New MBA, New Restore Question

[Martron]

So, finally pulled the trigger on a new MBA to replace my 2008 MB alum., but my question is about setting up the MBA. My MB has a 500gig HD, but I decided to just go for the 256 MBA and get an external for all of my media.

I plan to restore from time machine, but obviously it's for a bigger drive. How can I restore everything but my media folder? What I'm worried about is that if I have to do it piece by piece, I'll have to re-authorize a lot of my programs (and I'm not even positive where all of my authorization codes are, or if I can "re-use" them).

So, I guess my questions are: 1. How can I restore everything but just my media folder and 2. will I have to re-authorize programs?

Thanks!

 

[T5BRICK]

OSX includes a utility called "Migration Assistant." At a certain point before the data transfer begins, you are given the option to exclude some data from the transfer.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5872

 

[Weaselboy]

So, I guess my questions are: 1. How can I restore everything but just my media folder and 2. will I have to re-authorize programs?

During the new system setup you will be prompted to import data like T5BRICK mentioned. Use that process to import everything using your Time Machine disk as the source. Once you start you will get this screen. Just uncheck the folders you do not want to move over.

As far as reauthorizing programs... it depends. Some applications, notable MS Office and Adobe apps, will see they are on a new machine and will require reauthorization.

 

[jsd79]

Note that depending on how much data you have to transfer (even after unchecking some boxes in Migration Assistant) and how the machines are connected (USB, wifi, Ethernet, FireWire, thunderbolt) the process could take a while. My recent migration to a new 2014 MBA took about 3 hours but otherwise worked very smoothly.

 

[Martron]

Thanks for all of the advice. I think I'm going to manually move a lot of things, so as not to copy over any unnecessary clutter, but I may want to migrate at least a few programs over. From the above graphic it's unclear if that's possible? For documents and such, it's easy by hand, but for a few programs I'd rather migrate than re-install but there's a lot of programs I don't really need, or can re-install when I think I'll use them.

 

[Weaselboy]

Thanks for all of the advice. I think I'm going to manually move a lot of things, so as not to copy over any unnecessary clutter, but I may want to migrate at least a few programs over. From the above graphic it's unclear if that's possible? For documents and such, it's easy by hand, but for a few programs I'd rather migrate than re-install but there's a lot of programs I don't really need, or can re-install when I think I'll use them.

It is not... it is either all or none within the broad categories on that checklist.