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What is better to transfer to a new MBP... Time Machine or by firewire (old MBP)?

V

voltare

macrumors member
Original poster
May 26, 2008
85
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Is it better to transfer data to the new MBP via time machine or firewire from the old machine?

Thanks
 
I clone my internal 500GB HD on weekly basis to back it up.

It takes about 3 hours for 410GB of data using FW800.

I would recommend FW since it will be faster.
 
FW.

Put the new machine in Target Disk Mode (hold T when starting), connect the FW cable to both. On the old machine, use carbon copy cloner to clone the drive. That way, everything will be 100% identical, even Time Machine will think it's still working with the same machine.

This way will be much faster because the copy will be bit-for-bit in sequencial order, but restoring from a TM backup will make the read head jump back and forth from original backup to modified file and back all over the backup drive. I've seen time the difference, it's huge.
 
there are four different ways 'Apple style'.
  1. restoring a Time Machine backup while booted into the isntall disc. this will restore EVERYTHING so your new Mac might display as the same model as your old Mac or any software problems you had on the old Mac will be apparent on the new one.
  2. Migration Assistant with a Time Machine backup. this will migrate your user files, applications, and settings from your external drive to your new Mac. this will not do a complete restore.
  3. Migration Assistant with the old Mac. this is the same and migrating with a Time Machine backup except straight from the old Mac.
  4. Target Disk Mode where the old Mac appears as a hard drive and you manually drag your files over to your new Mac.
 
I used Migration Assistant to transfer from a TM backup over USB (mainly because my FW 800-400 cable hadn't arrived). It worked just fine, and went at a reasonable speed. Firewire would probably net a faster speed..
 
^ i would say the best and fastest way would be to use Migration Assistant via Gigabit Ethernet as the new update to Migration Assistant in Leopard allows transfers over the network.
 
I'm due to be transferring from a PB to a Unibody MBP and was planning to do a restore from a FW external drive running Time Machine. However, I completely overlooked the issue of the MBP having a different build of Leopard.

Will there be an issue if I restore from a Time Machine backup onto the new MBP? I'd like to think that this wouldn't affect the OS settings? Cheers.
 
^ check out my first post. if you use a Time Machine backup with Migration Assistant it will only migrate your user files, applications, and settings and not the whole OS like when restoring a Time Machine backup from your install disc which may cause your new Mac to think its the same specs as your old Mac.
 
Hi there,

I used migration assistant to transfer everything from my G4 MDD desktop running 10.3.9 (think that was it) to my new MBP & !0.4.X and it worked quickly and smoothly - no problems that I'm aware of after a year.

Cheers!

Glen
 
gpeden said:
Hi there,

I used migration assistant to transfer everything from my G4 MDD desktop running 10.3.9 (think that was it) to my new MBP & !0.4.X and it worked quickly and smoothly - no problems that I'm aware of after a year.

Cheers!

Glen
Click to expand...

every time i've used this in the past, it seems to never copy over my emails in my inbox, and only some of my other folders. anyone else have problems with this?
 
Thanks, everyone. I've decided to do firewire from the old MBP for the speed. I'll just do a new time machine backup overnight.

As to the mailbox issue, I am getting my new MBP today, so I'll let you know if I get the same results.
 
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