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Question about setting up new computer from backup

M

mdwsta4

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jul 23, 2007
1,301
175
Last Thursday I placed an order for a new MBP to replace my 4 year old MBP. It looks like I'm going to have to ship my current machine before my new machine gets here. My system is all backed up on an external hard drive.

I remember when I replaced my ibook with a MBP, I was prompted to connect the two machines so the new one was literally a reflection of the old one (settings, passwords, cookies, etc). I'd like to do the same this time around as well. When starting up the new MBP for the first time, will I be able to connect my external HD and backup so that the machine's settings are exactly the same?

I'm assuming the answer is 'yes', but was looking for confirmation. Thanks!
 
Edited to add: Simsalidimbamba posted at the same time as I was writing. Simsaladimbamba is an expert, and I'm a complete amateur, so take my post in the vein of "If I can do it and it seemed easy, anyone can" :)

*****

Is your backup a Time Machine backup? If so, you can use Migration Assistant to move over to your new Mac. Shortly after you turn it on for the first time, and start moving through the screens, it will ask you if you want to use Migration Assistant, and then if you say yes, it will give you the choice of getting the data from another Mac, or a Time Machine backup (there is a third choice... maybe from a network?). If you choose TM backup, it will then tell you to plug in that backup, and away you go.

When I migrated from my iBook to my Macbook, I used Target Disc mode... I think that might have been because of going from a PowerPC to an Intel? I can't remember.

But, thanks to my Macbook dying a premature death, and then my having issues with two subsequent replacements (all since October 2010), I have used the TM backup + Migration Assistant quite a few times! It's basically painless and your new machine will be just like the old one, but... new! (And with newer versions of OS and etc. as makes logical sense.)

Miss Terri

PS: I imagine there is a way to do it from something like a Super Duper or Carbon Copy Cloner backup too, but I don't think you can use Migration Assistant with those (?)
 
Last edited:
Miss Terri said:
When I migrated from my iBook to my Macbook, I used Target Disc mode... I think that might have been because of going from a PowerPC to an Intel? I can't remember.
Click to expand...
The architectural change (PPC to x86 / IBM to Intel) has nothing to do with the method, as you can use TDM with two PPC Macs and with two Intel Macs.

PS: I imagine there is a way to do it from something like a Super Duper or Carbon Copy Cloner backup too, but I don't think you can use Migration Assistant with those (?)
Click to expand...
As a clone is a bootable backup, MA will see the external HDD as valid source for restoring from it, as it just looks like an internal Mac HDD connected via TDM.
 
Thanks for the clarification, Simsaladimbamba. I couldn't remember if there was a specific reason I used Target Disc mode for the Migration from the iBook. I guess it was just one of the options and I chose it.

On the SD or CCC backup.... can you plug those in when you are using Migration Assistant? I thought it asked for only a Time Machine backup, but I may be mis-remembering. I know you can restore from an SD or CCC backup, but can you do the "easy" Migration Assitant route with it?

I wasn't sure, so I've been making SD bootable backups on one external drive, and TM backups on another (can't hurt to have more at any rate, so I figured I'd do one of each).
 
Great, thanks for the links.
Possibly another stupid question, but what happens to applications (like ilife) where there are newer versions? I haven't upgraded ilife in a few years, but would obviously like to have the newest versions on the new machine since they'll come with it.

simsaladimbamba said:
Yes, you will be able to restore from your external HDD.
Click to expand...
 
The Migration Assistant is "smart" and so it will automatically "upgrade" anything from your old computer that is matching-but-better on your new computer. So iLife things will go to Ilife '11, the OS will upgrade to 10.6.6 (or whatever is on the new machine) and etc.

Old stuff that you have that is not on the new machine will transfer over as-is. For example, I have an older version of Office for Mac, and so it comes over when I migrate (since there is not a newer on on the new machine).

If there is anything that is totally not compatible, IIRC, it will go into a special folder that is created. I forget the name but it's something obvious like "Incompatible things" or something like that. I didin't have anything like that going from my 2008 Macbook to the 2010 MBP, but I did have a few of them when I went from the iBook to the Macbook. Some old ancient mouse stuff, etc.

Then, you may get a message when you first open Mail or iPhoto or whatever saying that it has to "convert" your data to the new version (but this is your data not the applications themselves). You say yes, it converts, and then, Voila.
 
great, thanks!

Miss Terri said:
The Migration Assistant is "smart" and so it will automatically "upgrade" anything from your old computer that is matching-but-better on your new computer. So iLife things will go to Ilife '11, the OS will upgrade to 10.6.6 (or whatever is on the new machine) and etc.

Old stuff that you have that is not on the new machine will transfer over as-is. For example, I have an older version of Office for Mac, and so it comes over when I migrate (since there is not a newer on on the new machine).

If there is anything that is totally not compatible, IIRC, it will go into a special folder that is created. I forget the name but it's something obvious like "Incompatible things" or something like that. I didin't have anything like that going from my 2008 Macbook to the 2010 MBP, but I did have a few of them when I went from the iBook to the Macbook. Some old ancient mouse stuff, etc.

Then, you may get a message when you first open Mail or iPhoto or whatever saying that it has to "convert" your data to the new version (but this is your data not the applications themselves). You say yes, it converts, and then, Voila.
Click to expand...
 
Miss Terri said:
PS: I imagine there is a way to do it from something like a Super Duper or Carbon Copy Cloner backup too, but I don't think you can use Migration Assistant with those (?)
Click to expand...

I know you can with CCC. I cloned my 2008 MBP to an external drive with CCC then when I started my 2011 MBP the first time and it went to Migration Assistant I just pointed it to the external drive and away it went... no problems.

There was bit of confusion on my part though. When telling the MA where to pull the data from it took me a couple tries to figure out you need to select "from another volume on this computer" for it to find the external USB drive.
 
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