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Is it safe to migrate all data from my powerbook G4 12"???

yOyOYoo

yOyOYoo

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 13, 2005
715
114
CA
Is it safe for me to migrate all the contents of my powerbook G4 12" to my brand new 13" aluminum macbook??

I thought it would be too much trouble to load all my iPhoto pictures, iTunes music, registered programs, and firefox bookmarks.

Any downside to doing this? I'm assuming since there are no viruses on OSX, that I will be fine transfering everything directly over to the new laptop are, correct?

It's just too bad this is going to take 3 hours!!! All I want to do is play with the new macbook!!!
 
yOyOYoo said:
Is it safe for me to migrate all the contents of my powerbook G4 12" to my brand new 13" aluminum macbook??

I thought it would be too much trouble to load all my iPhoto pictures, iTunes music, registered programs, and firefox bookmarks.

Any downside to doing this? I'm assuming since there are no viruses on OSX, that I will be fine transfering everything directly over to the new laptop are, correct?

It's just too bad this is going to take 3 hours!!! All I want to do is play with the new macbook!!!
Click to expand...

If you have an external hard drive just do a time machine back up. Its super easy. I migrated everything from a white plastic MB to the new aluminum.
When you first start the aluminum it will ask if you want to migrate files. Its super easy just follow directions.
 
The migration assistant takes care of it for you. That is how I moved from my 12" PB to my last-gen 15" MBP.

I still have my 12" for watching movies, and for a few PPC only and OS9 classic applications.
 
Thanks for the replies. One problem.

I set up the migration and it lasted around 4 hours. Towards the last minute, while it was saying:

"Transferring files to support applications"

The program lost connection.

This happened 3 times, even when I disconnected and restarted. It just continues the migration from where it left off, and then it hangs for a while, and says the connection is lost. On the new macbook I can see a few programs and files that have transferred over, but not all. I definitely do not have any of my itunes music or iPhoto pictures transferred over.

What does this mean? Help!
 
How are you connecting? FireWire target disk mode? ethernet? do you have the latest version of migration assistant on both systems?

Edit: Just realized you got the new AL MB, so no FW. So are you using ethernet or wireless?
 
yOyOYoo said:
Thanks for the replies. One problem.

I set up the migration and it lasted around 4 hours. Towards the last minute, while it was saying:

"Transferring files to support applications"

The program lost connection.

This happened 3 times, even when I disconnected and restarted. It just continues the migration from where it left off, and then it hangs for a while, and says the connection is lost. On the new macbook I can see a few programs and files that have transferred over, but not all. I definitely do not have any of my itunes music or iPhoto pictures transferred over.

What does this mean? Help!
Click to expand...

Try using a time machine back up.. (or is that what your doing?)
 
yOyOYoo said:
Is it safe for me to migrate all the contents of my powerbook G4 12" to my brand new 13" aluminum macbook??

I thought it would be too much trouble to load all my iPhoto pictures, iTunes music, registered programs, and firefox bookmarks.

Any downside to doing this? I'm assuming since there are no viruses on OSX, that I will be fine transfering everything directly over to the new laptop are, correct?

It's just too bad this is going to take 3 hours!!! All I want to do is play with the new macbook!!!
Click to expand...

Mine took 2 hous via ethernet from my PB12 to MBP15... no problems at all.
 
I am connecting the 2 with an Ethernet cable. Are there any specific settings that I need to do under 'Networking' or 'sharing'??

I was hoping this process could be simple 'plug and play'

I guess I really could have used an external drive to transfer music and pictures manually... I just don't want to reorganize all of my iPhoto albums!!!

Anything else I can do? Yes, I do not have time capsule
 
yOyOYoo said:
I am connecting the 2 with an Ethernet cable. Are there any specific settings that I need to do under 'Networking' or 'sharing'??

I was hoping this process could be simple 'plug and play'

I guess I really could have used an external drive to transfer music and pictures manually... I just don't want to reorganize all of my iPhoto albums!!!

Anything else I can do? Yes, I do not have time capsule
Click to expand...

It should be just a plug and play. Did you update the Migration Assistant through Software Update on your PB?
 
To OP:

First take a deep breath. Your files are still safe in your PB.

Now, reboot the new MB with the installation DVDs. Reinstall Leopard, at the end you can start over again with migration assistant.

If that still doesn't work (connection error again). Redo the whole process one more time, but this time, do not get migration assistant to move everything, move only the files. Re-install the apps manually afterward.
 
Thanks for your help. As for the install CD, I placed it in my old powerbook and it scratched the heck out of it!!!

What are my other options? Aside from getting another install CD from the Apple store?

silverblack said:
To OP:

First take a deep breath. Your files are still safe in your PB.

Now, reboot the new MB with the installation DVDs. Reinstall Leopard, at the end you can start over again with migration assistant.

If that still doesn't work (connection error again). Redo the whole process one more time, but this time, do not get migration assistant to move everything, move only the files. Re-install the apps manually afterward.
Click to expand...
 
yOyOYoo said:
Thanks for your help. As for the install CD, I placed it in my old powerbook and it scratched the heck out of it!!!

What are my other options? Aside from getting another install CD from the Apple store?
Click to expand...

If you still want to do a fresh install, you probably have to get the DVDs (specifically for the Al-MB) from Apple. The retail copy of Leopard is older, and thus (I think) will not have all the drivers for the new MB hardware.

Alternative to a fresh install, you could try resetting the SMC of the Al-MB, and see if it will boot into Leopard without kicking into the previous session of Migration Assistant. Then you can try relaunching migration assistant under utiilty, but select files only this time.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1411
 
I would have to second the call to boot all the way through the setup for the new computer into 10.5. If my memory serves me correctly, the migration assistant on the initial startup is fairly limited compared to the full version. Since target disk mode isn't an option, you could always move stuff through the Finder over the ethernet cable if you cannot do it in Migration assistant. Your other option would be to put the hard disk from the G4 into an enclosure (if you have one) and copy everything over through USB. That would be a last resort, though, as you should be able to do it over Finder even if migration assistant fails.

The advantages of working with Finder, though, are that you can pick and choose every file that you want to copy over and where to place them. Migration Assistant just groups them into three or four categories.
 
NC MacGuy said:
Tiger or Leopard? or did I miss this?
Click to expand...
Seems like 10.4 to me.

yOyOYoo said:
I guess I really could have used an external drive to transfer music and pictures manually... I just don't want to reorganize all of my iPhoto albums!!!
Click to expand...
If you're using iPhoto 08 on the G4, you'll be able to just copy the library folder off of it and past it into users: photos on the new system. The albums and organizational stuff will remain untouched.
 
I have iphoto 5, which is 2002-2005. =(

will apple replace my install cd if I give them my scratched one? or will they charge me?

akonradi said:
Seems like 10.4 to me.


If you're using iPhoto 08 on the G4, you'll be able to just copy the library folder off of it and past it into users:photos on the new system. The albums and organizational stuff will remain untouched.
Click to expand...
 
Update.

I just realized that I was missing 80GB of space... I do a little investigating and apparently I have transferred ALL my photos and music already to the new macbook!!

It was under Macintosh HD: Users: Myusername

All the folders were locked and I needed to unlock each folder individually.

I guess the last 1 minute of the original sync was supposed to do this for me...

I guess all I need is to reorganize everything.... i'm still left a little sour about how this whole transition process was NOT smooth for me, I wonder what went wrong??
 
I know exactly what you meant by 'sour feeling'. I used migration assistant to transfer from a MBA to MB. Everything went well, but somehow, the new MB took 30 sec longer to boot up every time afterward.

Even though there's no problem at all after it finished booting, I decided to do an refresh install, and move my files over manually, and re-install all my apps. I want my new MB to be error free.
 
I just ordered a new macbook as an upgrade to my iBook g4. I am just making sure I understand correctly, the best way to move files is to boot the computer the whole way up the first time--get the newest migration assistant and then transfer all the files using ethernet?
 
Now that I have all my old iPhoto pictures, ALL of the individually numbered folders are all password protected. I have to remove each individual lock one at a time, and it is SUPER annoying.

Is there a shortcut to doing this? I can't even delete these files without first removing the password and allowing universal access to read and write the contents of these folders....

HELP
 
I take it that both of your MB and PB are functional now. Can you use file sharing over the network to move your iPhoto library from the PB to the MB? After that, delete the library previous migrated, and launch iPhoto. You should be able to then tell it where the new library is.

Also, try repairing permission of the MB.
 
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