Migration Assistant Fail Hang Hung Freeze Transferring Information

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Level 1

5 points

Migration Assistant Fail Hang Hung Freeze Transferring Information

i just got the new MacBook Pro (2011). I have a MacBook Pro (2009) running OSX 10.6.6 that I want to transfer the data FROM.
I did all the basics: Turn both machines ON, Boot up the old mac pressing 't', Connect a FireWire cable between them, and follow the instruction on the New Mac's Screen.
It gets to the "Transferring Information..." screen and works just fine till it gets to "About 19 minutes remaining". It took 4 hours to get there, but that was around 10pm Last night. At around 1am, I went to bed, and it still said "About 19 minutes remaining". It is now 9:30am, and it still says "About 19 minutes remaining".
I never had this problem before. I owned about 9 macs over the years.
If I just Unplug them, or if I Force PowerDown on the old mac, how do I find out what files transferred and what did not? Is there a software that does this?
Also, on my last 2 macs, I used CCC to copy everything because it was faster, and the OS was the same, and the internals were small upgrades. The new mac has all new internals, so I chose to go with what I thought was the safest way.
I guess I was wrong. 😟
Any Ideas would help.
I'm using my PC to type all this, and it just feels wrong.

Macbook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.6)

Posted on Mar 30, 2011 6:39 PM

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Answer 1

TeenTitan

Level 4

2,640 points

Mar 30, 2011 7:35 PM in response to zimcrusher

If the computer is brand new you could Contact Apple Support for assistance.

If you shutdown the computer, you should be able to run migration assistant again. If for some reason it did not, you could go into utilities and try to run it again. you just may end up with bob, and bob 2 to speak. If migration assistant continues to freeze you could try just coping over the home folder.

BTW on the old computer did the firewire symbol stop moving? or is it continuing to move?

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Answer 2

zimcrusher Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 30, 2011 7:46 PM in response to TeenTitan

Firewire symbol is still moving on the old Comp..... Slowly bouncing around on the screen, in soft gray and white.
What is "bob"?

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Answer 3

TeenTitan

Level 4

2,640 points

Mar 30, 2011 7:47 PM in response to zimcrusher

well as an example. if I had an account named "Bob" on the old computer, and it failed to migrate. So I tried migrating it again, it would probable show up as "Bob 2."

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Answer 4

zimcrusher Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 30, 2011 8:04 PM in response to TeenTitan

ahhh... but if 2 accounts are created, then wouldn't it have double the info? Like twice all all my files?
Anyway... I'm going to lunch, and hope that it all resolves itself in the next few hours while I'm away.
All I can say right now is: With CCC it took 3 hours to transfer everything with no issues. This has taken over 13 hours now using MA.
The only other solutions I saw were first do a back up with TM, then try the MA again using TM instead of a direct transfer, but this will again double the time, as I will be transferring 600GB of info twice.

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Answer 5

TeenTitan

Level 4

2,640 points

Mar 30, 2011 8:24 PM in response to zimcrusher

well if both accounts successfully transferred yes. If the first migration failed mid migration it may not have all the files.

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Answer 6

jackcu

Level 1

1 points

Mar 31, 2011 2:42 AM in response to TeenTitan

I've been using Migration Assistant to transfer from my old MacBook to my new MacBook Pro. Same problem - after hours of working away happily, it hangs with "less than a minute to go" and then the new machine tells me it has lost the connection to the old one. Tried a few suggestions but then had to cancel. Left it all night and it was still "cancelling" in the morning. Hard reboot. I've reformatted the new machine and am reinstalling everything from the DVD as it had some files and apps but had lots missing. I'm just going to have to install everything by hand and set it all up. There goes 2 days!

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Answer 7

Mar 31, 2011 4:15 AM in response to zimcrusher

I am having exactly the same problem. The only difference is my old MBP is running 10.5.8.
I started the setup by trying to migrate from TM back up, that froze overnight at 46 mins to go.
I then tried computer to computer, twice both time gets to about the same time and stops. 3 days and my new MBP sits here unable to be used. This 5year old is still going however. Very frustrating.
Any suggestions welcome

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Answer 8

zimcrusher Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 31, 2011 4:35 AM in response to zimcrusher

OhKay... after over 24 hours of "19 Minutes remaining" I just rebooted the Old Mac.
The new mac had no change. Still sat there looking like it was transferring data with 19 min. remaining.
I then rebooted the new mac, and it opened with the WELCOME screen and the music. Does this mean that NOTHING from the old mac made it over? Should I reformat and reinstall the OS?

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Answer 9

TeenTitan

Level 4

2,640 points

Mar 31, 2011 7:26 AM in response to zimcrusher

It's hard to say what has and has not transferred over. What we do know is not every thing transferred over. when you tried using migration assistant did you chose just to move your user account, or did you chose applications, system settings, accounts and other?

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Answer 10

Pondini

Level 8

38,863 points

Mar 31, 2011 4:59 PM in response to TeenTitan

TeenTitan wrote:
well as an example. if I had an account named "Bob" on the old computer, and it failed to migrate. So I tried migrating it again, it would probable show up as "Bob 2."

No, you'd get this window:

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Answer 11

Pondini

Level 8

38,863 points

Mar 31, 2011 5:04 PM in response to zimcrusher

zimcrusher wrote:
OhKay... after over 24 hours of "19 Minutes remaining" I just rebooted the Old Mac.
The new mac had no change. Still sat there looking like it was transferring data with 19 min. remaining.
I then rebooted the new mac, and it opened with the WELCOME screen and the music. Does this mean that NOTHING from the old mac made it over? Should I reformat and reinstall the OS?

Your best bet is to make sure your clone of the old Mac is ok.

Then start over by erasing the new Mac, installing OSX from the disc that came with it. When it starts up again, connect the clone and use +Setup Assistant+ to transfer from the clone.

Start with the green box in [Setting up a new Mac from an old one or its backups|http://web.me.com/pondini/AppleTips/Setup.html] (or use the link in *User Tips* at the top of this forum).

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Answer 12

zimcrusher Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 31, 2011 7:31 PM in response to zimcrusher

RESOLVED.
My solution was to
Boot up the New Mac while pressing T,
then hook it to the old mac and use Disk Utility to Erase the The new mac's Drive,
Then Boot up the New Mac,
and insert the OSX disk that came with the New mac,
and reinstall the OS on the new Mac.
This put it almost back to the Default that it was when it arrived.
I then hooked the Old mac to my External HardDrive, and turned on TimeMachine, and then did a backup.
When it was done,
I turned on the new Mac, plugged in the External Harddrive, and used the TimeMachine Backup to transfer all the data at the Welcome Window, instead of the Old Mac.
This took about 5 hours, and it gave me an error, but the error was minor.
The error said that my old mac, and new mac, both use a FIXED IP to connect to the internet, and it would cause issues. I need a fixed IP at work.
I then inserted the Application Disk, and reinstalled all the new iLife stuff.
I'm good to go now.

My suggestion is, to check your Internet settings before doing your transfer. I'm going to reTest this, but if someone else wants to try it, let me know.
It's the only error I got, and TimeMachine didn't HANG, it just dumps bad stuff into a Folder.

Hope this helps you guys.

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Answer 13

Apr 1, 2011 12:23 AM in response to zimcrusher

Unfortunately it that method has not worked for me, the transfer got about half way through and then sort of "restarted" and went bank to the Welcome screen as if nothing had happened, ready to start from the beginning ..... will try again

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Answer 14

Apr 1, 2011 12:28 AM in response to Pondini

Pondini, How do you :
Your best bet is to make sure your clone of the old Mac is ok.

Do you mean by running disk first aid to repair permissions, I have done that and also run Tech Tools over the old MAc, says it is all ok..

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Answer 15

Pondini

Level 8

38,863 points

Apr 1, 2011 6:18 AM in response to TomGannon

TomGannon wrote:
Pondini, How do you :
Your best bet is to make sure your clone of the old Mac is ok.

Do you mean by running disk first aid to repair permissions, I have done that and also run Tech Tools over the old MAc, says it is all ok..

I don't know what +Tech Tools+ does, but run +*Repair Disk+* on it, via Disk Utility.

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