Migration Assistant FAIL on new MB

[mgstevens]

So, a client buys a new MacBook (white poly) and wants me to do the data migration. I advise against the new unit, especially because the FW port is no longer there... Sure enough, even though the sales person says: "You can do the migration via ethernet no problem..." (famous last words..)

I fire up the MB and it tells me to insert the DVD that came with the MB into the source computer (a new iMac - running Snow Leopard) and install DVD/CD sharing... Doesn't matter, because the iMac BARFS on the DVD saying "OS 10.6 cannot be installed on this computer" so even though I only need one piece of the install, no go, and thus no migration. GRRRRR!

I look for instructions all over the net on this and all say the same thing, and how it works no problem. Well, now I know why buying NEW hardware can be a bummer!

So, anyone have an idea how to get past this? Apple support and the store will not be open for some time and this is driving me batty...

 

[richard.mac]

you dont need to install anything. Migration Assistant is on every Mac in the Utilities folder and in the Setup Assistant on a new Mac.

 

[nickXedge]

That doesn't make sense. There is no reason you should have to put the disc that came with the MacBook into the iMac. Of course it's not going to work, we all know these gray discs are very specific. Also, why/how would you install DVD/CD sharing? I'm sure they both already have it and how would that have anything to with Migration Assistant? As stated in the prior post, they both have Migration Assistant in Applications->Utilities.

 

[skubish]

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3322

 

[pixelator30]

this is a valid issue: old Macs can't use Ethernet to migrate to Snow Leopard

This is a valid issue. I am another frustrated user - same situation as mgstevens. I have been unable to use my new Mac Book Pro for 2 days now, because I want to migrate from my old Power PC Mac, and because I have been wasting time with Ethernet migration, which does not work.

Migration from a non-Intel Mac to a new Mac will not work over Ethernet. Worse, if attempted, it will give the user misleading instructions (the bit about DVD/CD sharing), and then fail.

nickXedge, richthomas, skubish:
Yes, it doesn't make sense to try to install Mac OS X 10.6 on an old Mac with incompatible hardware, but this is exactly what the Migration on-screen instructions tell the user to do. Try it yourself, with Ethernet. MA will tell you to install some Mac OS X 10.6 software (DVD/CD sharing) on your old Mac, then to use MA. When you try to install it, it fails (of course, incompatible hardware... it really is a bizarre instruction - but it is exactly what MA tells you to do). If you try to use MA without installing DVD/CD sharing, it also fails.

Basically, I think Apple forgot to mention in their Migration Assistant on-screen instructions that Ethernet-based migration will only work with those computers that can install Mac OS X 10.6 applications. Most old Mac computer cannot, and hence those computers can't use Ethernet to migrate. Which is a bummer to find out. Why is this not stated in plain sight ? Maybe because no company wants to admit the limitations of its software, or else competition will start making commercials mocking them for it.

My solution will be to buy a Firewire cable and try that way. But I need to wait until tomorrow for the stores to open. I really look forward to be able to finally use my new Mac - I am a big Mac and Apple fan.

 

[nickXedge]

If you mean to use Target Disk Mode via Firewire from the PPC Mac to the Intel Mac, I don't believe that will work because the partition mapping on the hard drives are different. The PPC Mac uses APM - Apple Partition Map - and the Intel Mac uses GPT - GUID Partition Table. The new Mac will not recognize or read correctly the APM hard drive. I'm 99% on this.