Can I copy my new laptop (system an all) onto my old computer?

Question

Hi, I recently bought a Macbook Pro 15" Retina display, but doesn't have ethernet or firewire ports and it won't read my old ipod as well as a LOT of my applications. Fortunately I still have my old Macbook Pro. Unfortunately in February, by error I changed the permissions of ALL the files on my old computer to read & write (I had only meant to do that with Microsoft Word files). After I did that, it would stick on the apple icon when I switched the computer on. I tried Disk Warrior and fsck in Safe Boot mode but it didn't help. I bought a new computer and was able to copy all my files from an old backup drive. My old computer and my new one won't communicate as the old one does not have thunderbolt, only firewire. I think the only option to get my old computer to start again is to erase the disk and somehow "migrate" using the files on my new computer, from Time Capsule, or from my old backup. I'm afraid of what will happen either way. My old computer used Mac OSX 10.7.8 and my new one uses 10.8.4. My old computer was an Intel-based Power PC. The Time Capsule files are from my new computer, with the new system. I'm not sure I will be able to "migrate" from new to old. Maybe its better that I stick to the old backup drive option. How do I go about doing any of this if won't even turn on? It won't turn on from the backup drive either, tried that. Would I have to erase the disk by connecting it somehow to my new computer, buying some kind of firewire to thunderbolt adapter, and then "migrating from" either my new comp or old backup? I don't have any system disks. My new computer came with it installed and I lost the disks of my old one. Any advice or suggestions as to how I can go about doing this? Thanks!

Answer 1

Let's take this step by step. Your first problem as you say is "How do I go about doing any of this if won't even turn on?"
You have two options. You can buy a copy of a OS DVD that will work on your MBP. And use that disk to boot the MBP, repair / erase the drive.
Or you can take the hard drive out of the MBP, install it in an external enclosure / caddy and connect it via usb to the new computer. (External enclosure are readily available, e.g. through Amazon.) Once that is done, you can move data back and forth between the new Mac and the old drive. Finallly you can replace the drive in the MBP.
Be aware however the MBP may not boot from the OS that is on the new computer.