Restore to different models

[David The Scot]

My Girlfriends Powerbook G4 (running Leopard) met with an accident falling off a table and the screen and case are well smashed. we back up constantly with Time Machine / Time Capsule.

It is insured and we are to sent it off to the insurers to get it Repaired/replaced.

If they can't repair it, which I am kind of hoping for, and they replace it with a macbook, can I restore it from the time machine back up? Or is there problem with the old machine being to old and different.

Will I need to back up all the stuff individually and reinstall all the software?

 

[Pax]

No, you will be fine

If you end up with a new machine, install the operating system of your choice, plug in your external Time Machine drive and then run Migration Assistant. It will bring all your data across OK. If you choose to bring across PowerPC applications as well these will run in Rosetta on your new machine.

Sometimes Migration Assistant can get its knickers in a twist over applications - eg if the new machine ends up with a PowerPC and an Intel version of the same app. But for me it's been pretty good.

I did this recently:- I upgraded my gf from the backup of her ancient 700 MHz G4 iMac to an Intel CoreDuo Macbook. It was amazingly trouble free. There were a few minor loose ends to tie up - eg downloading an Intel version of Firefox rather than running the PowerPC version in Rosetta. Stuff like that. I did this from a SuperDuper backup though, not from Time Machine. So your case might be slightly different.