Migration Assistant Failure (this is historic?)

[forrie]

I've attempted a simple Migration Assistant from an M4 Macbook Pro to a M5 Macbook Pro; connected directly by high speed Thunderbolt (appropriate cable). It went pretty quickly, but stalled -- I left it overnight and it just never finished.

This is all sounding all too familiar to me now, as I recall that ANY TIME I USED THIS TOOL it always had problems. I chatted with Apple Support and they of course said try the Time Machine backup, which I am doing at a current speed at 35/mb sec.

I remember first using it in 2006, and I don't even think the code itself has changed much at all. When I was working at an Ivy League college, people were all having issues with it. It has been a while, I needed this to just work -- simple.

Can someone tell me what the actual F*CK is wrong with this tool? 🙂

Apple has the boot process locked down so tightly that I don't think anyone can compete by creating something better. I find this very unacceptable. Normally I would just start fresh on a new system, but since my M4 is so new, things are current -- and I just don't have time to sit and install everything all over again.

Thanks 🙂

 

[southerndoc]

Sorry you're experiencing issues. Worked like a champ for me for several computers. The last one I used a Thunderbotl cable and connected them directly. Took a few hours for a large amount of data, but no errors. Even half my programs were still signed in when I launched it.

Do you have something like an antivirus or malware scanner installed that is preventing the transfer?

 

[FreakinEurekan]

The only “trick” I use is to boot the old computer into Safe Mode prior to running MA. It ensures apps are shut down properly. Maybe just the equivalent of rattling chicken bones but it seems to work.

 

[chabig]

I've used it for years and never had a problem. Take this as a data point.

 

[Fishrrman]

I do migrations from a cloned backukp drive created by either CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper.

Goes quickly and easily.
Never bothered with wifi or trying to connect two Macs together.

 

[forrie]

I do run CleanMyMacX; I was able to restore my system from Time Machine, overnight (which was painful).

 

[forrie]

I've used CarbonCopyCloner before. This wouldn't work for my situation, as one system is running Sequoia and the new Mac is Tahoe -- I decided to go toward Tahoe hoping that the performance is more optimized for the silicon.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"I've used CarbonCopyCloner before. This wouldn't work for my situation, as one system is running Sequoia and the new Mac is Tahoe"

With a cloned backup, that would make NO DIFFERENCE AT ALL.
None.
It would work fine.

Just connect the backup when setup assistant opens, then "point the way" to it.