HT204350: Move your content to a new Mac

Learn about Move your content to a new Mac

josborne31

Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Why won't my MacBook Pro recognize the connected USB external drive when trying to 'Transfer Information to this Mac'?

I recently bought a second-hand MacBook Pro (mid-2010, i7, I'll call this New Mac). I want to transfer my accounts and data from the first MacBook Pro (mid-2010, i5, I'll call this Old Mac). I took a Time Machine Backup of the Old Mac, using an external USB drive. After erasing the drive and installing Maverick on the New Mac, I attached the USB drive to the New Mac and began the setup.

At the step "Transfer Information to this Mac", the Mac just gives me a nice spinning icon next to "Looking for source...". Apparently it cannot find the USB drive.

How do I fix this? I don't want to setup a new user on the New Mac, I want to migrate my old users from the Old Mac.

MacBook Pro (15-inch Mid 2010), OS X Mavericks (10.9.1)

Posted on Dec 19, 2013 7:35 AM

I have this question too

Q: Why won't my MacBook Pro recognize the connected USB external drive when trying to 'Transfer Information to this Mac'?

All replies

Helpful answers

by Eric Root,

Eric Root Dec 19, 2013 10:32 AM in response to josborne31
Level 9 (71,941 points)

iTunes

Dec 19, 2013 10:32 AM in response to josborne31

See if you can inherit the backup.

Inherit a Backup

Inherit a Backup (2)

Another option would be to clone your old Mac and copy the clone. That would leave your old Mac with a backup and you can start a new one with the new Mac.

Clone - Carbon Copy Cloner (Often recommended as it has more features than some others)

Clone – Data Backup

Clone – Deja Vu

Clone - SuperDuper

Clone - Synk

Clone Software – 6 Applications Tested
Reply options

Link to this post

by josborne31,

josborne31 Dec 19, 2013 11:30 AM in response to Eric Root
Level 1 (0 points)

Dec 19, 2013 11:30 AM in response to Eric Root

I'm not given an option to inherit the backup, probably because this is all performed using Setup Assistant. (Setup Assistant opens the first time you start up your new Mac.)

And I'm weary about taking a clone of the Old Mac only because the hardware is different between the Old and New. The Old has an i5 proc and 8GB of RAM. The New has an i7 proc and 4GB of RAM. Plus the hard drives are different.
Reply options

Link to this post

by Eric Root,

Eric Root Dec 21, 2013 9:54 AM in response to josborne31
Level 9 (71,941 points)

iTunes

Dec 21, 2013 9:54 AM in response to josborne31

Set up a New Mac

Making a clone is not any different than using Time Machine. They both contain the same files.
Reply options

Link to this post

HT204350: Move your content to a new Mac

Q: Why won't my MacBook Pro recognize the connected USB external drive when trying to 'Transfer Information to this Mac'?

All replies Helpful answers

by Eric Root,

by josborne31,

by Eric Root,

All replies

Helpful answers