Moving files to external hard drive...

[travod]

So I just got a new Macbook and I bought an external hard drive to copy everything on my old Macbook so I can erase it and sell it. Is transferring everything to the EHD as simple as clicking and dragging the hard drive icon to the EHD? I want my iTunes library, all documents, games, etc.

Note: I'm not planning on putting everything onto my new Macbook, I just want it stored somewhere so I can erase the old HD.

 

[GGJstudios]

So I just got a new Macbook and I bought an external hard drive to copy everything on my old Macbook so I can erase it and sell it. Is transferring everything to the EHD as simple as clicking and dragging the hard drive icon to the EHD? I want my iTunes library, all documents, games, etc.

Note: I'm not planning on putting everything onto my new Macbook, I just want it stored somewhere so I can erase the old HD.

A good method is to use Carbon Copy Cloner to make a bootable clone of your drive on the external. Then you can restore from that clone to your new Mac.

 

[Vincent V]

I would suggest using Time Machine it's the easiest way to get data from an old Mac to a new Mac. If there are certain folders you don't want on your new Mac you can exclude them from backing up with Time Machine.

 

[Fishrrman]

I concur with post 2.

Download CarbonCopyCloner -- the download is free and you can use it free for 30 days.

Then, use CCC to create a bootable clone of your OLD Macbook on the external HD.

Connect the HD to the NEW Macbook. You now have choices to make:
1. You can use Migration Assistant to "move your files over", or
2. You can migrate files "manually".

Be aware that Migration Assistant will move your entire user account over -- could cause trouble if you have already created a NEW user account on the NEW Macbook.

Also be aware that if you use MA to migrate applications, it's possible that _some_ of your old apps may no longer work with the latest OS on the NEW Macbook.

If you want to migrate things manually, be aware that you CAN copy data files from the individual folders in your home folder (such as "Music", "Movies", etc.), but you CANNOT COPY those folders themselves. To put it another way, you can copy SongA, SongB, etc. from the old Music folder to the new one. But you can't copy the folder named "Music" to your new account.

Once the migrating is done, I would suggest you keep using CCC. However, now you want to create a bootable clone of your NEW Macbook, and keep it around. You ALWAYS want to have a "second, bootable volume" nearby for emergencies.

 

[Weaselboy]

I would suggest using Time Machine it's the easiest way to get data from an old Mac to a new Mac. If there are certain folders you don't want on your new Mac you can exclude them from backing up with Time Machine.

+1 OP

Just plug your external in and use the included Time Machine app to make a full backup. Then when you get your new machine, during the setup process you will be asked if you want to import data from a previous Mac. Say yes and attach the external with the backup to import your user account and all your data. Very simple.

 

[travod]

+1 OP

Just plug your external in and use the included Time Machine app to make a full backup. Then when you get your new machine, during the setup process you will be asked if you want to import data from a previous Mac. Say yes and attach the external with the backup to import your user account and all your data. Very simple.

I've already been using my new Macbook for a few weeks now though. I don't want my entire HD copied over to this, I just want everything stored in the EHD so I can manually pick what I want here.

 

[Weaselboy]

I've already been using my new Macbook for a few weeks now though. I don't want my entire HD copied over to this, I just want everything stored in the EHD so I can manually pick what I want here.

Ah... gotcha. Then yes, you can just open Finder and drag the folders you want to the external. Nothing special needs to be done.