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Level 1

11 points

best way to transfer everything on new hard drive for mac book pro

Hi have a mid-2009 macbook pro with 4 GB ram and 250 GB hard drive, which is full now. I just bought 8 GB RAM to speed it up and a new 1 TB hard drive. I am running latest Lion (that I downloaded from mac app store - I have the original install DVD for Snow leopard). What would be the best and cleanest way to transfer everything (OSX, applications, data, files, user preferences, passwords, etc from the old hard drive to the new one)^

1- I heard I can hook the new hard drive via USB and do a clean install of my Snow leopard DVD, then update to Lion via mac app store. Then how do I transfer everything else?

2- I also heard about carbon copy cloner, but somewhere it says there is a file in Lion that this will not copy.

Anybody have any helpfull answers?

thanks

Naniners

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.4)

Posted on Jun 28, 2012 7:47 AM

22 replies

jh94303

Level 1

0 points

Nov 27, 2012 1:38 PM in response to Bimmer 7 Series

Is it possible to test the carbon copy on the new disk by booting from it prior to installing (replace the old one)? I tried booting from the new image and it did not work. Thanks for you reply.

naniners Author

Level 1

11 points

Nov 27, 2012 4:15 PM in response to jh94303

I GUESS there is a way to boot with the carbon copy (if you used an external drive hooked with usb to your mac) and carbon copy the hard drive of your mac to the external drive.

once you boot, there is a key you have to click while turning on the computer and it wil lask you which drive to boot from.

I did not had to do it. I carbon copied and then swap the hard drive and boot it up and it worked like a charm. I am using it as we speak.

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Nov 27, 2012 4:52 PM in response to naniners

Do not use Migration assistant if this is a new drive for your Mac, use Setup Assistant instead. Note: You can only use Setup Assistant on a Mac that is not setup, if you have put a user on it you will need to use Migration Assistant.

Do not use a wireless connection for this task (unless you have God like patience)

naniners Author

Level 1

11 points

Nov 27, 2012 4:58 PM in response to Csound1

I did not

But I am getting the new iMac 27 fusion drive next month. To set it up and transfer all my program and stud from my MacBook Pro, will I use set up assistant or migration assistant.? I need to install all my software ( aperture, all my iPhoto library, iTunes library, office for Mac 2011, etc.

Thanks

jh94303

Level 1

0 points

Nov 27, 2012 4:58 PM in response to naniners

I tried holding the option key while booting and was able to select the carbon copied harddisk (connected via usb) but it would not boot from it. I thought I should first check the new copied image but will now just replace the harddisk and see if it works. Thanks for your suggestion!

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Nov 27, 2012 5:02 PM in response to naniners

Use setup assistant, connect the drive to the new Mac before you turn it on and follow the prompts.

Alixir

Level 1

8 points

Dec 3, 2012 6:06 PM in response to Bimmer 7 Series

Beemer,

Thanks so much. You are a life saver. I am upgrading my old MacBook (mid 2010) 250gb HD to a WD Black Scorpio 500gb HD. Your tips got me up an going quickly. Thanks so much for posting

best way to transfer everything on new hard drive for mac book pro