Help! Migration / Cloning Question

[Mr. Monsieur]

Hey folks!

So...I've scoured the forums looking for info, but haven't found a precise answer to my question:
I'm about to sell my MacBook and I would like to port all the data to the MacBook Pro I'm going to buy, once I get the money from the sale. I'm looking to do this in one of two ways...either:
1) When I get the MacBook Pro, use Time Machine (which has cloned my MacBook's hard drive to an external hard drive) to restore all the data. My concern with this method is:
a) whether or not things are actually cloned, or will I need to go looking for them?
b) if the new computer I get has Snow Leopard on it, will Time Machine still work? (Since my MacBook is running Leopard).

OR

2) Use Carbon Copy Cloner to clone my hard drive to an internal hard drive (in an enclosure), which I would then place into the new MacBook Pro. My concern with this, again, is that the clone of the MacBook would be running Leopard, whereas the new MacBook Pro will likely come preloaded with Snow Leopard.
Perhaps this wouldn't be a problem, though? The new MacBook Pro would come with installation disks for Snow Leopard...but installation disks and upgrade disks are likely quite different, right?

Any thoughts/assistance would be much appreciated!

 

[BlueRevolution]

a) whether or not things are actually cloned, or will I need to go looking for them?

They are actually cloned.

b) if the new computer I get has Snow Leopard on it, will Time Machine still work? (Since my MacBook is running Leopard).

It should do so, yes. I can't say this with absolute certainty since Leopard was the first version of Mac OS X with Time Machine, so nobody, save perhaps for users of the public betas, has used a Time Machine backup to upgrade Mac OS X. However, restoring a Time Machine backup in Leopard works like this, and upgrading from previous versions of Mac OS X works like this, so I see no reason why upgrading from a Time Machine backup should be an exception.

Perhaps this wouldn't be a problem, though? The new MacBook Pro would come with installation disks for Snow Leopard...but installation disks and upgrade disks are likely quite different, right?

You can upgrade from the installation disks as well.

Personally, I'd go the Time Machine route. You already have a Time Machine backup, and the process for restoring from a Time Machine backup should be exactly the same as restoring/upgrading from a cloned copy.

 

[BobZune]

I have nothing against Time Machine, but it has only been around for a relatively short time. I'd suggest a bootable, verified clone (if you have space on the TM disk for another partition big enough, that would be better so you can in essence make dual backup - if not, consider deleting TM backup and reformatting the drive and then clone it using CarbonCopyCloner/Superduper and VERIFY that your current machine boots from the clone.

Later you can use the new machine and restore from the verified clone using Migration Assistant on Leopard/SnowLeopard.

 

[BlueRevolution]

I would hardly call 2 years and 7 patches a "short time"...

I've restored from a number of Time Machine backups without incident. The only benefit of cloning over Time Machine is that restoring from a Time Machine backup requires downloading all of the patches again, which is obviously not an issue when upgrading.

 

[BobZune]

I would hardly call 2 years and 7 patches a "short time"...

I've restored from a number of Time Machine backups without incident. The only benefit of cloning over Time Machine is that restoring from a Time Machine backup requires downloading all of the patches again, which is obviously not an issue when upgrading.

So have I (restored from TM a few times). But TM is still in the "trust but verify" class of applications for me, due to its complexity and the "only 2 years" experience. YMMV, and so may our opinions. This wasn't to start an argument, but to present an option to the OP.

 

[BlueRevolution]

To be sure, but Carbon Copy Cloner doesn't verify the clone either as far as I know. Sure, you can test it by booting to the cloned backup, but that doesn't verify that the non-essential files have been copied correctly, including personal stuff and so forth.

There's nothing wrong with using Carbon Copy Cloner instead of Time Machine, and indeed that's the method I normally use when replacing hard drives, but I just don't see a benefit in this case.

 

[NC MacGuy]

I've done a few both ways, Time Machine works very well and haven't had an issue w. four computers so far. One of the better pieces of software Apple's come up with lately.

If you have a working computer and buy a new one, Migration Assistant via firewire works the best. Just check the everything box when prompted.

 

[Mjmar]

I've been having the same dilemma with the Leopard time machine compatibility with Snow Leopard... And I asked in the chat on the Apple site and this is what I got:

 

[Mr. Monsieur]

Thanks!

Thanks folks! That's really helpful. I'm going to take my chances with TM (I'm backing up critical data piece by piece to another, smaller, HD as well)...wish me luck!

 

[Macshaft]

Guys

I have some input into this as I'm doing exactly the same as the topic starter.

Just last week my Macbook hard drive failed. This system had Leopard installed (10.5) I had been using TM to backup to an external usb drive.

The hard drive was replaced and a fresh install of Snow Leopard done on the computer.

When I connect the usb drive, TM asks whether I want to use this drive for backups. Obviously I answer No, or Decide later as I want to restore my old backup first, without TM messing about starting to clone the fresh 10.6 install.

I go to the Migration assistant (or manager?) and select restore from a TM backup (the middle option). Now the problem is in the next screen the TM backup partition is not available for selection - only the Macbook's internal drive is visible. The usb drive and the backup partition are however visible on the desktop and accessible just fine.

What gives? A bug with the migration assistent?

 

[MackN00B]

I have the same problem.

Guys

I have some input into this as I'm doing exactly the same as the topic starter.

Just last week my Macbook hard drive failed. This system had Leopard installed (10.5) I had been using TM to backup to an external usb drive.

The hard drive was replaced and a fresh install of Snow Leopard done on the computer.

When I connect the usb drive, TM asks whether I want to use this drive for backups. Obviously I answer No, or Decide later as I want to restore my old backup first, without TM messing about starting to clone the fresh 10.6 install.

I go to the Migration assistant (or manager?) and select restore from a TM backup (the middle option). Now the problem is in the next screen the TM backup partition is not available for selection - only the Macbook's internal drive is visible. The usb drive and the backup partition are however visible on the desktop and accessible just fine.

What gives? A bug with the migration assistent?

I am only a few months into my 1st Mac and I am totally lost on this issue. I have no idea what I am doing wrong here. I made a time machine backup after I upgraded to Snow Leopard, swapped hard drives, installed Snow Leopard fresh on the new HDD, now I cannot ger my data back from my time machine backup...

 

[Macshaft]

Hi

My problem was user error.

I got confused by the fact that the backup partition which was the only one visible and available for selection in the Migration Assistent window, has the same name as the new hard drive.

A good clue was that when the USB drive was disconnected, there was nothing available for selection.

Restored from that backup and eveything is well.

 

[Macshaft]

I am only a few months into my 1st Mac and I am totally lost on this issue. I have no idea what I am doing wrong here. I made a time machine backup after I upgraded to Snow Leopard, swapped hard drives, installed Snow Leopard fresh on the new HDD, now I cannot ger my data back from my time machine backup...

Please tell us what you ARE trying to do to restore the backup? Why can't you get the data back? Are you using the Migration Assistent program?