Migration Assistant versus Time Machine back-up

I'm trying to migrate a Time Machine back-up from my recently stolen 2010 MacBook Pro (running OSX 10.6.7) to my old (2008) MacBook Pro, running on OSX 10.5.8.
However, Migration Assistant on my 2008 MB Pro does not detect the backup folder/file on my external HD, even though Finder does.
I've tried by making a new temp Admin User with a different name as the User on my back-up, but no luck.
Even though it is only temporary, for two months or so, I'd still like to migrate. Anyone?

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Migration assistant versus time machine

I am about to get a new mac, is there a reason to prefer migration assistant or Time Machine
to transfer the data from the old to the new? Will any method allow my computer to recognize
the time machine data as its own? Thanks

Jhalev wrote:
I am about to get a new mac, is there a reason to prefer migration assistant or Time Machine
to transfer the data from the old to the new?
Your best bet is to use +Setup Assistant+ (when your shiny new Mac first starts up), per the link supplied by Baltwo. You can transfer from your old Mac, or it's backups. It's probably best to do it directly from your old Mac, but if it doesn't have a FireWire port, or isn't available, and your backups are on a external HD, you can use that instead.
Will any method allow my computer to recognize the time machine data as its own? Thanks
Not exactly. Time Machine will do a new, full backup of your new Mac. But you will get a prompt about whether you want to "reuse" the backups. See #B5 in [Time Machine - Troubleshooting|http://web.me.com/pondini/Time_Machine/Troubleshooting.html] (or use the link in *User Tips* at the top of the +Time Machine+ forum), for details.

What's best: restore using migration assistant or time machine back up?

Hi,
here's the scoops, wondering what to do:
1-tech support at apple store did a clean install of os lion on my macbook.
2-I have a back up from time machine
3-I want to restore everything but applications
4-Problem is: "I think" it's better to use the back up rather than install one certain program (quickbooks) again
5-Should I just use migration assistant to restore everything after setting the computer as a new one; or restore using time machine, without the applications, and restore quickbooks from the back up by itself later on?
Sorry for the sillyness of this question..
Thanks

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Cloning VS Migration Assistant VS Time Machine restore

Dec 2006 MBP, disk has never been defragged or re-formatted from day 1, so it's pretty cluttered up.
New HDD coming in today, what do you think is the best way to transfer my system, apps and files to the new drive in a clean way?
(running OS X 10.5.8 now, think I want to do an upgrade to OS X 10.6 while I'm at it...
Should I do that before/after transfer? How does that affect Migration Assistant or Time Machine?)

My preference would be to make a bootable clone on my internal on an external. The clone will allow extraction of users, files, apps, and data at the end of an erase and install. Also, if your Sno install goes bad, then you can clone back to your internal to get back where you started. My preference for installing Sno is an erase and install.
Upgrading ought to be pretty much as good as, as good as, or better than (depends on who you talk to) erasing and installing, and having done so everything still should be in place except for archived incompatible programs after the install. Having a bootable clone is just as important in the case of upgrade as in the case of erase and install.
You bootcamp partition won't be affected under either install method. But, keep in mind that if you want to change its size, then erasing and installing will give you the opportunity to do so. No migrating needed for the Boot Camp partition.
Message was edited by: donv (The Ghost)

I can't migrate from a time machine Back up. I select my TC and it says "some backups can't be opened." My HD failed and I'm Trying to get everything back... Can anyone make a suggestion?

I can't migrate from a time machine Back up. I select my TC and it says "some backups can't be opened. Make sure that all of your network devices are connected and turned on. It appears that some backups are already in use. If you don't see the backup you need, make sure it is not currently mounted by another machine and try again."
My HD failed and i installed a new one... I'm Trying to get everything back... Can anyone make a suggestion?

Read the section E about restore issues.
http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html
But you should be able to mount the sparsebundle and backup the major items if they are not damaged. You might also do a disk verify to see if the corruption can be repaired.
Have a look here also for restore of selected items.
http://pondini.org/TM/FAQ.html

TS1963 migration assistant and time machine

How do I use My Book WD drive with all my time machine back ups from my dead 2006 iMac intel base to restore to my new 2012 iMac.
I was using snow leopard and now have Mt Lion?
Thanks,
Ken

Here you go:
How to use Migration Assistant to transfer files from another Mac
Despite the title you can use a Time Machine backup as the "source" Mac for Migration Assistant's purposes.
Scroll down to Time Machine or other disk migration
A wired connection is recommended. Migration over wireless is subject to all the variables involved with wireless networking, and could take an unacceptable amount of time to complete.

Migration Assistant and Time Machine Problems on Clean Install of OS Lion

I just completed a clean install of Mac OS X Lion. However, the Migration Assistant application does not detect my time machine backup on my external hard drive when I try to copy my files to my mac. Is there a way where I can transfer my files?

Are you sure its not shown? It should have a yellow or green icon, and list the name of the system and HD that was backed-up, not the one it's on.
If not, try to repair the backups, per #A5 in Time Machine - Troubleshooting.

Migration Assistant Trouble - Time Machine

Hi guys,
I created a backup of my old MacBook's hard drive through Time Machine, to transfer to my new MacBook Pro.
I went through the normal steps on Time Machine, selected from a Time Machine backup and it's been looking for the disk ever since.
It showed the last time I plugged it in yesterday evening, found the backup straight away. However I added some movie files onto the external hard drive to back up from my new MacBook to make sure I didn't lose them during the migration and since then it hasn't been able the backup.
Has this messed up the backup?
Any help very much appreciated!
M

freakingout wrote:
However I added some movie files onto the external hard drive to back up from my new MacBook to make sure I didn't lose them during the migration and since then it hasn't been able the backup.
Do you mean you copied some extra files onto the TM drive? If so, where did you put them?
Unless you managed to get them inside the Backups.backupdb folder (which the Finder should't allow), it shouldn't be a problem (but those files won't be found by Migration Assistant.)
Try repairing the backups, per #6 in Using Disk Utility.

Migration assistant from Time Machine - more questions

I have recently used Time Machine with Migration Assistant to transfer account information from an old iMac I am decommissioning. At first, I decided to simply transfer account information documents, and not any programs. However, after completing the Migration, I tried to use it again to copy across programs. However, the second time I used it, the Assistant did not recognize the Time Machine backup for the old iMac (even though the sparsebundle exists). Furthermore, when the older iMac began its Time Machine 'cycle' (eg, it has not been fully shut down yet), it did not recognize this bundle either, and created a new TM backup.
Can anyone help? I am most concerned with ensuring I have what I need on my new computer. But also would not want to have to get rid of the old sparsebundle, as it might contain information I need in the future.

Have you run any backups of the new Mac? If so, how did you answer the "Re-use" prompt, per #B5 in [Time Machine - Troubleshooting|http://web.me.com/pondini/Time_Machine/Troubleshooting.html] (or use the link in *User Tips* at the top of this forum).
It sounds like you did, and selected "re-use." If so, that may be the problem. The old sparse bundle was "converted" to belong to the new Mac, so all the new backups belong to it.
That would also explain why backing-up the old Mac started a new sparse bundle -- the old one is now associated with the new Mac, not the old one.
Migration Assistant uses the last backup from the sparse bundle you select; you can't pick and choose which one you want.
Your best bet may be to use the +*Browse . . .+* option, per #17 in [Time Machine - Frequently Asked Questions|http://web.me.com/pondini/Time_Machine/FAQ.html] (or use the link in *User Tips* at the top of this forum). See if you can find the last backup of the old Mac. If so, you should be able to selectively restore from it. You'll need to restore to an "alternate location;" see #15 in Troubleshooting.

Migration Assistant and Time Machine

I had an iMac G5 and bought an iMac Intel. Used Migration Assistant to load iMac Intel. Still using iMac G5. Time Machine can't tell difference between two, when one is on the other won't let Time machine mount. Time Machine thinks the new iMac Intel is the iMac G5. I trashed the TimeMachine preference fie on the iMac Intel but it did not help, suggestions.

axk2 wrote:
Thanks, yes the new Mac is running snow leopard. Can two network computers back up at the same time to one time machine.
Ah, a bit of terminology clarification: +*Time Machine+* is the software in Leopard and Snow Leopard that performs backups, to various places, including a +*Time Capsule,+* which is a piece of Apple hardware.
Yes, that's very common, often to a Time Capsule, or a shared drive on another Mac on the same network.
Your problem apparently is, you told TM to "take over" the old Mac's backups. The old Mac cannot use that set any more.
So you'll need to start it fresh. On the old Mac, go to TM Preferences > Change Disk. First select the "none" drive, then the destination. That should start a whole new set of backups for the old Mac, in a separate sparse bundle on the Time Capsule. The first backup will be a full one, so connect to it via an Ethernet cable if possible -- it will be much faster.
Also be sure there's enough room on the TC's internal HD for a new full backup of the old Mac, plus a lot of extra space, so TM can keep a reasonable "depth" of old backups of it. If there isn't enough, post back with the sizes of the data on both Macs and the size and amount used on the TC.

Using Migration Assistant with Time Machine or Super Duper data

Can I use Migration Assistant with a Time Machine or Super Duper backup on an external drive instead of the original computer? I'm thinking of upgrading my Mini to a new one but only have one monitor. Not in the mood to hunt down an old monitor & buy adapters, etc. If I can, are there any tradeoffs using a backup instead of the original Mini? And is TM or SD preferable for this purpose? The current Mini runs 10.6 SL.

KevinD wrote:
Can I use Migration Assistant with a Time Machine or Super Duper backup on an external drive instead of the original computer?
yes to both.
I'm thinking of upgrading my Mini to a new one but only have one monitor. Not in the mood to hunt down an old monitor & buy adapters, etc. If I can, are there any tradeoffs using a backup instead of the original Mini?
none.
And is TM or SD preferable for this purpose?
makes no difference.
The current Mini runs 10.6 SL.

Migration assistance and time machine in OS X Lion

I use Mac OS X Lion. Before that I had Mac OS X. I had all data in my Western Digital 500 GB external hard drive (as time machine). After switching to Lion, when I try to use Migration Assistant, the application does not find the time machine. Would any one give me some assistance. Thanking you in anticipation.

Have a Look Here
http://web.me.com/pondini/AppleTips/MigrateLion.html
From Here
http://web.me.com/pondini/AppleTips/Index.html

Migration Assistant from Time Machine not working, Migration Assistant from Time Machine not working

Hello,
A friend of mine recently bought a new Macbook Pro. I believe it is a 2.8 Ghz i7 model.
Anyway, they wanted to transfer all of their stuff from a 5 year old Macbook (running Snow Leopard) to their new Macbook Pro (running Lion) and they asked me for help. I suggested they run Migration Assistant from a Time Machine backup. They did that last night and everything ran fine until the very end, when they got this error message "Superdrive firmware Update 2.1 is not compatible with this version of Mac OS X." Also, it appears that nothing had been transfered.
Any suggestions?
Thanks!

Thanks a lot both. The thing was that I couldn't find any DVDs that belonged to my new computer, so I just used my old Leopard DVD thinking that it didn't matter which one I used anyway. When you said it did
matter, however, I looked a little closer and found two DVDs in my new computer's box. I'm doing a clean installation as we speak.
Thank you for your help!

Confliciting info - Migration Assistant from Time Machine Backup

I want to do a clean install of ML, There are certain applications that I did not want to migrate. I was told that you had no choice, it would migrate all of them.
when using Migration Assistant from a Time Machine backup.
Is this true before I start
Thank you in Advance

That's correct (whether you migrate directly from another Mac, or its Time Machine or "clone" backups). See Transferring Applications for an explanation and possible workarounds.

Relocating music files after using migration assistant and time machine

Hello
I recently purchased an i7 MBP because my previous 15 in was stolen. Luckily I had a time machine backup of the old machine - my previous MBP was the Intel 2 Core Duo model just before the refresh to the i5/i7s
So far what I did is ran migration assistant to bring my files over
Everything seems to be fine, except when I got to iTunes much of my music is listed but I get the exclamation mark symbol next to most of the music and movies and apps
I am trying to figure out how to fix this and relocate my files
I know I could access my time machine backup by browsing other time machine disks, but I can't browse the music folder in a previous backup because I don't have the permisson to access it
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

Victor:
If you correctly transferred your music files the problem is with your iTunes Library file.
Open iTunes and quickly press the option key. A window will show to ask you to select the library file. Browse for it and it should fix the problem.

Migration Assistant versus Time Machine back-up

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