Moving from High Sierra MBP to new MBP running Catalina Questions

[TMH444]

Hi All,

I ordered a brand new 2020 13" MBP and am very excited. I'm upgrading from my Early 2011 MBP which runs High Sierra.

I plan on using a time machine backup I have stored on an external hard drive to move my data (I believe through setup assistant?), but I have some questions/concerns.

1) I have a lot of music/movies/podcasts in iTunes, including a lot that was ripped from CDs years ago that I no longer have and podcasts that are now behind a paywall. Will those files automatically be moved into the new Catalina music/tv/podcast apps or will I need to do more to make sure they find their way?

2) When I use a time machine backup to set up a new computer can I pick and choose what I move over? The main thing I want to move is my media, I don't have any apps that I need to move over.

Thanks for any and all help with this! I'm new to this forum so I apologize if I didn't tag something or am posting in the wrong spot.

 

[mikzn]

just noticed it's been a couple weeks and no answer to your post - so thought I would reply to bump your post and take a shot at answering some of your points.

Congrats on the new Macbook Pro 👍

FWIW - I don't use Time machine (I use Carbon Copy Cloner back up software) My prefered method of transfer would be to create bootable clone of the old mac and then use "migration assistant" on the new mac that probably came with Catalina installed" ? this should work with Time Machine as well

1) Migration Assistant will probably take care of the music files and transfer all you media and automatically create a new library (with play lists and play counts etc.) in the new Music.app folder that replaces iTunes - hopefully should just work - if not keep that clone / time machine "back up" handy so you can redo the music part again if needed

2) My suggestion is to let "migration assistant" move everything - it will decide on apps that will not work in Catalina - much easier than manually adjusting what apps to move and what not to move. I did this too and many podcasts and such moved even though no longer available.

hope that helps or perhaps and perhaps bumping your post will bring others into the discussion 😃