New MBP, best way of migrating info from older laptop?

[lowfreq]

New 16" MBP owner here and am curious as to the best way of transferring information from an older MBP? I have both a windows based laptop and a late 2013 MBP here both with items on them I want on the new machine and also some I do not want on there.

For the windows laptop I'll just have to manually transfer files, and for the older MBP the easy answer is a time machine backup, but that introduces the issue of getting stuff on the new machine I don't want and I also suspect I probably have some malware on that machine also that I don't want on the new one. The 2013 MBP was a hand me down I got last year while the windows machine was my main laptop up till than

At the end of the day really the only important things I need to get are my mail archives, as well as documents like photos, personal documents, etc..

 

[maflynn]

for the older MBP the easy answer is a time machine backup, but that introduces the issue of getting stuff on the new machine

You can select what folders to restore in time machine. I agree doing a full system restore from TM is not probably not warranted. Just use TM to pull specific folders over to your new machine

 

[Fishrrman]

My "canned post" on this subject:
====================
Fishrrman's "you can do it!" routine for migrating to a new Mac:

If you follow my instructions below, I guarantee a success rate of 98%:
PRINT OUT these instructions and check them off as you go along.

1. BEFORE you do anything else, run a "final" backup on your old Mac. Use an external drive for this. It can be either TM or a cloned backup using CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper. I prefer CCC.
I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO NOT USE TM AS YOUR "MIGRATION EXTERNAL DRIVE". INSTEAD, USE EITHER CCC OR SD. Things will go better this way!
2. Shut down the old Mac and disconnect the external drive
3. Take the new Mac out of the box and set it up on the table. DO NOT PRESS THE POWER ON BUTTON until step 8 (read on). You don't want to begin setup until "the right moment".
4. If you're using an external display, connect the display using the usb-c/VGA adapter/cable that you have
5. Connect the keyboard and mouse if you use them. I STRONGLY SUGGEST that you connect them DIRECTLY to the Mac.
6. If you use a hub, leave it DISCONNECTED for now
7. Connect your backup drive -- use a usb-c adapter if needed.

OK, we're ready-to-go, so let's get goin':
8. Press the power on button for the first time.
9. The new Mac may ask for help "finding" the keyboard, just follow instructions.
10. Begin setup. At the appropriate moment, setup assistant will ask if you wish to migrate from another Mac or drive. YES, you want to do this.
11. "Aim" setup assistant at the external backup. Setup assistant will need a little time to "digest it all". BE PATIENT and give setup assistant the time it needs.
12. You will now see a list of things that can be migrated, such as applications, accounts, settings and data.
13. I suggest that you select ALL of them.
14. Let setup assistant "do its thing". It's going to TAKE A WHILE to move things over. Again, be patient. If you have a lot "of stuff", it will take a lot of time!
15. When done, you should see the login screen. Go ahead and login.
16. Once logged in, things should look pretty much as they looked on your old Mac.
17. You should check all your apps. Some may not run, and may require upgrading.
18. You can set aside the old backup, or ... "repurpose it" to become the backup for the new Mac. I'd keep the old one around for a week or so, at least.

 

[lowfreq]

My "canned post" on this subject:
====================
Fishrrman's "you can do it!" routine for migrating to a new Mac:

If you follow my instructions below, I guarantee a success rate of 98%:
PRINT OUT these instructions and check them off as you go along.

1. BEFORE you do anything else, run a "final" backup on your old Mac. Use an external drive for this. It can be either TM or a cloned backup using CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper. I prefer CCC.
I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO NOT USE TM AS YOUR "MIGRATION EXTERNAL DRIVE". INSTEAD, USE EITHER CCC OR SD. Things will go better this way!
2. Shut down the old Mac and disconnect the external drive
3. Take the new Mac out of the box and set it up on the table. DO NOT PRESS THE POWER ON BUTTON until step 8 (read on). You don't want to begin setup until "the right moment".
4. If you're using an external display, connect the display using the usb-c/VGA adapter/cable that you have
5. Connect the keyboard and mouse if you use them. I STRONGLY SUGGEST that you connect them DIRECTLY to the Mac.
6. If you use a hub, leave it DISCONNECTED for now
7. Connect your backup drive -- use a usb-c adapter if needed.

OK, we're ready-to-go, so let's get goin':
8. Press the power on button for the first time.
9. The new Mac may ask for help "finding" the keyboard, just follow instructions.
10. Begin setup. At the appropriate moment, setup assistant will ask if you wish to migrate from another Mac or drive. YES, you want to do this.
11. "Aim" setup assistant at the external backup. Setup assistant will need a little time to "digest it all". BE PATIENT and give setup assistant the time it needs.
12. You will now see a list of things that can be migrated, such as applications, accounts, settings and data.
13. I suggest that you select ALL of them.
14. Let setup assistant "do its thing". It's going to TAKE A WHILE to move things over. Again, be patient. If you have a lot "of stuff", it will take a lot of time!
15. When done, you should see the login screen. Go ahead and login.
16. Once logged in, things should look pretty much as they looked on your old Mac.
17. You should check all your apps. Some may not run, and may require upgrading.
18. You can set aside the old backup, or ... "repurpose it" to become the backup for the new Mac. I'd keep the old one around for a week or so, at least.

thanks..problem is I already started using the new Mac...

also, reading through your instructions it sounds like everything from the old Mac will be transferred to the new one..trying to avoid that as I have a lot of junk on the old one I just don't need/want.

 

[Fishrrman]

"trying to avoid that as I have a lot of junk on the old one I just don't need/want."

Then do "a manual migration".
Best way:
Use either CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper to create a cloned copy of the internal drive on your OLD Mac.
Connect that cloned backup to the NEW Mac.
MAKE SURE you do a "get info" on the drive, and go to sharing and permissions and check the box "ignore ownership on this volume". Otherwise you'll have permissions problems.
Once you do that, you can now manually move things from the old drive to the new one.

You DO have to be careful about what you move and where.
Some applications may not work by simply copying them from the old drive to the new.

 

[4sallypat]

I did a Migration Assistant when I got my 16" MBP.
My old MBP was a 2012 13" MBP.

It was very easy using wireless and within an hour, all my data was transferred.

The only issue I am having now is a habitual crash, restart which results in a kernel panic.
I don't know if the Migration data contributed to this issue ...

 

[HenryX]

Good question.

 

[chrfr]

New 16" MBP owner here and am curious as to the best way of transferring information from an older MBP? I have both a windows based laptop and a late 2013 MBP here both with items on them I want on the new machine and also some I do not want on there.

For the windows laptop I'll just have to manually transfer files, and for the older MBP the easy answer is a time machine backup, but that introduces the issue of getting stuff on the new machine I don't want and I also suspect I probably have some malware on that machine also that I don't want on the new one. The 2013 MBP was a hand me down I got last year while the windows machine was my main laptop up till than

At the end of the day really the only important things I need to get are my mail archives, as well as documents like photos, personal documents, etc..

The built in Migration Assistant works well and is a lot less work than many of the methods listed here.

 

[ascender]

I'm a stickler for just starting from scratch, but that's what comes with working with PCs and Macs all your life I guess. Pretty much all my data is now stored in the cloud, so once I've signed in to iCloud and Dropbox, I'm halfway there. Then I just reinstall my apps.