Hello,
I just purchased a new Macbook Pro to replace my year 2011 Macbook. Since 2011 I've been backing up to my year 2011 Time Capsule (love it. never an issue.) My question is can I set up the old Time Capsule to now back up the new mac? I've read in some places that Catalina is not compatible with the old Time Capsules and trying to set it up can cause a loss of everything prior to Catalina.
Thanks in advance for your help!
MacBook Pro with Touch Bar
tinkerbelle2012 Said:
"Catalina and a year 2011 Time Capsule Hello, I just purchased a new Macbook Pro to replace my year 2011 Macbook. Since 2011 I've been backing up to my year 2011 Time Capsule (love it. never an issue.) My question is can I set up the old Time Capsule to now back up the new mac? I've read in some places that Catalina is not compatible with the old Time Capsules and trying to set it up can cause a loss of everything prior to Catalina. Thanks in advance for your help!"
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🤔 Seems I misread your post - didn't catch the the word "new" in your sentence: "My question is can I set up the old Time Capsule to now back up the new mac?"
So... New Answer:
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No. Time Machine Backups are not to be intermingled with - they cannot be merged. So, create a Time Machine Backup for each Mac. Use two external hard drives - one per Mac.
So, Try This, in the Order Provided:
1. First, Backup your Old Mac
2. Then, Migrate it Over
3. Finally, Backup your New Mac
In Depth:
1. Back up your Current Mac:
Create a Time Machine backup of your Mac, so that you can have something to restore your Mac from, should anything go wrong with the reinstall.
2. Migrate and Reinstall Data and Apps:
Next migrate it over from the Time Machine Backup you created in step 1 to this new install. If required, request from the developers new keys for the software, informing them that your computer crashed. Ask for 64-bit installers, if looking to install Catalina and upgrade thereafter.
1. Back up your New Mac:
Create a Time Machine backup of your Mac, so that you can have something to restore your Mac from, should anything go wrong with the transfer.
tinkerbelle2012 Said:
"Catalina and a year 2011 Time Capsule Hello, I just purchased a new Macbook Pro to replace my year 2011 Macbook. Since 2011 I've been backing up to my year 2011 Time Capsule (love it. never an issue.) My question is can I set up the old Time Capsule to now back up the new mac? I've read in some places that Catalina is not compatible with the old Time Capsules and trying to set it up can cause a loss of everything prior to Catalina. Thanks in advance for your help!"
-------
🤔 Seems I misread your post - didn't catch the the word "new" in your sentence: "My question is can I set up the old Time Capsule to now back up the new mac?"
So... New Answer:
-----
No. Time Machine Backups are not to be intermingled with - they cannot be merged. So, create a Time Machine Backup for each Mac. Use two external hard drives - one per Mac.
So, Try This, in the Order Provided:
1. First, Backup your Old Mac
2. Then, Migrate it Over
3. Finally, Backup your New Mac
In Depth:
1. Back up your Current Mac:
Create a Time Machine backup of your Mac, so that you can have something to restore your Mac from, should anything go wrong with the reinstall.
2. Migrate and Reinstall Data and Apps:
Next migrate it over from the Time Machine Backup you created in step 1 to this new install. If required, request from the developers new keys for the software, informing them that your computer crashed. Ask for 64-bit installers, if looking to install Catalina and upgrade thereafter.
1. Back up your New Mac:
Create a Time Machine backup of your Mac, so that you can have something to restore your Mac from, should anything go wrong with the transfer.
tinkerbelle2012 Said:
”Catalina and a year 2011 Time Capsule: [...]My question is can I set up the old Time Capsule to now back up the new mac [...]trying to set it up can cause a loss of everything prior to Catalina.”
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Your Mac is Incompatible with Catalina.
Go Here: macOS Catalina is Compatible with these Computers - Apple Support
You you need upgrade to a Catalina-compatible Mac in order to perform all that you mentioned.
I certainly would not use this very old backup method. Read this article:
https://www.macworld.com/article/3311980/switch-away-from-time-capsule-to-time-machine-volumes.html
After 9 years, I think a new external drive would be a good thing; besides, Catalina changes so much in the OS structure that I frankly do not know if it would be able to update its own old files/structure. I'd see if I can access the old files on the new Mac - if so, just leave that as is in case you need to access anything. Then I'd start a new setup with Time Machine and a new external drive: make sure you format it Mac OS Extended and GUID partition.
Catalina and a year 2011 Time Capsule
