Syncing two MacBook Pros

[nagetech]

Howdy!

Long time reader, first time poster

I currently have a MacBook Pro. I love this thing! I got everything setup just the way I like it. I've installed all the apps I've wanted, got everything where I want it, etc.

I'm planning on picking up a second macbook Pro, and I wanted to know, is there a way so that when I get this MacBook, to have every little thing about my present Macbook (apps, settings, look, etc) mirrored right over to my new MacBook? I'd also like for it to be able to sync up files. If I am working on my MacBook and make some files (documents, pictures, bookmarks, whatever) They "automagically" Sync to my new one? If I have my new macbook and setup a new email account in Mail, that account shows up on my old one...

I hope you get the picture

If I need to clarify anything, please let me know!

Thanks ahead of time for any help!

 

[simonsi]

To mirror to your new mac just clone your boot drive across to the new one (easy if it supports target disk mode), re clone it when you want to update dock changes etc etc.

For bookmarks, contacts etc use iCloud

For documents you could use almost any cloud service (Dropbox, Copy, Box, BitTorrent Sync etc). I use Dropbox for sharing with others and BT Sync (free for any amount of storage as you provide the space), to copy doc changes between the Macs.

I do this daily between my MBP, iMac and Mac-Mini, works great. The obvious stuff syncs to iPhone and iPad if needed as well....

 

[Fthree]

is there any way you could dummy down the post above lol. I am also interested in knowing how to get my two macs on the same page

 

[snaky69]

There is no practical way to have 2 separate computers synced down to the very last file. At least not in real time.

You can use migration assistant during the setup of a new computer to have it set up automatically exactly how the old one was, down to every last file and preference. It's doing it "live" after that initial setup that gets very complicated and not too practical.

If you only want a specific set of files to be always up to date on both machines, then services such as dropbox and sugarsync will do exactly what you want and will give you and "off site" backup, web and mobile acces to boot.

 

[gman36]

Restore from time machine backup will mirror the computer.

Keeping two computers in sync isnt really possible. Files you can keep in sync only with cloud storage.

 

[eyoungren]

I'll speak to email. If you can, use IMAP for your accounts. IMAP is different than POP in that your data is held on the provider's server instead of on your computer. In this way, if you delete an email on one device it will show as deleted on another device (assuming they are set up with the same settings). Any emails sent on one device will also show as sent on the other device and so on.

If you set that up before you make your decision to either clone, restore from a TM backup or migrate data to the new Mac then those settings will be automatically set up and you won't have to think about manually doing it on both Macs after the fact.

 

[MacGekko]

Restore from time machine backup will mirror the computer.

Keeping two computers in sync isnt really possible. Files you can keep in sync only with cloud storage.

The only problem with using the migration assistant with a time machine backup is that my keychain folder with all of my websites and passwords did not appear. Without using a 3rd party password manager like Dashlane I am not even sure it is possible to achieve in Yosemite, has a solution been found?

Keychain was migrated but all of my local passwords did not appear.

 

[danwestbrook]

Why not use iCloud for your keychain management, I have mine syncing across multiply machines works well. If not you could copy the ~/Library/Keychains folder over and should

 

[Samuelsan2001]

is there any way you could dummy down the post above lol. I am also interested in knowing how to get my two macs on the same page

That is pretty dumbed down, you will have to look up all those suggestions and learn them if you really want to be able to keep 2 computers synched together for any length of time.