Just got me new MBA9911", 1.7GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i7, 8GB 1600MHz LPDDR3 SDRAM, 512GB PCIe-based Flash Storage). What is the best (cleanest, fastest) way to copy everything (including programs) from my 17" MBP (2.8 GHz, 8 GB, 512GB hard drive)?
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new MBA, how to copy?
- Thread starter hoyajack
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Do you already have a disk with a time machine backup? If so, just plug it into the new machine and run migration asst, as described above. This has been really painless on my last two transitions and it makes your new computer exactly like the old one, right down to the arrangement of icons on the desktop and all your settings.
Congratulations on the new computer! I have a 2013 MBA just like yours and it's the best Apple computer I've owned... going all the way back to my Apple ][ in 1978.
Congratulations on the new computer! I have a 2013 MBA just like yours and it's the best Apple computer I've owned... going all the way back to my Apple ][ in 1978.
migration assistant
started migration assistant via wifi. Only 56 hours to go! What a nightmare. Is there any to interrupt this? I have tried esc on both computers, nothing works. I can US B my Time Machine drive but don't think that will have all info I need.
started migration assistant via wifi. Only 56 hours to go! What a nightmare. Is there any to interrupt this? I have tried esc on both computers, nothing works. I can US B my Time Machine drive but don't think that will have all info I need.
WiFi can be a bottleneck. Hardwired would be better. Presuming you have Firewire on your old machine, it means you'd need either a Firewire to Thunderbolt adapter, or an Ethernet to Thunderbolt adapter - get whichever may be more likely to be useful going forward with your MBA (probably the Ethernet adapter).
There's nothing wrong with migrating with Time Machine, presuming your Time Machine backups were not configured to exclude items - the default settings for Time Machine will save everything. I did a Time Machine migration a few months ago - if there's something missing, it's nothing I've needed so far.
There's nothing wrong with migrating with Time Machine, presuming your Time Machine backups were not configured to exclude items - the default settings for Time Machine will save everything. I did a Time Machine migration a few months ago - if there's something missing, it's nothing I've needed so far.
For all practical purposes, Migration Assistant will copy pretty well everything. I presume your 17" MBP has Thunderbolt port (you didn't say what year's model). In that case use a Thunderbolt cable ($40 if you have to buy it) to hook up two machines together and use the Migration assistance.
However, if you want to make a 1:1 clone of your old machine to the new one, there are some alternatives. Please note that, if your OS versions are different, I don't recommend a 1:1 clone. Stick with the Migration Assistance.
1) Having an external disk and making a bootable copy of your existing machine to the external disk. You can use the Disk Utility to do this (must boot from the recovery partition in order to copy the partition you booted from). Or use a third party program like the Carbon Copy Cloner (CCC) which allows you to copy your boot partition without the need to boot from the recovery partition.
Once you clone your existing disk to the external disk, you can reverse the cloning process and use the external disk to copy it back to your new machine.
2) Use the Target Disk method with a Thunderbolt cable.
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH3838?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US
With this method, you connect the two machines together and your old machine will appear as an external drive to your new one. I suggest you to boot your new machine from the recovery partition and proceed with the Disk Utility from there.
USB external disk method is fast enough, especially if you have a USB3, but Thunderbolt cable is the cheapest and the fastest way in my opinion.
However, if you want to make a 1:1 clone of your old machine to the new one, there are some alternatives. Please note that, if your OS versions are different, I don't recommend a 1:1 clone. Stick with the Migration Assistance.
1) Having an external disk and making a bootable copy of your existing machine to the external disk. You can use the Disk Utility to do this (must boot from the recovery partition in order to copy the partition you booted from). Or use a third party program like the Carbon Copy Cloner (CCC) which allows you to copy your boot partition without the need to boot from the recovery partition.
Once you clone your existing disk to the external disk, you can reverse the cloning process and use the external disk to copy it back to your new machine.
2) Use the Target Disk method with a Thunderbolt cable.
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH3838?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US
With this method, you connect the two machines together and your old machine will appear as an external drive to your new one. I suggest you to boot your new machine from the recovery partition and proceed with the Disk Utility from there.
USB external disk method is fast enough, especially if you have a USB3, but Thunderbolt cable is the cheapest and the fastest way in my opinion.
I wouldn't clone. I would use Migration Assistant or Time Machine restore. Don't fret about the early indication of it taking a long time. Chill, enjoy life a bit, and when you return, it will be done.
/Jim
/Jim
Only time I can recall it taking longer than a couple hours to migrate wirelessly from TC is back when Tiger was newest OS.
Took quite a while & don't recall exactly but was less than 5 hours
All the suggestions for wired/faster methods are fine but a lot more work to save a few minutes.
It is nice time of year, go outside for a while and enjoy while your TC introduces your new Air to you....
Took quite a while & don't recall exactly but was less than 5 hours
All the suggestions for wired/faster methods are fine but a lot more work to save a few minutes.
It is nice time of year, go outside for a while and enjoy while your TC introduces your new Air to you....
Nothing works!!!
Time machine ran over 18 hours, did not finish. I quit out of it and started MBP in target disk mode with Thunderbolt cable. Copied everything fast BUT after disconnecting cables ALL applications NOT from app store were gone.
Cqn't just drag them over from drive, will they work if I restore them from time machine?
Thanks for any help!
Time machine ran over 18 hours, did not finish. I quit out of it and started MBP in target disk mode with Thunderbolt cable. Copied everything fast BUT after disconnecting cables ALL applications NOT from app store were gone.
Cqn't just drag them over from drive, will they work if I restore them from time machine?
Thanks for any help!
If you have a time machine backup on an external drive, just use the method I posted earlier.... https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/19079351/