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Problems with Migration Assistant

L

loztheguru

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 7, 2006
86
0
Ive just got a Macbook Pro, late 2008 model, and i'm running into some difficulties transferring my settings/programs/files etc from my old macbook (purchased 2006).

Both are now running the latest version of migration assistant, and i've tried both ethernet and airport connectivity (I dont have a firewire cable).

Regardless of which method i use, both laptops just stay at the 'looking for other computers' phase. Ive had a quick google/search and cant find a solution, anyone help?

I use bootcamp if that makes a difference?
 
Thanks, just tried that and still no joy :(. Really cant see what the problem might be here.
 
This sounds like a network settings issue - either that, or you're trying to run Migration Assistant on both computers simultaneously, which won't work.
 
wrldwzrd89 said:
This sounds like a network settings issue - either that, or you're trying to run Migration Assistant on both computers simultaneously, which won't work.
Click to expand...

I am running migration assistant on both computers at the same time, but thats only because thats what the software itself tells you to do?
 
loztheguru said:
I am running migration assistant on both computers at the same time, but thats only because thats what the software itself tells you to do?
Click to expand...
Oh, shows what little I know about Migration Assistant. :eek: I've only used it once, and don't remember exactly how the setup process works.

Anyway, the next thing to check is network settings. Since the computers are connected via Ethernet, one thing to try is moving Ethernet to the top of the preferred network connection options in Network preferences. Also, check your Ethernet cable. If it's twisted excessively (you can tell by looking at the cable - if it has "ripples" in it from being twisted too much, it's no good) or frayed, use a different cable.
 
Ethernet is top of the pile on both macs. Tried two different cables now and still no joy :(. The big issue is i've already agreed to sell my old mac and the person is coming to collect it tomorrow, so really running out of time :eek:
 
At this point, what I would do is give up on Migration Assistant and use a different method to get your files and settings transferred, namely the "clone and selective restore" method. Here's how it works:
  1. Download Carbon Copy Cloner
  2. Connect an external drive you can afford to erase to the old computer
  3. Launch CCC, select the internal drive as the source and the external as the destination
  4. Authenticate, click Clone, let CCC do its thing
  5. Once it's done, disconnect the drive from the old Mac, and connect it to the new one
  6. Copy the contents of folders you need to your new Mac
  7. Disconnect the drive, now that you're done with it.
  8. Log out and back in, so your new settings take effect

Here's a list of frequently needed folders to copy from one drive to the other:
  • All folders in /Users/username (where username is your short user name)
  • /Applications (don't copy Apple applications, only 3rd-party ones)
  • /Library/Fonts (some software programs install fonts here)
  • /Library/Application Support (also used by some applications)
 
Unfortunately I dont have an external drive at my disposal, otherwise i'd probably just go down the route of creating a time machine backup. Any other suggestions?
 
Got an iPod classic handy, and less than 100 GB worth of data? Believe it or not, an iPod classic (with disk mode enabled) can be used as an external drive, though CCC doesn't support cloning to one. This isn't a big problem - you can always copy over files manually, assuming you know what needs to be copied.

If that's not an option for you, then I have one last suggestion: The age-old "sneakernet" method, using a flash drive instead of a floppy disk. Note that the drive must be at least as big as the largest file you have to copy, and you'll probably have to swap the drive back and forth many times until everything's copied. This is also the slowest method, but it DOES work.
 
loztheguru said:
Unfortunately I dont have an external drive at my disposal, otherwise i'd probably just go down the route of creating a time machine backup. Any other suggestions?
Click to expand...

In Migration Assistant, on the 'Connect your Computers' page - where it says 'Use a firewire...' - are you clicking 'Use Network' and then entering the passcode on the old computer?

I had my old MBP connected via Ethernet to my new MBP a few weeks ago and transferred data like this. The only difference was I used the program at the beginning of the 'startup' of the new MBP - Setup Assistant maybe, I don't remember the exact name. But I kind of remember it working the same way as Network Assistant.
 
Alas no ipod handy (other than a 2gb shuffle :p). Im clicking the network mode, and have now had some success using airport, though still cant get them to find each other via ethernet.

Ive got as far as entering the passcode via wireless/airport, they then go to 'preparing data' and stay there for a while. I then get a network connection error on the MBP, and the transfer fails. Ive tried this 3 times now, twice on my wireless network and once on a laptop-to-laptop connection, and its the same each time.

Any more suggestions? Im tearing my hair out!
 
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