Re-associate new mac with Time Machine backup

I have got a new MacBook and I want to load it with a TM backup residing on a USB drive. I know this cannot be done unless hacking the terminal because TM associates the backup between MAC addresses. I have searched the web where I have learnt this fact and how to go about fixing it but I cannot get the commands to work for me. Can someone tell me what I do wrong?
My new computers name as in Sharing prefs is MyMacbook.
Putting this name into the line:
$ xattr -p com.apple.backupd.BackupMachineAddress MyMac
gives me "No such file" !!
PLEASE help!
(this has taken a good part of my last 2 days and why there aint a simple procedure to fix this provided by Apple is beyond me as this scenario cannot be rare?)

igroucho wrote:
"From a TM security  copy etc" 
It should be "From Time Machine or other disk."   Do not select "From another Mac."
I get to a window showing me drives on my network but NOT the drive connected to the USB-port on which I have my TM backup
The display can be a bit misleading.  If it shows a yellow or green icon, and the name of the computer and internal HD that was backed-up (not the disk it's on), those are your backups.
This drive has been checked and passed both by TechTools Pro 6.04 and DU and it shows on my desktop.
Do you mean Repair Disk (not permissions) via Disk Utility?
Are the backups full backups -- ie, with nothing major, like System files and Applications, excluded?
EDIT:  If you don't get the prompt, you may be able to manually "inherit" the backups, per #B6 in Time Machine - Troubleshooting. 
Message was edited by: Pondini

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