How Best to Upgrade a 5 Y/O Macbook Pro?

[jaybar]

Hi

I have a co-worker who has a MBP that is about 5 years old. She is running Tiger. Her MBP has the intel chip and I think 2GB of RAM.

She has never backed up the computer and does not even have an external HD.

She would like to move to Snow Leapard. There are several questions:

1) Can she use my SL upgrade disk which I will give her as a gift?
2) Is there backup software, she can use to backup her data/settings and then restore once she installs SL?
3) Intego makes backup software. Is it good? Can it run in both Tiger and SL?
4) Are there better backup choices?
5) Once she installs SL, Can she use the new Apple wireless keyboard and wireless mouse?

I plan to give the mouse and keyboard to her as a gift, IF she can use them.

Since I purchased an iMac, which includes the mouse and keyboard (I previously had a Mini), I no longer need them?

She does not have a high level of technical skill, so I am concerned.

Thanks in advance.

Jay

 

[aiqw9182]

1) Yes.
2) Yes, you can either use a program called SuperDuper or manually move the files onto an external hard drive.
3) Once you have Snow Leopard you can use Time Machine to back up your information. You won't need any other applications.
4) No.
5) Yes, just make sure to disconnect and remove them from your computer. System Preferences > Bluetooth

If you had a Mini prior and you had bought a wireless keyboard and wireless mouse separate, then you won't need them. If you only have the wireless keyboard and mouse from the iMac, then you will need them.

 

[fabian9]

Hi

I have a co-worker who has a MBP that is about 5 years old. She is running Tiger. Her MBP has the intel chip and I think 2GB of RAM.

She has never backed up the computer and does not even have an external HD.

She would like to move to Snow Leapard. There are several questions:

1) Can she use my SL upgrade disk which I will give her as a gift?
2) Is there backup software, she can use to backup her data/settings and then restore once she installs SL?
3) Intego makes backup software. Is it good? Can it run in both Tiger and SL?
4) Are there better backup choices?
5) Once she installs SL, Can she use the new Apple wireless keyboard and wireless mouse?

I plan to give the mouse and keyboard to her as a gift, IF she can use them.

Since I purchased an iMac, which includes the mouse and keyboard (I previously had a Mini), I no longer need them?

She does not have a high level of technical skill, so I am concerned.

Thanks in advance.

Jay

is it not possible to upgrade from tiger straight to SL with the upgrade disk? she doesn't need to do a clean install, so she wouldn't have to restore any data later on from backups.

of course it's always a good idea to keep a backup before making any major OS changes.

 

[aiqw9182]

is it not possible to upgrade from tiger straight to SL with the upgrade disk? she doesn't need to do a clean install, so she wouldn't have to restore any data later on from backups.

of course it's always a good idea to keep a backup before making any major OS changes.

It is possible to upgrade directly from Tiger to Snow Leopard.

 

[torpy]

My recommendation? Use SuperDuper! (as mentioned earlier) to clone her harddisk onto an external. Then clean install Snow Leopard and use migration assistant to copy over all her data onto the new system.

 

[aiqw9182]

My recommendation? Use SuperDuper! (as mentioned earlier) to clone her harddisk onto an external. Then clean install Snow Leopard and use migration assistant to copy over all her data onto the new system.

If you are going to be using Migration Assistant then you might as well just do a direct upgrade.

 

[torpy]

True, but I recommend the SuperDuper! clone either way, a backup is always good to have.

 

[Pressure]

Snow Leopard will replace all the Tiger system files, so you might want to check her software for compatibility issues.

The easiest way to make a backup is to use Disk Utility, click the New Image and make it Read/Write. That way you have a backup in a disk image. Easy to restore from if any accidents should happen.

Then just upgrade directly from Tiger to Snow Leopard. I did this to two Mac Pro's at work and had no issues.