Help! - Migration Assistant cannot transfer from newer OS X

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Help! - Migration Assistant cannot transfer from newer OS X

I am trying to set up an external drive for emergency boot disk for my MacBook Pro 15" (2.66GHz, very early 2009). However, when I tried to use Migration Assistant (after installing Snow Leopard on external drive from the DVD) to transfer files/settings/apps from the MBP, it tells me that it can't because the MBP OS X version is newer (have done all updates on the MBP's drive already). M.A. tells me to upgrade the drive - but I haven't created any user account on the external yet...

If I enter all my information new again on the external drive, I do recall from past experience that M.A. will balk at my wanting to update from a user with same name on the other drive (the MBP's).

What's the simpler way to get my settings/apps/etc. to the external? Can Migration Assistant be run on the MBP and transfer TO the external drive? Or does M.A. only work to its current drive?

Thanks in advance for whatever useful info you can provide...

Jim

Mac OS X (10.6.8), MBPro 15", iMac 24", PowerBook (FW)

Posted on Apr 9, 2012 11:46 AM

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Answer 1

ds store

Level 7

30,725 points

Apr 9, 2012 11:57 AM in response to JimRCGMO

JimRCGMO wrote:

M.A. tells me to upgrade the drive - but I haven't created any user account on the external yet...

Hold option key boot off the external and then run Setup Assistant and use that to copy from the internal drive

https://discussions.apple.com/community/notebooks/macbook_pro?view=documents

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Answer 2

Apr 9, 2012 12:12 PM in response to JimRCGMO

TIMHO the simpliest way to create an emergency boot is to create a bootable clone. In order to do that you need a partition large enough to hold the data from your system drive. You also need a clone application such as, CCC or SuperDuper. You run the application and tell it to copy from the system disk to the partition where you want the emergency disk stored.

Allan

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Answer 3

JimRCGMO Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 9, 2012 2:08 PM in response to JimRCGMO

Okay, I just realized that I mis-spoke about the problem occuring with Migration Assistant. It's with Setup Assistant (happens after the post-install video with all the "Welcome"s) where I get the message that it cannot import my settings, apps, etc. Which may mean that the suggestion of Setup Assistant may not help me (but I'll try it tonight when I get home to the external drive)...

So, the problem occurs with Setup Assistant (after installing Mac OS X 10.6(.3, I think) from the Snow Leopard install DVD), and I get a message that it cannot get the settings, apps, files because the OS version on the internal drive is newer (the reverse of what's usual when installing OS X).

Another complicating factor is, the external drive contains my Time Machine backups from the MBP's internal drive, and I can't wipe the drive and clone the internal. (Yeah, should've done that earlier) Sorry, Allen - good idea, just not doable for me.

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Answer 4

ds store

Level 7

30,725 points

Apr 9, 2012 2:19 PM in response to JimRCGMO

Software Update on the external.

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Answer 5

JimRCGMO Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 9, 2012 4:00 PM in response to ds store

The problem I have run into in the past is, when I go to transfer the apps, settings, and files (even when I have updated to the "2nd point" version (10.6, for example)), because the stuff I want to transfer is in the same user name, Migration Assistant tells me I have to rename my 'old' apps, settings and files username (same as the one I am then logged in under). So it's a general pain to attempt to move the files and settings over, and then have to go through all my folders and change permissions for the new 'me'. (I have over 1.2 million files, last time I counted during a copy/cloning)

But I will have to come back and update this question - once I got the external drive this evening and hooked it up, then started up from it, and once I entered a few things (thank Heaven that with an internet connection, it connects to Apple and checks if I've registered for the MBP hardware already and just fills most of the boxes with my info!), I discovered that the system I had installed on the external drive was Leopard (10.5! D'oh...), so I have to go get the Snow Leopard DVD and install that onto the external drive. Then, I will be able to test out some of the options you all have suggested.

(Not having internet service at home *****...)

More later.

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Answer 6

JimRCGMO Author

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8 points

Apr 10, 2012 6:21 AM in response to JimRCGMO

Update:

Snow Leopard install won't let me install it on my external drive because it is also used for Time Machine backups.😟 Now, had I gone through all the steps and installed Leopard, then Snow Leopard over that, and THEN turned on Time Machine for the external drive, I'd be fine (I think).

Can I turn off Time Machine backups for that drive, and be able to install 10.6 onto the drive, or does the Snow Leopard installer look for *any* TM backups before deciding whether it will permit me to install there? If I can turn off TM backups and install SL, that may work, but if SL just will not let me install it once there is any TM backup on the drive, I may be out of luck. Because the Finder won't let me move the backups to my other (1TB) drive (I tried), just tells me that they cannot be messed with/moved/changed/whatever.

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