OS can help avoid certain problems, but that seems to be what I found.
If the system is still very new, clone it, you will save a LOT of time than re-installing everything from scratch - there is always an off chance you may forget a program or two.
If the system is old and you don't mind starting on a clean slate / doing lots of house cleaning, go ahead with a fresh install.
If the system is old and you don't mind starting on a clean slate / doing lots of house cleaning, go ahead with a fresh install.
Hmm, this sounds like a promising option...but, where do I find or get migration assistant?
And, I'd like to get an enclosure for the original HD and use it as an external HD...what specifications do I need to consider for the enclosure. I'd think 2.5 SATA, USB (but, 2.0 or 3.0?)...and I'd guess SATA (does it need to specify I, II, or III?).
In meantime, just before the swap, I will do a new backup and also do a carbon copy clone and will have all that available on a separate external hard drive.
In spotlight type in migration assistant and it should show up under your applications.
This is the enclosure I bought for my HDD.....http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002JQNXZC/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1342485789&sr=8-1
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Tempted to give CCC a run. Its price is very reasonable as well @ $20 bucks. Thanks for the link.
I prefer clean installs, just because of the reasons mentioned for legacy files, etc and an accumulation of new junk files instead of carrying over the old ones.
Applications can always be re-downloaded, Photos/Music can be transferred with super ease. Applications now a days can export data.
Just upgrade my friends computer that was two versions behind and really did not want to tinker with "migrating", rather go with a fresh install and boy does it speed things up.
But, jeez, you guys argue too much haha.
Applications can always be re-downloaded, Photos/Music can be transferred with super ease. Applications now a days can export data.
Just upgrade my friends computer that was two versions behind and really did not want to tinker with "migrating", rather go with a fresh install and boy does it speed things up.
But, jeez, you guys argue too much haha.
Thanks, found migration assistant. Now then, with Mountain Lion's deployment on the horizon, I wonder if I should wait to get that...then use ML to do the initial formatting and partitioning of the new SSD and then use migration asst. to transfer the rest from the old HD???
OR, should I first upgrade the old HD to ML and THEN do the migration (or cloning) or backup restoring. Thoughts?
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Probably doesn't hurt to do everything now and then upgrade to ML later. However I would probably wait until ML is released because its just around the corner, and less time consuming.
Sorry for the hijack.
Is it possible to use the data-cable to clone the HDD to SSD?
Instead of buying an enclosure for the SSD.
Crucial 256 GB m4 2.5-Inch Solid State Drive SATA 6Gb/s with Data Transfer Kit CT256M4SSD2CCA
Is it possible to use the data-cable to clone the HDD to SSD?
Instead of buying an enclosure for the SSD.
Crucial 256 GB m4 2.5-Inch Solid State Drive SATA 6Gb/s with Data Transfer Kit CT256M4SSD2CCA
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
If you do plan on getting ML when it comes out (likely in one week), your first scenario makes more sense to me. I don't see the point in installing Lion, then ML on top of it, then migrating if you are going to ML anyway.
That will work.
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Yes that will work. But if you want to save $10-$12 just do a fresh install and use TM or migration assistant. If you have good Internet connection downloading the OS takes less than 30min, took me about 20 actually.
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Meaning to say, use TM to back up the HDD to an external drive. And then pop in the new SSD with nothing on it -> use the internet to download the OS -> transfer back the data that was backed up in the external drive?
Yes. When you hold down the option key while boot up it will give you the option to connect to the Internet and download the OS. When that's done it will give you the option to restore with TM or use migration assistant. I would also make a thumb drive for the Internet recovery using this method....http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1433
Just plug it in before booting up.
OP here...here is what I have to work with. Got the Crucial 512GB SSD with the transfer cable (got it for same price as without, so why not). I have TM backed up the orig. HDD to a third (ext) HDD, as well as doing a CCC of the orig. HDD to the same third ext. HDD.
So, now that I have the transfer cable, and wanting to do a fresh install...how best to proceed? Should I remove the orig. HDD, install the new SSD, attach the orig. HDD to the transfer cable, boot to the orig. HDD (hold down option key) at boot up. Then, when booted to the orig HDD attached now by transfer cable to USB port, shouldn't I be able to format the SSD and once that is done, install Lion to the SSD. Then, use migration asst to make the SSD fully functional?
Or should I use TM recovery rather than migration asst? Is one better than the other route? How do they differ?
Thanks.
Last edited:
The process you described will work just fine. I would just use CCC to do the restore to the new drive. After the swap just format the SSD and run CCC to clone the old drive to the new. It will even create the Recovery partition for you on the new drive. Same end result as your other methods, but faster and easier.
If you don't wish to use CCC, either of the other restore methods will work and are equally effective.
The keyword here is context. Partial dialog between the two, with one of GGJstudios' posts deleted in the middle:
Except a fresh install also requires OP re-installing everything from scratch, then fixing individual app preferences so they will work how OP is used to previously. This does not include the time needed to manually copy the old data to the new SSD, plus whatever amount of time needed to fix permissions and apply updates.
A fresh install doesn't sound like such a good idea now, does it. "A fresh install is BETTER because it's FRESH!"... bad advice.
Because a fresh install is BETTER
...
You are correct that using Carbon Cloner would get the OP up and running quickly but acting like a fresh install is not a valid option is a disservice to the OP.
Apparently, you didn't read the thread. I did not ever suggest that a fresh install wasn't a valid option. On the contrary, Irock619 suggested that cloning with CCC was not a valid option. I challenged that position, as both are valid options. For the purposes of simply migrating to a new drive, either one will work, but cloning is quicker and easier. For the purposes of cleaning up a drive, which is a completely separate issue, a fresh install is appropriate.
OP wants to know a method to seamlessly migrate his existing data from the storage drive in his existing MBP to the new SSD he received. GGJstudios suggested Carbon Copy Cloner. Irock619 claimed a fresh install is better.
Except a fresh install also requires OP re-installing everything from scratch, then fixing individual app preferences so they will work how OP is used to previously. This does not include the time needed to manually copy the old data to the new SSD, plus whatever amount of time needed to fix permissions and apply updates.
A fresh install doesn't sound like such a good idea now, does it. "A fresh install is BETTER because it's FRESH!"... bad advice.
Last edited by a moderator:
I did a fresh install of Lion and then as it loads up and asks you if you want to restore from TM, start like new... I picked to restore my apps, user files, etc from TM. It looks like if you modified any system files it does not copy them. For example, I had custom stuff in /etc/hosts and had to manually restore it from backup, initial restore did not pick that up. Java also needs to be installed separately, but other than that, everything seems as it should be. The whole ordeal took about 5 hours, of which 2 were spent downloading the OS image from the internet.
Wow, thanks for picking apart a conversation I had with gsstudios and completely missed the whole point. I gave legitimate advice to the OP directly, as did GSStudios. My sarcasm was directed toward GSStudios, not the OP. Get a life..
----------
Refer to my post #42
Read this post. (Admin, please close this thread for good!)
HERE ARE THE OPTIONS WHEN YOU GET A NEW SSD:
[1] Apple's own Time Machine
[2] Carbon Copy Cloner (free for 30 days)
[3] Fresh Install of all softwares including Mac OS X.
Procedure for [1]:
1) Completely backup your Mac by Time Machine application in Mac OS X.
2) Turn off your Mac and replace your hard drive with the newly bought SSD.
3) Now you have two options (choose one): 3A or 3B
3A) Install Mac OS X and then use Migration Assistant to restore backup from Time Machine backup
3B) When installing Mac OS X, choose an option to restore from Time Machine backup
4) Done. Now Enjoy.
Procedure for [2]:
1) Use Carbon Copy Cloner App to clone you Mac's hard drive to SSD using external hard drive enclosure.
2) Replace your Mac's hard drive with the SSD.
3) Done. Now Enjoy.
Procedure for [3]:
1) Install SSD into your Mac
2) Install Mac OS X
3) Install all the programs.
4) Put the old hard drive into external enclosure and connect it to the Mac.
5) Move all the personal files to the SSD
6) Done. Now Enjoy.
My preference is to use [1] Time Machine, which I've already posted on this thread, and simply migrate from Time Machine backup. Apple made this process very simple... No brainer. After you try [1] or [2] and you are still not satisfied with performance or you have time to kill, try [3] but it may take a long time to restore everything back to where it was.
How simple was that?
HERE ARE THE OPTIONS WHEN YOU GET A NEW SSD:
[1] Apple's own Time Machine
[2] Carbon Copy Cloner (free for 30 days)
[3] Fresh Install of all softwares including Mac OS X.
Procedure for [1]:
1) Completely backup your Mac by Time Machine application in Mac OS X.
2) Turn off your Mac and replace your hard drive with the newly bought SSD.
3) Now you have two options (choose one): 3A or 3B
3A) Install Mac OS X and then use Migration Assistant to restore backup from Time Machine backup
3B) When installing Mac OS X, choose an option to restore from Time Machine backup
4) Done. Now Enjoy.
Procedure for [2]:
1) Use Carbon Copy Cloner App to clone you Mac's hard drive to SSD using external hard drive enclosure.
2) Replace your Mac's hard drive with the SSD.
3) Done. Now Enjoy.
Procedure for [3]:
1) Install SSD into your Mac
2) Install Mac OS X
3) Install all the programs.
4) Put the old hard drive into external enclosure and connect it to the Mac.
5) Move all the personal files to the SSD
6) Done. Now Enjoy.
My preference is to use [1] Time Machine, which I've already posted on this thread, and simply migrate from Time Machine backup. Apple made this process very simple... No brainer. After you try [1] or [2] and you are still not satisfied with performance or you have time to kill, try [3] but it may take a long time to restore everything back to where it was.
How simple was that?
Last edited by a moderator: