Settting up a new MBA

[flowrider]

I just updated my MBA (M2, 8GB) to a new MBA (M4, 16GB). This Mac is in addition to my Mac Pro (M2 Ultra). I have initialized many new Macs in the past and have never had any issues. Previously, I used WiFi, left the two Macs alone, and things ran smoothly. THIS TIME THEY DID NOT❗️

I set things up and went to bed, thinking everything would be done by morning. No, the new Mac was still showing the files from the old Mac and still calculating. I cleared everything and tried using a Thunderbolt cable - Same Result. Tried again - No Luck. So, I thought, what if I try with my Mac Pro - Same Result. I then cloned the SSD on my old MBA using CarbonCopyCloner. The cloned disk wouldn't start the new MBA. Then I made Time Machine BackUp and BINGO - That worked👍🏻

Has anybody else experienced these issues❓

 

[dizmonk]

I don't use any of those programs. I'm assuming you can do it with a M4 (since I did it with my M5) but why not when setting it up, select from Iphone? Saved me a ton of time.

 

[torana355]

I always setup my new machines from scratch, it avoids issues like you are having and ensures the machine runs perfectly. I just backup my files and manually copy over what I need.

 

[kitKAC]

2018 MBP to M5 MBP, migrated over Thunderbolt cable perfectly.

 

[ignatius345]

2018 MBP to M5 MBP, migrated over Thunderbolt cable perfectly.

Same. Last time I updated I connected my M1 iMac to my new M4 iMac via a Thunderbolt cable and it absolutely blasted through the transfer.

I’ve done it via Time Machine a number of times as well, also no issues.

What I have never done is try to do it over Wifi like the OP started doing, because it’s just atrociously slow even if it works correctly. And I would consider wifi too flaky and error-prone to transfer like 700 GB of data without glitching somehow.

 

[Beards]

I don't use any of those programs. I'm assuming you can do it with a M4 (since I did it with my M5) but why not when setting it up, select from Iphone? Saved me a ton of time.

Snap... So much easier selecting iPhone.

 

[flowrider]

I don't use an iPhone. But, how do you get info from your old Mac to your new Mac using an iphone❓

Lou

 

[dizmonk]

I don't use an iPhone. But, how do you get info from your old Mac to your new Mac using an iphone❓

Lou

You need to Iphone to do it. When you start up a new Mac it gives you an option to copy from your iphone using a QR code. Works flawlessly when I've done it.

 

[BigBlur]

I don't use any of those programs. I'm assuming you can do it with a M4 (since I did it with my M5) but why not when setting it up, select from Iphone? Saved me a ton of time.

This doesn't transfer data from the old Mac, which the OP is trying to do. He'd have to reinstall all his apps and transfer other non-iCloud data manually.

 

[snipr125]

2018 MBP to M5 MBP, migrated over Thunderbolt cable perfectly.

I did my 2015 MBP to MBA M5 using migration assistant and to my surprise it all transferred over flawlessly. Just had to update some of the apps from intel to apple silicon.