Is it "cleaner" to start a migrate manually instead of with the assistant?

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Is it "cleaner" to start a migrate manually instead of with the assistant?

I have a new MacBook Pro on its way to replace my late 2008 MacBook white. I could use the Setup or Migration Assistant to basically copy the old computer to the new one, but I would like the new one to be cleaner, and to put as little junk on it as possible for as long as I can. Setup assistant would copy over all the little apps I downloaded once but never used (disfunctional programs for copying youtube videos, converting videos to iPad, several different metronome utilities, etc).

My plan is to set up a partition on the new MacBook, copy my entire old hard drive onto it (so that the library and system files are just files in a drawer, and aren't "part of the new computer"), and then I can, at my leisure, drag my old files into new spots. For all my applications, I will install the important ones from their install files or DVDs, and simply install or download others when I need them.

Is this method indeed "cleaner" than using one of the assistants?

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2), to be delivered the week of 2/4/13

Posted on Feb 3, 2013 7:45 AM

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Answer 1

macjack

Level 10

111,168 points

Feb 3, 2013 7:55 AM in response to tuzmusic

I wouldn't do that. Use migration assistant when you are prompted in Setup Assistant the first time you boot your Mac. Otherwise Migration will create a new user and you'll have problems.

Why not clone your present sytem to an external drive, then erase whatever you don't want and connect that disk to your new Mac when Setup Assistant prompts you?

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Answer 2

tuzmusic Author

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Feb 3, 2013 8:28 AM in response to macjack

I could do that (seems the same as hooking up the computer itself, no?) but I think would rather start with nothing and add, than start with everything and delete. Feel free to comment on the validity of that plan.

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Answer 3

macjack

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111,168 points

Feb 3, 2013 9:26 AM in response to tuzmusic

tuzmusic wrote:

I could do that (seems the same as hooking up the computer itself, no?) but I think would rather start with nothing and add, than start with everything and delete.

No, it's not the same because you will have "cleaned up" the clone before doing the migration from it to your new Mac. It also saves you any problems with partitioning your internal HDD "on the fly" and preserves your disk space.

The problem with hand migation (drag & drop) except for data files will not produce the results you want because you're dealing with lots invisibles and permissions.

Whichever way you decide to go, do your Migration in Setup Assistant.

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Answer 4

tuzmusic Author

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8 points

Feb 3, 2013 9:46 AM in response to macjack

I think I will mainly be doing this with data files. Any installations I will do with the original installers (downloading the latest version or installing from original DVDs). I think that, to be honest, I just don't want to go through the process of cleaning up the clone, making sure everything is in order (and I will inevitably leave some or many things out) before I even start using my new computer.

Tell me about what you mean about partitioning the HDD "on the fly"? (I'm not concerned about disk space because even after copying the old computer I'll have over 300GB on the computer which is way more than I've ever had on a computer itself! Plus when I move things over, like 20GB of music, I'll delete those files from the partition and resize it every once in a while)

If I were to create a folder on the computer (or on an external HD) that was just a folder, not a partition, and drag everything from my old computer into that folder, would that be the same thing? Or maybe creating a disk image of my old computer as an option? The reason I'd like to have the clone be on my new computer is so I don't have to think about hooking up an external, or my old comp in Target mode.

I appreciate your help by the way 🙂

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Answer 5

macjack

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111,168 points

Feb 3, 2013 11:21 AM in response to tuzmusic

The best reason I can think of not to have everything on your hard drive is because when it bricks, you'll be left with nothing. Hard drives fail, sometimes right out of the box. Also, space will be taken up with virtual memory and Time Machine snapshots.

By "on the fly" I mean re-sizing the partition without an erase and re-format. This does not always work as advertised.

If you really want to do start clean, it's not just ~/Documents ... but what of /PicturesMovies/Music, etc. These can't be dragged and dropped.

It is truely unnecessary to do more than a migration. Or even migrate and erase apps you don't want.

You're not gaining very much for the problems you're setting up, IMO.

You don't have to hook up anything in Target Disk Mode with a clone on another disk, all you have to do is connect it.

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Answer 6

tuzmusic Author

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8 points

Feb 3, 2013 12:03 PM in response to macjack

I may be starting to come around. So simply erasing apps by deleting them from the applications folder will also clean out all the breadcrumbs they've left in library and system folders, it really is that simple?

I don't understand why the Documents folders you mentioned can't be dragged and dropped? Except for the iTunes library (where I was going to drag from my old folder into itunes and have it populate the new computer's library); I don't use iPhoto or whatever might similarly apply for the Movies folder (iTunes movies are in my Music folder cause I guess that's how it works).

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Answer 7

tuzmusic Author

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Feb 3, 2013 2:27 PM in response to tuzmusic

And how would I create the clone on another disk? (PS I don't use time machine)

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Answer 8

macjack

Level 10

111,168 points

Feb 3, 2013 2:34 PM in response to tuzmusic

tuzmusic wrote:

I may be starting to come around. So simply erasing apps by deleting them from the applications folder will also clean out all the breadcrumbs they've left in library and system folders, it really is that simple?

No, it won't but bread crumbs don't usually matter. If you want to be thorough use the uninstaller, if there is one or use a utility like AppCleaner.

tuzmusic wrote:

I don't understand why the Documents folders you mentioned can't be dragged and dropped?

The contents of ~/Documents folder can be dragged and dropped. It's the other folders that get tricky. There are kb articles you can follow on how to move these folders but it's just not worth it when you can migrate. And if after some housekeeping you migrate your user you won't need to worry about it.

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Answer 9

macjack

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111,168 points

Feb 3, 2013 2:37 PM in response to tuzmusic

tuzmusic wrote:

And how would I create the clone on another disk? (PS I don't use time machine)

Use SuperDuper or CarbonCopy Cloner.

You can also use Disk Utility but I find it easier and faster with one of these.

Both free for cloning.

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Answer 10

tuzmusic Author

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Feb 3, 2013 2:55 PM in response to macjack

Thanks! I'm going to use SuperDuper to clone my current computer. In terms of an uninstaller (I've had AppZapper) for a while, I can't use that on the clone, right? I have to use it either now before cloning or on the new computer after migrating?

Also, can I use super duper to place a clone on my external without erasing the external!?!?!?

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Answer 11

macjack

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111,168 points

Feb 3, 2013 2:56 PM in response to tuzmusic

Assuming you'll be making a bootable clone, when it's finished just boot up from the clone and use it. Do the work right on the clone. That's also the added advantage of having a clone on another disk. If anything happens to your internal, just boot right up from the clone and keep on working. Stop and fix the internal when you have the time. I've worked off clones for months at a time. Firewire 800 or better and it's hard to tell the difference between working on the internal.

I make nightly backups, scheduled for the wee hours when I'm sleeping. Still the incremental backups or "Smart Backups" as SuperDuper calls them take very little time, unless you've added a huge amount of data that day.

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Answer 12

tuzmusic Author

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Feb 3, 2013 2:57 PM in response to macjack

Can I use SuperDuper to put a clone of my computer on an external HD without erasing that HD??? (my external is 500GB and my computer is 120GB so space is not an issue)

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