What is the best way to restore a new MacBook?

[NJRonbo]

Okay...

So I am in the process of trading in my 2018 MBP for the upcoming 16" MBP that is about to be announced.

Decided to trade it in early to get maximum value before the onslaught of people try to trade their computer, and as thus, the demand and value decrease.

I backed up my current MBP via SuperDuper.

I also have Time Machine running so I have backups going back months.

When I get my new MBP (upon its release) is it best to restore via SuperDuper or Time Machine backup?

I don't want to start fresh. I have so much data and so much software that would need reloading.

Also, realize that the backup I am doing now is on Mojave and the new 16" MBP will come with Catalina so I am not sure there will be restore issues using SuperDuper.

Would appreciate advice on the best way to restore.

Thanks

 

[TheRedOx]

For what it's worth, I had the July '18 13" MBP w/TB and had to return it then picked up the 2019 13" a month ago. I used the Time Machine backup from the old one to the new one and it worked really well. All of the applications were installed that were on the old one, even Steam games that I had installed.

 

[NJRonbo]

For what it's worth, I had the July '18 13" MBP w/TB and had to return it then picked up the 2019 13" a month ago. I used the Time Machine backup from the old one to the new one and it worked really well. All of the applications were installed that were on the old one, even Steam games that I had installed.

That's good to hear. I was always skeptical about restoring from Time Machine as I thought it wasn't a reliable backup/restore system.

 

[CoastalOR]

That's good to hear. I was always skeptical about restoring from Time Machine as I thought it wasn't a reliable backup/restore system.

Consider using Migration Assistant:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204350

You can connect either the Super Duper or the Time Machine backup to the new Mac.

 

[NJRonbo]

Consider using Migration Assistant:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204350

You can connect either the Super Duper or the Time Machine backup to the new Mac.

Thanks. Know about Migration Assistant. It's one of the first options that come up when turning on your new Mac for the first time.

Just didn't know which: SuperDuper or Time Machine would be the better choice. Sounds like either would be fine.

 

[CoastalOR]

Thanks. Know about Migration Assistant. It's one of the first options that come up when turning on your new Mac for the first time.

Just didn't know which: SuperDuper or Time Machine would be the better choice. Sounds like either would be fine.

You are correct, either will work, but Super Duper will be faster than TM.

 

[ISKOTB]

A few years ago when I switched from my 2013 to 2015 TM worked just fine. But not recently when I switched from my 2015 to 2018 model!?
!!It took me days until I found BackupLoupe and then I got all my apps back!!
"I don't buy laptops often but for my above issue,  phone support was useless"

Thanks. Know about Migration Assistant. It's one of the first options that come up when turning on your new Mac for the first time.

Just didn't know which: SuperDuper or Time Machine would be the better choice. Sounds like either would be fine.

 

[Fishrrman]

Simple-minded question:
How can one "trade-in" an old Mac for one that hasn't even been officially announced yet, letalone not on the market yet?

When the new one is sitting next to the table still "in the box", THEN it will be time to think about doing "the final backup" using SuperDuper.
Then unbox the new one, put it on the table and connect the backup drive.
Then press the power-on button for the first time, and do the setup...

 

[NJRonbo]

Simple-minded question:
How can one "trade-in" an old Mac for one that hasn't even been officially announced yet, letalone not on the market yet?

Nothing remains secret with Apple anymore.

There are enough leaks out there for me to realize we are getting a 16" MBP in either September or October with a new keyboard version. That's enough confidence for me to give up this MBP whose keyboard is giving me nothing but issues.

 

[leman]

To your question: it doesn’t matter. If your backup disk is fast enough, both ways to restore will be fast and reliable. I always use TM for this.

 

[NJRonbo]

To your question: it doesn’t matter. If your backup disk is fast enough, both ways to restore will be fast and reliable. I always use TM for this.

...and Migration Assistant will migrate a SuperDuper backup I presume. It should -- it's a cloned backup of your drive.

 

[DeltaMac]

Can Migration Assistant see (and use) a SuperDuper backup? I'm not sure about the answer to that question...
You may need to use SuperDuper to migrate over a SuperDuper backup...

 

[NJRonbo]

Can Migration Assistant see (and use) a SuperDuper backup? I'm not sure about the answer to that question...
You may need to use SuperDuper to migrate over a SuperDuper backup...

That is the concern. And, I am not even certain SuperDuper is Catalina ready yet. Last I heard from the software author, it was not.

I'll write the author, find out, and get back to you all.

 

[CoastalOR]

That is the concern. And, I am not even certain SuperDuper is Catalina ready yet. Last I heard from the software author, it was not.

I'll write the author, find out, and get back to you all.

If using Setup Assistant (copying apps, data & settings when the new Mac is first turned on) or Migration Assistant, then Super Duper does not have to be Catalina ready. Super Duper creates a bootable copy of your old Mac drive (I'm assuming the 2018 MBP is not using a version of Catalina that will be shipped with the new 16" MBP). If you want to use Super Duper to clone a drive to the new Mac (running Catalina), then it would need to support Catalina. Using a Super Duper to clone from an old Mac to a new Mac would not work well since there would be a OS mismatch.

I have used a Carbon Copy Cloner (CCC) cloned drives to migrate from an older Mac to a newer Mac many times.

Bombich (CCC) is usually faster to update their software to support a new macOS. Bombich is working on supporting Catalina.

 

[aFlockaCgulz]

Simple-minded question:
How can one "trade-in" an old Mac for one that hasn't even been officially announced yet, letalone not on the market yet?

When the new one is sitting next to the table still "in the box", THEN it will be time to think about doing "the final backup" using SuperDuper.
Then unbox the new one, put it on the table and connect the backup drive.
Then press the power-on button for the first time, and do the setup...

Well, backing up a device is a part of the trading in process, so technically he is in the process of trading in, even if the new laptop hasn’t been released.

 

[NJRonbo]

Well, backing up a device is a part of the trading in process, so technically he is in the process of trading in, even if the new laptop hasn’t been released.

Thank you!

If I waited for the new MBP to be announced, the value would drop considerably as there would be a horde of people looking to sell their current models. As soon as demand for the trade-ins decrease so does the price.

Talked to the software author of SuperDuper. He said that Migration Assistant should have no issues seeing the backed up files made with the software and thus will port them over.