Recovering a back up

[Richdj]

Hi Chaps, its a while since ive posted but i guess thats good cos it means ive had no problems...

However I got burgled Saturday night and had amongst other things my macbook pro stolen =(
Im really annoyed as out of all the thing they could have taken its probably the worst, i normally take my mac upstairs but hadn't and it was in view so obviously they got it on their quick trip in and out of my house.
Luckily its insured so i'll be getting a new one, unfortunatly just before the update, but hay ho!

Anyway my problem is that unfortunatly the last back up i did was around nov time, to my external hard drive.

Ive done a lot of work and accounts since then all which will be lost amongst recent pictures, and emails and files etc.

However my question is this... Has anyone ever done a re install, i need to know how to do it from my back up drive, when i get my new Laptop will i have to reinstall all of my software or will it be automatic ?
Can i pic aand choose what i reinstall or will it just dump everything on there ?? ? any help or advice with this procedure would be appreciated.

 

[MacDawg]

How did you back up?
Was it Time Machine?

If it was Time Machine, when you start your new Mac you can connect the external HDD drive and when you are prompted, you can use Migration Assistant.

Woof, Woof - Dawg

 

[Richdj]

No wasnt time machine, didnt buy it after reading the poor reviews, however in hindsight it would have given me a more uptodate back up so might be worth considering.... it was literally the auto back up on my mac to an external HDD
.

The migration assistant sounds ok ?
If its easy to use.

 

[JNB]

No wasnt time machine, didnt buy it after reading the poor reviews, however in hindsight it would have given me a more uptodate back up so might be worth considering.... it was literally the auto back up on my mac to an external HDD
.

The migration assistant sounds ok ?
If its easy to use.

If you're talking about the backup solution that's part of Leopard, that is Time Machine, which I think you're confusing with Time Capsule. Time Machine is the software built in that works with any drive, Time Capsule is a drive and wifi router combo.

Once you get the new Mac, it'll prompt you through the process automatically early in the first boot sequence of events, and ask if you're migrating from another Mac, or a Time Machine backup. Once the external drive is attached (which should be before you even turn the Mac on), select Time Machine and let 'er run.

 

[Richdj]

yeah thanks that sounds right my back up was on time machine, not time capsule, that is what i didnt buy.
Well all sounds simple enought so hopefully all will be ok, just recent files lost.
Thanks for advice