Migration Assistant or Start Over?

[rickeames]

Moving from M1 to M3 whenever Apple decides to ship my MPB...trying to prep. I've always done "start from scratch," but listening to ATP and their experiences with Migration Assistant made me think maybe I should give it a shot.

Experiences?

 

[KPOM]

Moving from M1 to M3 whenever Apple decides to ship my MPB...trying to prep. I've always done "start from scratch," but listening to ATP and their experiences with Migration Assistant made me think maybe I should give it a shot.

Experiences?

I’ve generally used Migration Assistant with no issues. While it’s easy enough to copy applications over without Migration Assistant, the latter copies the Library as well. Note that it could take up a bit more space if you have a history of migrating from device to device (as redundant or unnecessary content might build up in the Library), but if you are going from an M1 that was a fresh install that probably won’t be the case.

 

[bevsb2]

I used migration assistant to transfer my M1 Pro to my M3 Pro. It was quick and smooth. No problems.

 

[elvisimprsntr]

I’ve used MA from Intel to M1 without issues. Works automagically! “Set it and forget it.” - Ron Popeil

Can’t imagine M1 to M3 would have any problems.

 

[tekksan]

I've used Migration Assistant several times over the years - works like a champ.

 

[jeffreyfranz]

I have used this successfully in the past, but my 2015 MBP and 2023 MBP M3 Pro won't make it happen. Any ideas?

 

[Chancha]

I have used this successfully in the past, but my 2015 MBP and 2023 MBP M3 Pro won't make it happen. Any ideas?

Across Intel and Apple Silicon, and then also this many years of OS X versions apart may have created enough incompatibilities. In your case it is probably a better idea to just start over instead of looking for solutions.

 

[Fishrrman]

jeffrey writes in reply 6:
"I have used this successfully in the past, but my 2015 MBP and 2023 MBP M3 Pro won't make it happen"

If you mean "setup assistant" (when setting up the new mac), OF COURSE it will still work.

I migrated from a 2015 MBP 13" to a 2021 MBP 14", without any troubles at all.

However...
I strongly suggest that you create a cloned backup of the 2015 on an external drive.

Use that "from which to migrate" the VERY FIRST TIME you boot up the new MBP.
You DON'T want to create a NEW account on the new MBP, and then try to migrate your "old" account over -- you'll end up with TWO accounts and permissions problems.

If you're concerned about applications not working, you can choose to migrate everything EXCEPT applications.

Once the migration is done and you are up-and-running with your migrated account on the new MBP, you can "test launch" 3rd-party apps "one-at-a-time" from the cloned backup, to see if they'll run.

If they do, just copy the app from the backup to the applications folder.
The ancillary support files should have already been migrated with your account.

 

[jeffreyfranz]

jeffrey writes in reply 6:
"I have used this successfully in the past, but my 2015 MBP and 2023 MBP M3 Pro won't make it happen"

If you mean "setup assistant" (when setting up the new mac), OF COURSE it will still work.

I migrated from a 2015 MBP 13" to a 2021 MBP 14", without any troubles at all.

However...
I strongly suggest that you create a cloned backup of the 2015 on an external drive.

Use that "from which to migrate" the VERY FIRST TIME you boot up the new MBP.
You DON'T want to create a NEW account on the new MBP, and then try to migrate your "old" account over -- you'll end up with TWO accounts and permissions problems.

If you're concerned about applications not working, you can choose to migrate everything EXCEPT applications.

Once the migration is done and you are up-and-running with your migrated account on the new MBP, you can "test launch" 3rd-party apps "one-at-a-time" from the cloned backup, to see if they'll run.

If they do, just copy the app from the backup to the applications folder.
The ancillary support files should have already been migrated with your account.

Thank you; much appreciated.

 

[cheddar-caveman]

I've just bought a new 15" MacBook Air M3 and decided to use the Migration Assistant (being 85) to transfer my data across from my 2018 MBP, but it wasn't the easy experience I expected.
It took an hour? or there abouts. Luckily I checked everything before going ahead with cleaning the old MBP prior to selling.
On the Air Desktop all the folders were there BUT most of them didn't have any, or limited files in them! I ended up Airdropping all of them!