Intel based Mac is not booting up. How can I transfer my files and data from that Mac to a new Mac with M1 or M2 chip?

My Mac is an early 2015 model with an Intel core i5 chip. It is not booting up due to overheating of motherboard and the cost of replacing the motherboard is very high, so I was thinking to buy a new MacBook with M1 or M2 chip, so, can anyone please tell how can I move my data to a new Mac?

P.S.: the data is very important.

MacBook Air 13″

Posted on Oct 14, 2023 7:59 AM

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Oct 14, 2023 11:59 AM in response to siddhant228

Unless you can somehow get the computer to start up , you might try removing the HD and enclosing it into an external case (since apparently the HD itself has not failed) which you could then connect to the new computer and then gain access to it. As I understand it, there are such cases available, although I've never done his myself. Also, you might get assistance from a qualified Apple service person to help with this. Good luck.

Oct 15, 2023 12:11 AM in response to siddhant228

OWC sells replacement SSDs for the MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015), Model identifier MacBookAir7,2. You're not looking for a replacement SSD, but this seems to indicate that


  • The internal SSD is removable by a technician, or someone reasonably skilled with handling electronics
  • There is at least one external enclosure that would work with your internal SSD (if that SSD is still working, and the data on it is not corrupted).


https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/ssd/owc/macbook-air/2013-2014-2015

Oct 15, 2023 7:43 AM in response to siddhant228

If you can get the SSD into an appropriate external enclosure, and it is OK, you can try to recover and use the data on just about any Mac.


First it is important to figure out if removing the SSD is a possibility – and what type of enclosure you would need. Some Mac laptops have soldered-in SSDs. Some Mac laptops have T2 security chips or have Apple Silicon chips, and encrypt the contents of their internal SSDs in real-time. That means that even if you can remove the SSD, you won't get to recover data from it. (You've separated the lock from the key needed to open it.)

Your Mac doesn't have a T2 security chip or an Apple Silicon chip, and you can remove the SSD.


So you put it into an external enclosure, then pray that there is no hardware damage to the SSD and that the data on it has not been corrupted.

Intel based Mac is not booting up. How can I transfer my files and data from that Mac to a new Mac with M1 or M2 chip?

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