Switching system HDs between MacPros?

[JEL P]

Hi Everyone,

Can this be done - assuming no additional hardware devices are invloved? I live in the UK and need to work on a project in the USA, that I would like to have use of my system for.

Rather than dragging my MP onto the plane or shipping it at huge cost and risk I am wondering if I can simply pull out my system/boot drive and stick it into a macpro at the studio I'm visiting - and have it boot up as if it were my Mac at home, with all my apps, plugins and configurations. (My actual project data resides on a different drive which obviously I will also be bringing)

Installing a similar set of software on their MP system is not an option.

I have a MacPro from late 2006, still running the last update to Tiger with latest firmware. I can it upgrade to Leopard if needed... I believe they have a late 2008 model that probably came with Leopard. I'm guessing if there are any issues, it will be to do with firmware versions or differing internal hardware components between 2006 and 2008 models....

The summary -Can a 2008 MP boot to a system drive from a 2006 MP with Tiger / Leopard on it?

Any advise would be greatly appreciated

JEL

 

[robbieduncan]

In general the earliest OS version you can run on a machine is the first OS that the machine shipped with. So if that revision of Mac Pro first shipped with Leopard you'll need to be running Leopard (you won't have drivers for the hardware otherwise). On the other hand if that revision of Mac Pro ever shipped with Tiger then you should be OK with a late version of Tiger.

 

[JEL P]

Seems logical enough...

Thanks

 

[kevink2]

No mention was made about the system detecting hardware changes and needing to be reactivated

 

[Cynicalone]

You could clone your system/boot drive. And then just use Migration Assistant to copy all of your info to the new Mac Pro.

It would be much better if both Macs where on Leopard or Tiger.

I say clone because then you could leave your drive at home. But I suppose you could do the same thing by putting your system/boot drive in an external enclosure. And then hooking that up to the new Mac Pro.

 

[JEL P]

I'm happy to install the leopard upgrade if necessary

kevink2 - Does reactivation require having to pay for another license or something?

Cynicalone - putting my system drive or clone backup in an enclosure and booting from that sounds like a nice clean option.. Just hold down alt while it starts up and select the drive, right?

So all I would need is a SATA - firewire/USB enclosure box? Would it not require reactivation that way?

Can anyone else confirm that this would work? Actually I think I remember once trying out booting the MP from my macbook's drive via firewire - and it worked without any special requirements... But that was a while ago I could be wrong

Thx for the help guys

 

[robbieduncan]

kevink2 - Does reactivation require having to pay for another license or something?

It's a dig at Windows: you don't have to worry about silliness like this with OSX.

 

[Cynicalone]

I'm happy to install the leopard upgrade if necessary

kevink2 - Does reactivation require having to pay for another license or something?

Cynicalone - putting my system drive or clone backup in an enclosure and booting from that sounds like a nice clean option.. Just hold down alt while it starts up and select the drive, right?

So all I would need is a SATA - firewire/USB enclosure box? Would it not require reactivation that way?

Can anyone else confirm that this would work? Actually I think I remember once trying out booting the MP from my macbook's drive via firewire - and it worked without any special requirements... But that was a while ago I could be wrong

Thx for the help guys

My solution is you hook up the external drive.

Launch Migration Assistant.

Point it at your external, and tell it what you want to copy.

It will move everything over for you and give you a user account on the new Mac Pro with everything from your system/boot drive.

It will be like you have a new Mac, with all your old stuff moved over.

 

[JEL P]

It's a dig at Windows: you don't have to worry about silliness like this with OSX.

Nice... Hidden digs reduce the fire hazard.

Sounds like as long as I make it Leopard I'll be ok..

Cheers!

 

[JEL P]

My solution is you hook up the external drive.

Launch Migration Assistant.

Point it at your external, and tell it what you want to copy.

It will move everything over for you and give you a user account on the new Mac Pro with everything from your system/boot drive.

It will be like you have a new Mac, with all your old stuff moved over.

Cynicalone - I don't want to permanently change the newer Mac because its not mine. It has go back to its previous state after I'm gone.

 

[Shademaster]

You can even switch software RAID arrays with other macpro's.