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Just got a new Macbook Pro - need to transfer data from Western Digital Harddrive

Z

zachleon11

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 2, 2011
31
0
I just bought a new Macbook Pro 13'' yesterday to replace my 5 year old 15'' MacBook Pro. I have a 750 GB Western Digital Passport Harddrive that I've backed up my old computer on. When I turn on my new computer, how do it make sure that EVERYTHING gets transferred (music, word files, pictures, etc.)? I've never done anything before where I restore a computer from an old backup.

Can anyone give me a simple step by step to follow?
 
You can make a new folder in your Macbook Pro titled "Transfer" or something like that. Then, plug in your External Hard Drive, highlight everything or press Cmd + A and drag to the new folder titled "Transfer."

You may want to open a new Finder window by pressing Cmd + N when the window is up.

This should copy all your files to your Macbook Pro, where you can then move them around or place them in newly organized folders if you prefer.
 
What about during setup?

I was under the impression that this can be done during setup, i.e. the first time I turn on this new computer. Is that true?
 
Old method

I used "Time Machine" and used my Western Digital Passport 750 GB external hard drive. I just want to know how to proceed when I turn on this new MacBook Pro. I know that the computer will ask me some questions and prompt me to do certain things. I also know that the whole point of "Time Machine" is to have your computer backed up to exactly a certain point. So will I be able to SIMPLY plug in this Western Digital hard drive and make my new MacBook Pro have all of the same files as my old computer? I want my iTunes to look the same. I want me "Finder" to look the same with all of my files, etc.
 
don't do a time machine restore unless the models are exactly the same. It copies EVERYTHING, including drivers, so it can cause problems. Just copy over the folders that you need.
 
So I have to individually select everything?

So I have to individually select everything that I want to move to the new computer? Such as music, word documents, pictures, etc? That's a huge pain in the ass - I thought this Time Machine was supposed to make everything simple and move everything over as it was.
 
You can use time machine along with migration assistant and that should do what you want to do (keeping data and settings in place).
 
SHould be an option on a clean install during initial setup with the TimeMachine disk attached.
 
I just did this a couple weeks ago. I use an external usb drive for time machine.

I just plugged in the external drive and it copied everything over from my old macbook pro. My old macbook pro had snow leopard and the new one had lion and all is well and looked the same.

I had to re-enter my licence key for ms office 2011 afterward and that was about it.


I had installed lion on a new drive that i put in the new computer and at the end of the installation was an option to back up from the time machine.

For your mac once you boot it up it will ask you if you want to migrate from another computer. That's when you do the restore.
 
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