How migrate only definitely "clean" data?

Question

I got a new MBP this week and I want to make sure I don't repeat the problems I'm having on my also pretty-new current MBP. Apple replaced the hard drive, and that helped a lot, but I still get weirdness in iTunes and the finder. I tried rebuilding my sizeable iTunes library several times, but the problem persists. How can I bring over my essential data while steering clear of any viruses, worms, or other varmints? Tools at my disposal include Migration Assistant, of course, Time Capsule, MobileMe, CarbonCopy Cloner, SuperDuper.

Answer 1

RAM and disk drives can have faults, errors, and they aren't 'black/white' but can have marginal and "maybe" (a disk will make n-attempts to verify it read/wrote correct data) and any time a file is updated it has to copy and write, rename, and delete the old file fragment. So lots of activity going on.
New drives can ship with weak/bad sectors they don't double check, and not with TB of storage. Drives do include ECC and some checks. If the number of spare blocks is less than when the drive was new, if the drive has or attempts to use a spare and mark a block as bad, that is one thing to worry about.
Best to scan a drive for bad blocks before use.
Same for files. Scan them (TechTool Pro 5) for errors, for problem with date and metadata.
I no longer (never really relied on anyway) use TimeMachine and prefer SuperDuper or Carbon Copy Cloner along with other programs (TriBackup 5 has some excellent features), as well as TTPro 5 and Disk Warrior.
The main 'threat' is probably poorly written and tested software, buffer overflow, something that would crash an application or even the entire system and force you to lose work and data, AND require repairing the drive(s). FSCK does a better job than just restart or even than Safe Boot, but Disk Warrior beats both.
ClamXav is a maybe, but unless there is a reason (share files to/from others), and unless it scans internet traffic for packets, not much use or help.
And yes, there are it seems monthly "malware flavor of the month" threads.
Mobile devices may be of more concern. New unknowns, new avenues - malware on flash memory cards and USB sticks use to be "nVir on floppy" for 20th Century. Now it is your iXYZ that is also wireless, credit card/payment, address book and all your most personal data - in one place.
Which is why there has been new attention to security threats and to enterprise as devices enter business (and discard or secure erase any sim card after traveling in some areas of the world).
More likely to have a short, struck by lightning, or cosmic ray caused a flipped bit/byte of RAM (now with high density 2GB SODIMM and disks).
After the 1988 nVir and all the other variants, haven't seen malware on Mac OR PC (MS Security Essentials 2.0 free, so no need for anyone to not have plus it is highly regarded effective tool).
As to why your iTunes can't be rebuilt, I leave that to others (burn to BR when new and before it gets used or copied). Transmitting files means lost packets, resends, bad wires and connections. Clone your library to sparse disk image as soon as possible and redundancy.