HT3231: Migration Assistant tips and tricks

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lizjlasater

Q: Any way to switch from WiFi to Ethernet during transfer to new MBP?

I have a new MacBook Pro Retina Display and started to transfer all of my data from the old computer over WiFi becasue I didn't have the correct ethernet->thunderbolt connector. After I started the transfer, I was able to get to the Apple Store & buy the connector. On the new MBP it says Connect An Ethernet Cable to Transfer Data Faster, but doesn't seem to recognize that I have now plugged one in. It says it will take 14+ more hours to transfer the files. Is there a way to either A) get the computer to recognize there is now an ethernet connection, or B) pause the transfer process (that's already been going for almost 24hrs) and restart it using the ethernet connector? I'd love to be able to use the new computer sooner than tomorrow!

 

Thanks in advance for any tips/advice

MacBook Pro with Retina display

Posted on Jan 1, 2014 6:05 AM

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Q: Any way to switch from WiFi to Ethernet during transfer to new MBP?

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  • by BobRz,

    BobRz BobRz Jan 1, 2014 6:11 AM in response to lizjlasater
    Level 5 (6,115 points)
    Jan 1, 2014 6:11 AM in response to lizjlasater

    You can't resume Migration Assistant if you stop it, so trying to switch the method might cause you to have to start over altogether. If you look at System Preferences / Network, does it show your Ethernet connection as active?

  • by lizjlasater,

    lizjlasater lizjlasater Jan 1, 2014 6:22 AM in response to BobRz
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 1, 2014 6:22 AM in response to BobRz

    Both computers are kind of frozen in the transfer process - i.e. the old computer has my desktop background with the Migration Assist window open, but I can't get into the Finder or anything else. The new computer is the blank startup screen with a big window that say Transferring Your Information, with a picture of the two computers with an arrow between them. Both show the process bar across the bottom of their respective windows (9hrs 23mins remaining)

    When I plugged in the ethernet cable nothing happened, so I tried a different ethernet cable just in case, but same result. It's like neither computer recognizes that something new has been plugged in

  • by BobRz,Helpful

    BobRz BobRz Jan 1, 2014 6:25 AM in response to lizjlasater
    Level 5 (6,115 points)
    Jan 1, 2014 6:25 AM in response to lizjlasater

    Liz,

     

    Most likely interrupting it to do anything is going to force you to start over, and it's probably going to take longer than 9 hours anyway. If the transfer is still working, your best bet is just to let it finish.

     

    Sorry.

  • by lizjlasater,

    lizjlasater lizjlasater Jan 1, 2014 6:28 AM in response to BobRz
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 1, 2014 6:28 AM in response to BobRz

    That's what I was afraid of. I was hoping that there might be some simple trick to switch it, but patience seems to be the only solution. drat.

     

    Thanks for your quick replies

  • by BobRz,

    BobRz BobRz Jan 1, 2014 6:30 AM in response to lizjlasater
    Level 5 (6,115 points)
    Jan 1, 2014 6:30 AM in response to lizjlasater

    Hey, think of it as Christmas Eve and you get a new present in a few hours.

     

    For future reference, I think the fastest way to transfer is to pull the old drive and put it in an external enclosure. Things won't get much faster than that.

  • by Walt D in LV,

    Walt D in LV Walt D in LV Jun 29, 2014 11:36 AM in response to lizjlasater
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Jun 29, 2014 11:36 AM in response to lizjlasater

    My computer was doing the same thing (wasn't recognizing the ethernet connection)

     

    So, I stopped the transfer, turned OFF the Wi-Fi on both computers (making sure both "forgot" the network and password) and then restarted. What was once 21 to 50 hours, now started (with Ethernet) at five hours, and within ten minutes has dropped down to less than four.

     

     

    So, again, if the computers are showing "connect an Ethernet cable to transfer data faster", then I believe it is NOT using the Ethernet cable. Stop the transfer, disable the wireless and restart.

     

     

    Walt D in LV

     

    P.S. By the way, using the wireless connection once, it stopped and got hung up showing 21 minutes to go (after running all night). With the Ethernet connection no problems occurred.

  • by eplt@odw,

    eplt@odw eplt@odw Aug 12, 2016 11:05 PM in response to lizjlasater
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Aug 12, 2016 11:05 PM in response to lizjlasater

    For future reference.

    I just tested it on latest OS X El Capitan 10.11.6.

     

    Whilst transferring over wifi and saying that copy 16GB will take over a day. Plug in the Ethernet and let it run a bit. Then turn off wifi. Transfer will continue and will speed up.

     

    Edward