Filed under: OS, Leopard, Mac 101
6 easy steps to migrate your Mac using Time Machine
If you use Time Machine in Leopard, then transferring your stuff to a new Mac might be a bit simpler than you thought. With Migration Assistant, you can easily transfer Applications, Documents, Settings, and more. In this Mac 101, we're going to show you how it's done, and how you can do it yourself! 1. Make sure you have a recent backup
Make sure you have a recent Time Machine backup on the machine you wish to transfer your information from. To check, go to System Preferences (Apple menu) > Time Machine. If you see a recent backup, then you're set; if not, click "show Time Machine status in the menu bar." In the resulting menu bar item, click "Back up now." Time Machine will make a new backup.
2. Make sure you're not leaving anything behind
In the Time Machine System Preference pane, click the Options button. In the dialog box, you can see all the folders you have chosen not to backup -- check these to make sure you really don't want them. If you do, click the folder and chose the "-" (minus button) at the bottom. Click OK and backtrack to step 1 to create a current backup.
3. Getting the new machine ready
From this point, you can deviate into two directions:
- If your Mac is new: Boot up the new Mac and go through the setup screens. When the setup assistant asks if you want to migrate information from your old Mac, choose "From Time Machine backup or other disk."
- If your Mac has an existing account, don't fret. Just open "Migration Assistant" located in /Applications/Utilities.
Once you have completed the above step, click continue. Migration Assistant will ask you to specify the backup you would like to transfer to the new machine.
Gallery: Migrating to a new Mac
Continue reading for more details...
5. Select the account you wish to transfer
You will now be presented with a dialog showing all the accounts that were on the old machine. Select one, two, or all of them, and click continue. If you want more options (such as what to transfer), click the gray disclosure triangle next to the account name. The resulting view will allow you to opt-out of transferring certain folders (i.e. Pictures, Documents, etc.).
6. And you're done ... almost
In the next few dialog boxes, you can opt to transfer Applications or Network Settings. Once you click transfer, your account will be copied in its entirety to your new Mac.
An important note: If you already have an account on the Mac you're transferring to, the account name cannot be the same as the one you're transferring. In other words, you can't copy an account if one exists on the new computer with the same name.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Alex said 7:19AM on 10-29-2008
Thanks for the tutorial.
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XM Rocks said 7:54AM on 10-29-2008
Although your tutorial is 100% accurate, in practice, it's much easier! I migrated to two iMacs (from a G4 mini and a G5 tower) and to a MacBook Pro (from a MacBook). Piece of cake. The only thing you have to do is choose your printers again!
Simply simple....
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K said 8:04AM on 10-29-2008
Good 101 - doubts arise when you just want to transfer selected portions of your time machine backup e.g. just your documents, music and photos - can that be done using time machine and/or migration assistant ?
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Colin said 8:20AM on 10-29-2008
I am also about to get a new mac and would like to know the answer to this.
Big John said 10:32AM on 10-29-2008
I'm shooting in the dark here, but you'd have to exclude everything but what you wanted (if you want to just do a Time Machine move). At that point, however, it may be easier to just drag-and-drop onto that external drive than go through the complicated (for this task) Time Machine backup and restoration.
KomputarGuy said 11:07AM on 10-29-2008
Yes, it can be done. I just migrated my stuff from time machine backup to my new Macbook, I transferred just documents, photos and music.
O said 8:17AM on 10-29-2008
Can you keep backing up to the same Time Machine backup after restoring, or do you get a duplicate on the Time Machine volume when you backup the "new old" account?
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DrWho said 9:07AM on 10-29-2008
I just did a migration to a new mbp and time machine created a new backup. I didn't use time machine to migrate though I used another computer. I looked around and couldn't find a definitive answer on this one.
zoffdino said 9:25AM on 10-29-2008
A new backup will be created for your new machine. Time Machine is based on MAC address of the computer.
GlennAC said 12:18PM on 11-05-2008
From testing that I have done, it appears that, at least since the 10.5.5 update, migrations/restores from Time Machine now continue to recognize the previous backup sets - AS LONG AS IT IS THE SAME MAC. This was not always the case before the update.
However, a new Full Backup will always be created anytime you move from one Mac to another. This makes some in that it avoids the possibility of introducing system files from the old Mac that were never intended for the new Mac.
Cheer!
Astra said 8:22AM on 10-29-2008
Thnx for the tutorial! Since I am planning to move to Snow Leopard when it arrives in the stores, I was doiing some research on how to do the migration. But I can just make a time machine backup, wipe my Mac, reinstall with Snow Leopard, restore applications. Nice!
One question remains, will it also migrate my iTunes settings? e.g. amount of played numbers etc.
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Coard said 9:52AM on 10-29-2008
As far as I know, as long as the iTunes Library.xml is in the new music folder then all your play counts and info will be there. Again, just as gas as I know.
Kyle said 11:08AM on 10-29-2008
When upgrading to leopard, you didn't need to have a backup of any kind. It just took care of everything for you during the install. Just pop in the cd, click upgrade, and bam! No time machine required. But keep in mind, thats if your just upgrading, doing a full re-install or moving machines is a whole different ball game.
the_0ne said 10:41AM on 10-29-2008
Actually, from Tiger to Leopard, their install has an "Archive and Install" choice. What this choice does is copies all your User files to a temporary location. Then installs the OS, then copies your user files back. I've used this on several occasions and it's worked great.
Even had to re-install my ppc mini awhile back because something got corrupted. Did the archive and install option, it was like refreshing my OS, but with all my applications and settings. Whatever was corrupted was now fixed.
DISCLAIMER: Still, before EVER upgrading, make sure to have a full Time Machine backup.
Astra said 11:14AM on 10-29-2008
Thanks for the answers!
My intentions are - when snow leopard arrives - to do a clean install of my mac, thus avoiding the upgrade path. I want to make sure that I have a clean install and want to add my favorites, itunes library, documents etc after that. Or is an upgrade just as good?
from my Windows-days I know that a fresh install is a LOT better than an upgrade, so I was thinking, couldn't that apply for Mac OS X also?
tehag said 8:11PM on 11-13-2008
"But I can just make a time machine backup, wipe my Mac, reinstall with Snow Leopard, restore applications. Nice!"
Unfortunately not quite. The registration information that applications require must be re-entered. For some apps, that requires re-installation.
jonathan ober said 9:20AM on 10-29-2008
you would never find it this simple...on a PC
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Aron T said 9:25AM on 10-29-2008
Great write-up Cory. One question, is the process any different (or possible) when migrating from a Time Capsule?
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Big John said 10:33AM on 10-29-2008
I don't see why not -- the new Mac should realize that volume exists, albeit it's on the network, so you should be able to choose it.
stooky said 10:04AM on 10-29-2008
so far so good, but can s.b. please enlighten me on things like:
- mysql located in /usr/local
- custom php.ini file
- a.s.o.
in other words, what about files and modifications outside the home or application folders ?
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