Transfering Data to Retina MBP

[ipadfreak]

So I had a macbook air, and updated it to mountain lion, only to find that sera to Itch (I am a DJ) is not compatible. I needed a computer that worked with it, and was in need of a new computer anyways, so I went out today to buy a rMBP.

The problem: I need to transfer everything from my old MBA to my rMBP, without transferring mountain lion. I do have an external hard drive, but the latest update was with mountain lion using time machine.

Anyone have any ideas on how I can transfer everything besides Mountain Lion to my new computer?

 

[wethackrey]

So I had a macbook air, and updated it to mountain lion, only to find that sera to Itch (I am a DJ) is not compatible. I needed a computer that worked with it, and was in need of a new computer anyways, so I went out today to buy a rMBP.

The problem: I need to transfer everything from my old MBA to my rMBP, without transferring mountain lion. I do have an external hard drive, but the latest update was with mountain lion using time machine.

Anyone have any ideas on how I can transfer everything besides Mountain Lion to my new computer?

If you have a Thunderbolt cable, set the MBA up in target disk mode and then use Apple's migration assistant to migrate to the MBPr. You can do it over a network connection as well, but it's significantly slower. The Migration Assistant will transfer everything but the OS. I assume you've not let Mail and other apps upgrade their files for Mountain Lion. If you have, you may have to either reinstall those apps or delete and reconfigure user data.

 

[ipadfreak]

If you have a Thunderbolt cable, set the MBA up in target disk mode and then use Apple's migration assistant to migrate to the MBPr. You can do it over a network connection as well, but it's significantly slower. The Migration Assistant will transfer everything but the OS. I assume you've not let Mail and other apps upgrade their files for Mountain Lion. If you have, you may have to either reinstall those apps or delete and reconfigure user data.

So you are 100% sure I will get everything except the OS?

 

[wethackrey]

So you are 100% sure I will get everything except the OS?

Yes. Take a look at this Apple support article. My only concern is the fact that you're rolling back to an earlier OS, which is a bit non-standard. The Mail app, for example, will give you that option of updating your mail files to support Mountain Lion. If you did that then your mail accounts may have to be built from scratch or recovered from an earlier Time Machine version. Besides that, this is exactly what the Migration Assistant is designed to do.

 

[iproductsuser]

I'm having a related issue. I had a 2008 MBP running on mountain lion, everything was perfect. I purchased a brand new MBP that is running Lion. I used migration assistant and brought everything over...transfer took 2 days but fine, everything is there but now iPhoto won't open, mail won't open, safari won't open. Is this because my new MBP isn't on ML? I started the ML installation when I left for work today and crossing my fingers with ML that everything will work fine when I get home this afternoon. Thoughts?