Migration Assistant Help

The late 2008 MacBook does not have Firewire or Thunderbolt, so (as far as I know) the only option is to get an external USB HD and clone the late 2008 MacBook drive to the external using Carbon Copy Cloner or Super Duper. Then connect the external USB HD to the new MacBook Pro via USB and then launch the Migration Assistant app in the Utilities folder.

 

Thought I should mention that there's two different late 2008 MacBooks. The white one has firewire, but the aluminum model does not.

 

Others have already covered the topic of firewire versus network (rj 45) but I should mention there is a way (hold T during startup) to put the 2008 Macbook into "target disk mode" where it acts as if it is a firewire drive. You can then perform a migration from it directly to your wife's new MBP. Another option is to have both machines on the same local ethernet network (preferably using a gigabit switch) and migrate that way.

hope this helps...

 

That's why I asked which Late 2008 MacBook the OP has. A white MacBook will have Firewire, but not an aluminum 2008 MacBook. OP has not come back yet with that answer.
And, firewire target disk mode will not help unless both computers have firewire. A new MBPro will not have a built-in firewire port, and I don't know if the new one will support firewire target disk mode with a TB-Firewire adapter, which the OP would also need to have. The ethernet suggestion will likely be the best choice for the OP.

 

The OP did not define "new MacBook Pro", but the newer ones do not have an ethernet port so he would need a Thunderbolt-Ethernet adaptor to use the ethernet solution.

 

Another solution, the one I would chose :

Remove the HD from the Macbook (easy to do on a 2008 model), put it in an external USB enclosure.

 

I think we have listed all of the possible solutions. Pick one that you feel the most comfortable with. Some solutions require the acquisition of additional materials (depending on what you already have a available).

Once you pick your path, let us know if we can help with more instructions.

Edit: BTW, Were you going to use Migration Assistant?

 

1. You can still accomplish this with an RJ-45 connector(Adapter is sold at Apple Store). Migration Assistant(Wifi possible in theory as well).

2. Target Disk Mode(Ways to do this vary, provide me the model numbers of your macs( example A1344) and I can go into applicable cable configurations/adapters.

3.Time Machine Backup the old Mac, and then use Migration Assistant to bring in the files from the backup(to do this you need an External HDD) using Migration Assistant.

4. Use Finder, and "Drag and Drop" what you want to carry over to an External HDD, and then "Drag and Drop" them to the new Mac.

4.a. Assuming the "old" mac is running OS X 10.7.5 or newer, you could also use iCloud Drive(Technically a built in feature for 10.10, but there are ways), and this would be a drag and drop variety as well.

I realize as I am finishing typing this, that most of these have been suggested.. well hope bringing them together turns out helpful...