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is it worth the effort to avoid setup/migration assistant
- Thread starter msim20
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Yes... correct. It is just a matter of finding which of those folders it is launching from and deleting it. There is a nice, free app called Etrecheck that will create a report for you that shows all those items and where they are located.
You would use safe mode as a diagnostic tool. Say you are having crashes... so what you do is start in safe mode to see if the crashes go away. If safe mode stops the crashes, then that is proof it is one of those launch/startup items causing the crash, because safe mode bypasses all those items.
Just used Etrecheck. System all good for now - will run it on the new machine also once the transfer has happened. Thanks!
I would advise against using Migration Assistant. I work in tech support at a third party company and have seen too many people with problems with the software I support due to messed up user permissions when they use it. 10.12 makes fixing user permissions. Building a new user profile is just the safer route.
If you do the migration as part of system setup, it will not cause any permissions issues. What sometimes happens is people will complete system setup and create an account, then AFTER that run Migration Assistant. That scenario can cause permissions problems if the account to be imported is also using userID 501. You can read more about it here.
I have one user created and I have a failed transition attempt that has caused multiple users to be created. I guess I need to clean the computer before I do the Migration.
So I searched how to reset the computer and found this link. This seems cumbersome but I guess I will do it because I have had a failed Migration attempt - tried that wireless. Have now ordered the usb-c to usb and ethernet etc
Rich discussion here.
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Hey thanks for the warning. It will take so much time for me to build for scratch. Too many customizations - key board shortcuts, fast scripts, etc...
can someone recommend the best way to get back to FROM THE FACTORY setup after create an account, to test a machine?
I'll often setup a simple account to test the machine, screen, HD, dGPU etc, but want to get back to that state and then do a migration assistant backup direct as "first time"
Just follow the instructions here to remove the test account and cause setup assistant to start over and you will be all set.
Or, if you know for sure the old account to be imported is userID 501. You can make a second test account on the new machine, so that one will be userID 502. Then while logged in to account 502, delete 501 and run Migration Assistant from within 502. That way the migrated account will come in as 501 with no conflict. Then once the old 501 account is migrated in, login to it and delete the 502 account.
hi guys - migration assistant did not quite work for me
In the Users directory, there are too many folders. Many that start with com.*
iTunes, Pictures folder, Movies folder - nothing transferred! Those folders are simply empty.
Also, the disk has far more empty space than I had on the source machine - both are 512GB SSDs.
So now, I am left wondering what transferred and what did not.
Two options now:
In the Users directory, there are too many folders. Many that start with com.*
iTunes, Pictures folder, Movies folder - nothing transferred! Those folders are simply empty.
Also, the disk has far more empty space than I had on the source machine - both are 512GB SSDs.
So now, I am left wondering what transferred and what did not.
Two options now:
- Clean up my years of crazy folder structure and files, streamline it and then build the new computer from scratch and keep the old computer running side by side so as to be able to see how I had various things setup in the old computer - for example - Fastscripts.
- Upgrade my 2009 Macbook Pro to Sierra (currently El Capitan) and then try the transfer again. To upgrade I will need to use the hacks that are discussed here... didn't want to do that because I had reservations allowing a hack at the Kernel level. And if I upgrade my current MB Pro using the hack, then I wonder what part of it I might transfer to the new computer.
Can you explain step by step exactly what you started with in the way of accounts on both machines and exactly what you did?
Clean target machine. New install using Cmd-R, Disk Utility erase and then install OS.
Then made a Carbon Copy Cloner backup of the source machine.
Then Migration assistant on the target machine (after the machine asked for Wifi password).
Selected all accounts to be ported except one - Macports. And all Applications and all Other files.
Then when Migration Assistant all completed, saw that iTunes did not transfer.
Target machine also has a lot of empty space, so is missing stuff - I guess Pictures and iTunes will make up a lot of that difference. But I wonder what else?
Also realized that in the /machd/Users there are more folders than Users on source drive. Including folders with com.skitch.skitch and at least 10-12 other folders of Applications that I had on the source machine.
So I am thinking there can be two causes of the error:
- Source machine was a different OS.
- CCC backup did not have *.caches and /Library/Logs and Library/Caches. (This one makes less sense - why would iTunes be skipped then?)
So we went from 2009 MBP on El Capitan to 2016 MBP on Sierra yes? That should not be a problem. You can migrate from old to newer OS, but not the reverse.
You can migrate from a CCC clone no problem. I'm confused though. You mentioned wifi, but also mention CCC. What was the data source for the migration?
Yes - 2009 MBP on El Capitan to 2016 MBP on Sierra.
Yes - data source was CCC clone (without caches and logs). Wifi earlier - not relevant.
Have made a CCC clone with all files - nothing left out. Reset the 2016 MBP by Disk Utility erase, and reinstall OS.
Wondering if I should try to migrate one more time, or whether to only try to migrate the User folder - and not the Apps.
Yes - data source was CCC clone (without caches and logs). Wifi earlier - not relevant.
Have made a CCC clone with all files - nothing left out. Reset the 2016 MBP by Disk Utility erase, and reinstall OS.
Wondering if I should try to migrate one more time, or whether to only try to migrate the User folder - and not the Apps.
I dunno what went wrong. That should work fine. I don't see how excluding the apps would matter. If you are up for it, might be worth another shot.
Can you boot to the clone and login to the accounts there? That would prove at least the clone is good.
Good idea. I will boot into the clone on the 2009 MBP and then try the migration one more time. Will update.
I have a question regarding the iCloud services!
If I don't use the migration assistant but copy my photos library from old mac to the new one via HDD (would be definitely faster than downloading 30gb+ from iCloud). Will it recognize that the pictures are already uploaded or will it crash the iCloud photo storage completely and I have to reupload everything?
If I don't use the migration assistant but copy my photos library from old mac to the new one via HDD (would be definitely faster than downloading 30gb+ from iCloud). Will it recognize that the pictures are already uploaded or will it crash the iCloud photo storage completely and I have to reupload everything?
Tried Migration Assistant again. Same issue - I think Migration Assistant fails when move from El Capitan to Sierra..
Users folder full of folders. And Music and Pictures folders do not transfer.
Back to Disk Utility. Erase Drive. Reinstall OS. And decide whether to try and at least restore the primary Users folder from 2009 - which will hopefully bring the iTunes setup and most application preferences I would hope.
Users folder full of folders. And Music and Pictures folders do not transfer.
Back to Disk Utility. Erase Drive. Reinstall OS. And decide whether to try and at least restore the primary Users folder from 2009 - which will hopefully bring the iTunes setup and most application preferences I would hope.
I'm a bit confused. Why are you running migration assistant against the backup, rather than against the actual original machine?
Migration Assistant can restore from backups, but it can also talk to a Migration Assistant running on the source machine. That's what I used last time I did this, and it seemed to work fine. I've never tried to use a CCC backup, although I can't see why it should matter; I thought the whole point of CCC was to be identical.
And I've definitely done migrations from 10.10 to 10.12 without any difficulties. Did you get a log file, possibly with some diagnostics or errors?
Migration Assistant can restore from backups, but it can also talk to a Migration Assistant running on the source machine. That's what I used last time I did this, and it seemed to work fine. I've never tried to use a CCC backup, although I can't see why it should matter; I thought the whole point of CCC was to be identical.
And I've definitely done migrations from 10.10 to 10.12 without any difficulties. Did you get a log file, possibly with some diagnostics or errors?
Hmm. I don't mind doing a direct computer to computer transfer - now I have a ethernet dongle for 2016 MBP.
When you moved from 10.10 to 10.12, did you do a computer to computer transfer?
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Also, creating a Time Machine backup on a separate external drive thinking that may be a Time Machine backup of 10.11.6 will work.
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Yeah, I just did computer to computer. I actually used thunderbolt for it; I have a TB3<->TB2 adapter. Did it a couple of times, actually. Only annoyance was that since the 10.10 machine had more recent iTunes, it had to update iTunes during the migration process to import the library.
I didn't use the migration assistant, as I wanted to start with a clean machine. Instead, my 2016 Macbook SSD is larger than all data on my previous Macbook. I created a folder 'DumpedFilesFromOldMacbook' in my homefolder, attached a Thunderbolt cable between the two MacBooks (with a USB-C/Thunderbolt adapter) and transferred all files between them. The transfer reached speeds around 500 MB/s. So I was done in about 10-15 minutes, copying every data I had.
I installed all apps from the App Store and the respective website and reconfigured everything again.
Like you said, I also had a lot of unused apps, so it gave me a clean machine again
I installed all apps from the App Store and the respective website and reconfigured everything again.
Like you said, I also had a lot of unused apps, so it gave me a clean machine again
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I started it with Ethernet. And the transfer is still going on after 7 hours. Showed about 5 hours when it started, but 7 hours later still says 3 hours and 20 min. About to give up
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I may have to give up on this transfer business. Need to start looking at the bright side - the (forced) clean start!I didn't use the migration assistant, as I wanted to start with a clean machine. Instead, my 2016 Macbook SSD is larger than all data on my previous Macbook. I created a folder 'DumpedFilesFromOldMacbook' in my homefolder, attached a Thunderbolt cable between the two MacBooks (with a USB-C/Thunderbolt adapter) and transferred all files between them. The transfer reached speeds around 500 MB/s. So I was done in about 10-15 minutes, copying every data I had.
I installed all apps from the App Store and the respective website and reconfigured everything again.
Like you said, I also had a lot of unused apps, so it gave me a clean machine again
As long as it is progressing, just wait it out. Some of those large migrations like that take a long time over ethernet and the time remaining fluctuates depending on what it being transferred at the moment.
Did the CCC clone turn out to be borked?
CCC clone was working well. I hadn't tested. But the restore still did not work.
I am inclined to believe that it is something to do with my El Capitan setup which then suggests that I should opt for a clean start in any case.
I think the transfer shows the same time remaining as it did an hour ago. If you say so will wait another hour and of things are moving forward will then wait some more.
I am inclined to believe that it is something to do with my El Capitan setup which then suggests that I should opt for a clean start in any case.
I think the transfer shows the same time remaining as it did an hour ago. If you say so will wait another hour and of things are moving forward will then wait some more.
OP:
I tend to agree that you should abandon the concept of "migration", which doesn't seem to be working for you. Try this instead. It -will- work:
1. For the time being, keep your CCC backup intact.
2. Boot from the recovery partition (on the new Mac) and reinitialize the internal drive -- back to "nothing on it".
3. Use internet recovery to install a clean copy of the OS.
4. Boot from the new install. When you are asked to create an account, create it. Use your old (own) username and password.
5. Now, re-install the [3rd party] apps you use. Some may be able to be copied over from your cloned backup. Others may need a re-download and re-install.
Insofar as moving over your old data, do the following:
a. Connect the CCC backup. Let the icon appear on the desktop.
b. Click ONE TIME on the icon to select it, then type command-i (eye) to bring up the "get info" box.
c. Go to the bottom and click the lock icon. Enter your administrative password.
d. In the sharing and permissions area, put a checkmark into the box "ignore ownership on this volume". This will ensure that you don't have any permissions problems after copying over old files.
Now, get some paper and pencil. You're going to need to start making notes as you copy things, to keep track.
Following applies for your home folder [only]:
1. Inside your home folder, you CANNOT COPY the "first sub level of folders" (these are more than folders, I believe they are "symbolic links" as well).
Example: you CANNOT just "copy over" the folders named Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Library, Movies, Music, Pictures, etc.
2. However, you CAN copy files and folders that are nested INSIDE the above folders.
Example: you can open the Pictures folder, and select and copy individual pictures (or a group of them), the iPhoto library, etc.
3. Repeat with each of the primary sub folders inside your account folder. If there is more than one account, you will have to repeat with each one.
IF you have other folders that YOU CREATED that were outside of any home folder, you can copy those over, as well.
Special note about the "Library" folder in your home folder.
There's a lot of application-specific stuff in this one, probably many many folders and files. Some of this can be copied over, other stuff may not work.
You're going to have to sort your way through this carefully, depending on which apps you continue to use, and others that you may leave behind.
I recently did such a migration myself. While not particularly difficult, it can be tedious, and one needs to take notes to keep one's place.
If you try this, better give yourself the better part of a day to do it, can be time consuming.
And let us know if it worked.
I tend to agree that you should abandon the concept of "migration", which doesn't seem to be working for you. Try this instead. It -will- work:
1. For the time being, keep your CCC backup intact.
2. Boot from the recovery partition (on the new Mac) and reinitialize the internal drive -- back to "nothing on it".
3. Use internet recovery to install a clean copy of the OS.
4. Boot from the new install. When you are asked to create an account, create it. Use your old (own) username and password.
5. Now, re-install the [3rd party] apps you use. Some may be able to be copied over from your cloned backup. Others may need a re-download and re-install.
Insofar as moving over your old data, do the following:
a. Connect the CCC backup. Let the icon appear on the desktop.
b. Click ONE TIME on the icon to select it, then type command-i (eye) to bring up the "get info" box.
c. Go to the bottom and click the lock icon. Enter your administrative password.
d. In the sharing and permissions area, put a checkmark into the box "ignore ownership on this volume". This will ensure that you don't have any permissions problems after copying over old files.
Now, get some paper and pencil. You're going to need to start making notes as you copy things, to keep track.
Following applies for your home folder [only]:
1. Inside your home folder, you CANNOT COPY the "first sub level of folders" (these are more than folders, I believe they are "symbolic links" as well).
Example: you CANNOT just "copy over" the folders named Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Library, Movies, Music, Pictures, etc.
2. However, you CAN copy files and folders that are nested INSIDE the above folders.
Example: you can open the Pictures folder, and select and copy individual pictures (or a group of them), the iPhoto library, etc.
3. Repeat with each of the primary sub folders inside your account folder. If there is more than one account, you will have to repeat with each one.
IF you have other folders that YOU CREATED that were outside of any home folder, you can copy those over, as well.
Special note about the "Library" folder in your home folder.
There's a lot of application-specific stuff in this one, probably many many folders and files. Some of this can be copied over, other stuff may not work.
You're going to have to sort your way through this carefully, depending on which apps you continue to use, and others that you may leave behind.
I recently did such a migration myself. While not particularly difficult, it can be tedious, and one needs to take notes to keep one's place.
If you try this, better give yourself the better part of a day to do it, can be time consuming.
And let us know if it worked.