Time Machine Backup from 2017 to 16 Inch- Anyone else having problems?

[gadgetfreaky]

I tried doing Time Machine backup and it says "Can't restore from diferent model of Mac"

Anyone else get this?
On with support - they are stumped so far.

 

[CoastalOR]

I tried doing Time Machine backup and it says "Can't restore from diferent model of Mac"
Anyone else get this?
On with support - they are stumped so far.

I do not have a 16" MBP, but new Mac model releases have a special macOS with the drivers to support the new model. The next point macOS release will have the drivers for all Macs including the new Mac.

I think you will need to start a new TM for the 16" MBP on a new external disk.

 

[gadgetfreaky]

I do not have a 16" MBP, but new Mac model releases have a special macOS with the drivers to support the new model. The next point macOS release will have the drivers for all Macs including the new Mac.

I think you will need to start a new TM for the 16" MBP on a new external disk.

okay so my 15.4 time machine won't work on my 16??

 

[chabig]

Your first post isn't clear. Are you backing up or restoring? Backing up should just work. Restoring might not. But then, I wouldn't restore to a new MBP 16. It comes with a clean OS. I would migrate from the old machine.

 

[gadgetfreaky]

Your first post isn't clear. Are you backing up or restoring? Backing up should just work. Restoring might not. But then, I wouldn't restore to a new MBP 16. It comes with a clean OS. I would migrate from the old machine.

im restoring
why would you migrate??

 

[matram]

You have the option during restore to select what to restore. You could potentially select to restore only user files and / or programs.

I just did a full restore from a MacBook, TM backup to a new Air. That worked without problems, but I was asked to first upgrade the Air to match the Mojave revision of the backup. I also did a restore of the same Mojave backup to a MBP 2014 running Catalina and that worked without a hitch, surprisingly!

So in general it seems to work to restore to a different type machine and even a different OS version, YMMV.

 

[Soba]

im restoring
why would you migrate??

If you want to transfer all of your files from your old Mac, run Migration Assistant in the Applications folder. It will provide an option to import from a Time Machine backup.

Note: You should have done this when you first started your new system when it prompted you to transfer your information. Transferring now might cause many problems if the user account you are using on the new Mac is the same name as your old account on the old Mac.

Suggestion (this will probably save you a lot of trouble) :

1) On your new Mac, move any new files/photos/documents that you created to another drive. If you have no files on your new Mac yet, then go to step 2.

2) In System Preferences > Users & Groups, create a new user account on the new Mac using a DIFFERENT name than your old account. This is just a temporary account.

3) Log in to the new, temporary account and delete the other user account on the new Mac.

4) Run Migration Assistant and choose to import from your Time Machine backup. Everything will be set up EXACTLY as it was on your old Mac. This might take a long time to run.

5) Log out of the new account and log in using the same username and password that you used on the old Mac. Verify that all your documents, files, applications, photos, etc are where you expect them to be. If so, delete the temporary account.

You're done! Use your new Mac just as you used the old one.

 

[CoastalOR]

okay so my 15.4 time machine won't work on my 16??

Restoring is the problem. If you try to restore everything there will be problems because of the macOS components from the 15.4 does not have drivers for the version on Catalina on the 16. If you need the data from the 15.4 copied to the 16 then use Migration Assistant.

 

[gadgetfreaky]

If you want to transfer all of your files from your old Mac, run Migration Assistant in the Applications folder. It will provide an option to import from a Time Machine backup.

Note: You should have done this when you first started your new system when it prompted you to transfer your information. Transferring now might cause many problems if the user account you are using on the new Mac is the same name as your old account on the old Mac.

Suggestion (this will probably save you a lot of trouble) :

1) On your new Mac, move any new files/photos/documents that you created to another drive. If you have no files on your new Mac yet, then go to step 2.

2) In System Preferences > Users & Groups, create a new user account on the new Mac using a DIFFERENT name than your old account. This is just a temporary account.

3) Log in to the new, temporary account and delete the other user account on the new Mac.

4) Run Migration Assistant and choose to import from your Time Machine backup. Everything will be set up EXACTLY as it was on your old Mac. This might take a long time to run.

5) Log out of the new account and log in using the same username and password that you used on the old Mac. Verify that all your documents, files, applications, photos, etc are where you expect them to be. If so, delete the temporary account.

You're done! Use your new Mac just as you used the old one.

Thanks- lots of good info there. Yes when turning on the mac it gave me the option to restore from TM but then when sectected aforementioned error of wrong mac model.

however, migration assistant does work. Not smooth tho!

 

[Sirmausalot]

I prefer a clean start reinstalling the programs I need and manually copying files over. Of course I still have copies/backups of everything.

 

[gadgetfreaky]

I prefer a clean start reinstalling the programs I need and manually copying files over. Of course I still have copies/backups of everything.

yeah the annoying this is stuff that requires some setup or validation- i..e applications
but you are right I probably should consider this next time for a fresher start.

 

[Soba]

Thanks- lots of good info there. Yes when turning on the mac it gave me the option to restore from TM but then when sectected aforementioned error of wrong mac model.

however, migration assistant does work. Not smooth tho!

Very glad it worked!

I have never seen boot-time import fail, so it’s possible this is a Catalina bug. Time Machine backups should always work as long as you are importing to the same version or a newer version of macOS. Catalina seems to still be a real basket case.

Don’t forget to start backing up your new system. If you choose your existing Time Machine drive as the backup destination, it should prompt you to import your backup history and work just as it did before.

Enjoy your new Mac!

 

[Sirmausalot]

yeah the annoying this is stuff that requires some setup or validation- i..e applications
but you are right I probably should consider this next time for a fresher start.

I think you'll even find there are a bunch of applications you don't even use any more.

 

[gadgetfreaky]

so I evidently have to do this over again...

What do you guys think about just using icloud and icloud drive over- I don't have a ton of apps. that gives me docs, pics, files but not my apps. apps i do one by one.

i.e. forget migration assistant.

 

[jerryk]

so I evidently have to do this over again...

What do you guys think about just using icloud and icloud drive over- I don't have a ton of apps. that gives me docs, pics, files but not my apps. apps i do one by one.

i.e. forget migration assistant.

If you are like me you probably have built up a lot stuff you never use on your computers. I plan on booting up fresh and loading the apps and data as needed. A new computer is always a good time to do a bit of "Spring cleaning".

 

[AustinIllini]

I used to restore from Time Machine but I have mostly done away with that. Migration assistant is better overall.

 

[MrGunnyPT]

Can I use Migration Assist for Parallels and office programs?