Transitioning from old MBP to new ...

[eVolcre]

I'm a day away from my new machine arriving and thought I'd start planning the transitioning.

1. My current 17" MBP has a custom install of Leopard where I took out languages, printers etc. It had a 100GB HD and space was a constraint. I also deleted garageband, idvd etc ...

2. I have this drive cloned via CCC to an external.

3. I don't have access to any of my original install CDs - the main ones being iWork and MSOFFICE.

4. The new 17" MBP obviously comes with iLife

What should be my transition process? I first thought of using the cloned drive and giving me a mirror image including all apps but just realized that ends up giving me a stripped OS and iLife 07 ... 500GB of free space means I don't need to use monolingual, delete printer drivers etc ...

Migration assistant? How would I do it and will that keep my apps active without having to input serial numbers?

Either way (reclone or migration) do I need to do a fresh install on the new machine or are they good to go with a software update?

Thanks in advance,

eV

 

[qacjared]

I'm a day away from my new machine arriving and thought I'd start planning the transitioning.

1. My current 17" MBP has a custom install of Leopard where I took out languages, printers etc. It had a 100GB HD and space was a constraint. I also deleted garageband, idvd etc ...

2. I have this drive cloned via CCC to an external.

3. I don't have access to any of my original install CDs - the main ones being iWork and MSOFFICE.

4. The new 17" MBP obviously comes with iLife

What should be my transition process? I first thought of using the cloned drive and giving me a mirror image including all apps but just realized that ends up giving me a stripped OS and iLife 07 ... 500GB of free space means I don't need to use monolingual, delete printer drivers etc ...

Migration assistant? How would I do it and will that keep my apps active without having to input serial numbers?

Either way (reclone or migration) do I need to do a fresh install on the new machine or are they good to go with a software update?

Thanks in advance,

eV

Unless you're bi-lingual or need all thoe drivers just clone it. Assuming you have 10.5.7, clone the drive onto the new MBP then install iLife from the Restore DVDs that come with the new computer.

 

[eVolcre]

Yep, I'm on 10.5.7.

I think I'd like all the printer drivers back. Have the room now so why not. It does come in handy when I travel etc. Is there a way to add them back using the install dvd without doing a completely fresh install?

Then I can clone, reinstall the drivers and upgrade iLife

eV

 

[dacreativeguy]

You shouldn't clone it. There may be garbage you've accumulated that will cause problems. The best thing to do is reinstall the OS on the new machine from its dvd and turn off all the languages and printer drivers that you don't need. Then, after the machine restarts, choose your clone in the migration assistant screen. Everything will be restored. I just did this on a new machine last night.

 

[shoppy]

Out of interest is is a pre unibody 17" MBP? If so I would do a clean install plug in your old machine via fire wire and manually transfer all your info and preferences. It is quite simple to do. SImply that teh unibody macbook pro leopard has a lot more driver for the nvidea chipset which if you have a pre unibody install might not.

If yours is a unibody 17" then simply use migration assistant after doing your new custom install of OSX.

 

[miles01110]

I think I'd like all the printer drivers back. Have the room now so why not. It does come in handy when I travel etc. Is there a way to add them back using the install dvd without doing a completely fresh install?

Google "Pacifist OS X" - it allows you to select install packages off the system disks which I believe includes printer drivers. I would provide a link but for some reason my ISP isn't connecting to google at the moment

You shouldn't clone it. There may be garbage you've accumulated that will cause problems. The best thing to do is reinstall the OS on the new machine from its dvd and turn off all the languages and printer drivers that you don't need. Then, after the machine restarts, choose your clone in the migration assistant screen. Everything will be restored. I just did this on a new machine last night.

How does that make any sense? You say "don't clone it" but then you claim to have done exactly that.

 

[Maccleduff]

You shouldn't clone it. There may be garbage you've accumulated that will cause problems. The best thing to do is reinstall the OS on the new machine from its dvd and turn off all the languages and printer drivers that you don't need. Then, after the machine restarts, choose your clone in the migration assistant screen. Everything will be restored. I just did this on a new machine last night.

Google "Pacifist OS X" - it allows you to select install packages off the system disks which I believe includes printer drivers. I would provide a link but for some reason my ISP isn't connecting to google at the moment



How does that make any sense? You say "don't clone it" but then you claim to have done exactly that.

The clone is used as a means of porting over the apps/settings/documents using the Migration Assistant, so the result is not a direct clone.

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

I remember how someone did this and their screen had a yellowish tinge to it. The color profiles weren't the same from old to new. Forget this clone. You spend more time cloning than if you started all over.

 

[nufanec]

Set up a new account on the new MacBook Pro.
Use migration assistant to transfer the Applications.
Manually transfer your user data.

Simples

 

[qacjared]

I always have a bigger hard drive than new macs have when I buy then (I upgrade my machines mid cycle). Since the latest version of OS X will usually have all the drivers for all hardware that is shipped with any intel mac, excepting special versions like the special version of 10.5.7 that runs on the June 2009 MBPs, I usually just switch the hard drives on the machinces. Old HD into new machine, old HD into old machine. It works like a charm since OS X has every driver it needs.

Am I the only one who does this?

 

[marioman38]

Went with the 17" eh?

I believe the migration assistant at the beginning of leopard will let you choose which files to transfer over, so you could just select your documents and your music if that works best?

The new one will come with 10.5.7 pre-installed.

 

[eVolcre]

Went with the 17" eh?

I believe the migration assistant at the beginning of leopard will let you choose which files to transfer over, so you could just select your documents and your music if that works best?

The new one will come with 10.5.7 pre-installed.

(Marioman - yes I did , will send you a PM with the details. BTW - I saw some of your posts in the camera section. It's your turn to help me out with info on a DSLR ....)

I'm completely confused after reading this thread.

Shoppy - My old machine is a 2006 MBP, the new one is a 2009 unibody. I don't understand the rest of your post.

If I use migration assistant do my preferences and APPLICATIONS come over too? Forget the user settings, I can do that again, will be more fun ..

So, for now

1. Clone 2006 MBP via CCC to my external

2. Reinstall OS on Unibody with install discs

3. Use migration assistant where the clone HD is the second machine (?)

4. It will bring over documents, pictures, movies, applications and pretty much everything else

AM I right?

eV

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

(Marioman - yes I did , will send you a PM with the details. BTW - I saw some of your posts in the camera section. It's your turn to help me out with info on a DSLR ....)

I'm completely confused after reading this thread.

Shoppy - My old machine is a 2006 MBP, the new one is a 2009 unibody. I don't understand the rest of your post.

If I use migration assistant do my preferences and APPLICATIONS come over too? Forget the user settings, I can do that again, will be more fun ..

So, for now

1. Clone 2006 MBP via CCC to my external

2. Reinstall OS on Unibody with install discs

3. Use migration assistant where the clone HD is the second machine (?)

4. It will bring over documents, pictures, movies, applications and pretty much everything else

AM I right?

eV

Forget that, just hook both MBPs by FW and use Migration Assistant. I think USB works too... but I'm not sure.

 

[eVolcre]

Forget that, just hook both MBPs by FW and use Migration Assistant. I think USB works too... but I'm not sure.

So skip the clone piece? I think I'll still go ahead and do a fresh OS install on the unibody. Can someone confirm that MA brings over applications as well without needing to reinstall or input serial numbers ..

eV

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

So skip the clone piece? I think I'll still go ahead and do a fresh OS install on the unibody. Can someone confirm that MA brings over applications as well without needing to reinstall or input serial numbers ..

eV

It does transfer applications. Here's a link for proof to those that are disbelievers (not the OP).

http://www.apple.com/pro/tips/migration.html

 

[TRAG]

Forget that, just hook both MBPs by FW and use Migration Assistant. I think USB works too... but I'm not sure.

It only works with FireWire or a Time Machine backup from a Time Capsule or external HD.

 

[eVolcre]

I have the OS and iLife apps reinstalled. Running software update on everything at the moment through the admin account. If I use MA on my cloned drive and it brings applications under my normal user over am I going to have to update them again? The new machine also has iLife '09 and I'm running '06 on the other. How do I migrate a user but let the new user access all the applications I've just installed and updated?

eV

 

[eVolcre]

It only works with FireWire or a Time Machine backup from a Time Capsule or external HD.

I think I'm stuck. Here's what I have ...

1. Cloned MBP on an external

2. Old MBP

3. I created an Admin account on the new machine and used it to install iLife09 and run software update on everything in the system. I want to migrate my user account on the old machine. The old machine also has 1 admin and 1 user account.

I didn't realize the unibody MBPs only have 1 FW port. I have the cable for the other one and no way of finding a new cable. How do I use Migration assistant? Can I connect my external via USB to the new computer? How long would a wireless migration take? ~ 80 GB

eV

 

[dacreativeguy]

I think I'm stuck. Here's what I have ...

1. Cloned MBP on an external

2. Old MBP

3. I created an Admin account on the new machine and used it to install iLife09 and run software update on everything in the system. I want to migrate my user account on the old machine. The old machine also has 1 admin and 1 user account.

I didn't realize the unibody MBPs only have 1 FW port. I have the cable for the other one and no way of finding a new cable. How do I use Migration assistant? Can I connect my external via USB to the new computer? How long would a wireless migration take? ~ 80 GB

eV

You should have run migration assistant during the Mac setup assistant... right after the welcome movie. EVERYTHING will be transferred from your old mac, backup drive, etc... apps, files, prefs, etc. No need to create a new account and install apps first.

Yes you can connect via usb. It won't take much longer than firewire.

 

[eVolcre]

You should have run migration assistant during the Mac setup assistant... right after the welcome movie. EVERYTHING will be transferred from your old mac, backup drive, etc... apps, files, prefs, etc. No need to create a new account and install apps first.

Yes you can connect via usb. It won't take much longer than firewire.

Well, I should have, but I didn't.

I did an erase and install on the new MBP and then installed iLife again.

I have my clone connected via USB and it seems to be transferring. I didn't transfer over the old admin account. Just the user. The name and password of the admin account is the same on the new MBP.

Let's see if it works ...

eV