Migrate from MacBook to Unibody MacBook

[Tafkas]

Hi,

right now I have a late 2006 MacBook (C2D) and I am planning on getting a new unibody MacBook in the near future.

While using my actual MacBook I replaced the hard disk by a 320 GB Samsung Spinpoint. Of course, I want to have that little friend in the new unibody MacBook.

What is the best way to ensure the migration? Just put it in and restart? Or are the any hooks? I hope I could avoid any copying to a third computer, switching hard disks and copying back.

 

[dmmcintyre3]

You would have to make sure the build number of both hard drives were the same. you can check in the about this mac window and clicking on the os version.

 

[Tafkas]

The best case would be if I could take out the hard disk from my MacBook and put it directly into the new unibody MacBook. Without any reinstalling at all.

 

[elppa]

The best case would be if I could take out the hard disk from my MacBook and put it directly into the new unibody MacBook. Without any reinstalling at all.

What makes you think the version of the Mac OS X on your Hard Disk would work with the new unibody MacBook?

Graphics card drivers?
Multi-touch trackpad?
Energy Saver preferences?
etc.

Best to do a migration. Apple ships a custom version of the OS with new hardware.

In fact, I'd say it would be a really bad idea to just replace the disk.

 

[Knolly]

What they're saying above was only true when the unibodies first came out. Make sure your Macbook is running Leopard and is fully updated via Software Update and you can throw the hard drive straight in the unibody and you'll be fine.

 

[elfxmilhouse]

You can either stick your current HD in the new macbook and have it check for software updates.

or put your old HD in a usb enclosure then when you turn on the new macbook it gives you the option of migrating from the old HD

 

[Tafkas]

or put your old HD in a usb enclosure then when you turn on the new macbook it gives you the option of migrating from the old HD

But then my data would end up on the hard drive that is shipped in the unibody. I want the 320GB hard drive (which now in the MacBook) in the new unibody. And if possible without swapping the data to a third drive.

 

[NC MacGuy]

You can either stick your current HD in the new macbook and have it check for software updates.

or put your old HD in a usb enclosure then when you turn on the new macbook it gives you the option of migrating from the old HD

It won't work. The old MB doesn't have the Nvidia drivers. Been through it.

One way, it takes a while but will work. Get new MB, do a migration from old MB. Put 320 in MB and put Unibody HDD in an enclosure. Reinstall MB 320 with restore software giving fresh install. Then do a migration from the UniMB HDD from enclosure onto the 320.

Put enclosured HDD back in old MB, reload that software and migrate from UniMB.

 

[Tafkas]

It won't work. The old MB doesn't have the Nvidia drivers. Been through it.

Thanks for the advice. I also have a different approach in mind:

I own a 320GB external 3.5'' hard disk.
I clone the internal 2.5'' 320 GB to that external one.
I put the 2.5'' into the unibody MacBook and do a clean install on that one.
I restore my data using the migration assistant via the external USB hard disk.

Does that make sense?

 

[Knolly]

It won't work. The old MB doesn't have the Nvidia drivers. Been through it.

Where has this been said?

It was my understanding that with the newest builds of Leopard you get via Software Update, unless you do something to remove the drivers, you should be all set.

 

[NC MacGuy]

Where has this been said?

It was my understanding that with the newest builds of Leopard you get via Software Update, unless you do something to remove the drivers, you should be all set.

I have a blackbook and tried swapping the drive with my unibody. It would not work and yes it had all the updates. It's not just said, it's real life experience.

Thanks for the advice. I also have a different approach in mind:

I own a 320GB external 3.5'' hard disk.
I clone the internal 2.5'' 320 GB to that external one.
I put the 2.5'' into the unibody MacBook and do a clean install on that one.
I restore my data using the migration assistant via the external USB hard disk.

Does that make sense?

Yes, this makes perfect sense and should work nicely but you did say you didn't want to copy to a third drive.

 

[philosopherdog]

Use Timemachine

Simple. First, borrow or use an external drive or make a partition on your current drive. Do a time machine backup to your external or partition. Install your old drive in your new machine, re-install os x by doing a clean install. Once everything is done then restore your timemachine backup. You will have to do any updates not included in your install disk. This will restore all programs and data. It's actually rather simple to do.

 

[Tafkas]

Looks like the migration is done.

I cloned my hard drive to an external one using carbon copy cloner. That took hours.

Then I put the little hard drive from the old MacBook into the unibody one. Just out of curiosity I started the unibody laptop. After showing me a "linux style" boot process it launched Mac OS X like that and I am writing this message here.
I could not find any errors yet. So I am thinking whether it is really necessary to go all way of the process I planned before.

 

[alphaod]

For future reference, you can move the drive over and then do a Archive and Install which will install the correct drivers.

 

[Tafkas]

Even though it kind of work, I went the whole way.

Installed a fresh installation and used the migration assistant to recover my profile from the external drive. Now it works like a charn.

Thank you guys for your advises.