TominTexas

Q: Where is Migration Assistant?

I have three MacBook Pros. My oldest, 5-6 years old, kept saying it was seriously infected with a virus. I erased it. Now I reboot and get OS X Utilities on the screent, with four options: Restore from Time Machine Backup, Reinstall OS X, Get help online, and Disk Utility. I have Time Machine using my current brand-new Mac, but I can't restore directly the old Mac using the new Time Machine copies.It tells me to use Migration Assistant. Where is it? I have yet a third Mac, a couple of years newer than this reformatted one, that I can restore from. Is restoration from Time Machine possible? How do I find Migration Assistant with those four options on the screen? Thanks.

 

Tom in Texas

MacBook Pro

Posted on Sep 12, 2016 10:00 AM

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Q: Where is Migration Assistant?

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  • by elcpu,

    elcpu elcpu Sep 12, 2016 10:02 AM in response to TominTexas
    Level 6 (16,022 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 12, 2016 10:02 AM in response to TominTexas
  • by JimmyCMPIT,

    JimmyCMPIT JimmyCMPIT Sep 12, 2016 10:05 AM in response to TominTexas
    Level 5 (7,132 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 12, 2016 10:05 AM in response to TominTexas

    if your mac is infected with a virus congratulations as you are the first person in the world to get a virus by definition on Mac OS X. It's likely your anti-virus software if you ran any damaged your OS.

     

    Migration assist requires an OS to be present on the computer. It does not trigger when you run a restore or internet restore. If you install an OS on the computer it will activate at startup. Othwerise it is located in

    Macintosh HD/Applications/Utilities/Migration Assistant.app

  • by ChitlinsCC,Solvedanswer

    ChitlinsCC ChitlinsCC Sep 12, 2016 10:19 AM in response to TominTexas
    Level 5 (7,625 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 12, 2016 10:19 AM in response to TominTexas

    Tom! My fellow Texan! You took a 1st grader's word on a serious issue that turned out to be something found in the pasture? What WERE you a-thinkin' !?!

    1. There are no known viruses in the wild for OS X
    2. Anti-virus softwares "report" infections to justify their existence

    Others here have explained what you need to do now that you are where you are... I'll recap

    1. Re-install OS X How to reinstall OS X - Apple Support
    2. Move your content to a new Mac - Apple Support - from one of your other Macs - TimeMachine restore only works TO the Mac the backups were made FROM

    [y'all know that first part is joking, right?]

  • by TominTexas,

    TominTexas TominTexas Sep 12, 2016 10:27 AM in response to ChitlinsCC
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 12, 2016 10:27 AM in response to ChitlinsCC

    Ha. I get it. Yeah, can you believe I stepped in it? I've been using Macs since before you were born, but I still don't know many of the basics, such as: Where is Migration Assistant?  I knew that Macs don't get viruses, but the message kept appearing, every time I would attempt anything. I used Malwarebytes on it, and immediately after removing them, it said they were still there. There's not much on that old Mac that isn't backed up other places, so I erased it. Thanks. I'll follow the Reinstall from another Mac instructions.

     

    TnT

  • by TominTexas,

    TominTexas TominTexas Sep 12, 2016 10:33 AM in response to TominTexas
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 12, 2016 10:33 AM in response to TominTexas

    Ok... It says to reinstall OS X El Capitan. I click on the HD logo, and it says, "This disk is locked." What the hey? How do I unlock it? I know how when I have access to System Preferences, but I can't find those.

     

    TnT

  • by ChitlinsCC,

    ChitlinsCC ChitlinsCC Sep 12, 2016 10:42 AM in response to TominTexas
    Level 5 (7,625 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 12, 2016 10:42 AM in response to TominTexas

    TominTexas wrote:

     

    Ha. I get it. Yeah, can you believe I stepped in it? I've been using Macs since before you were born, but I still don't know many of the basics, such as: Where is Migration Assistant?  I knew that Macs don't get viruses, but the message kept appearing, every time I would attempt anything. I used Malwarebytes on it, and immediately after removing them, it said they were still there. There's not much on that old Mac that isn't backed up other places, so I erased it. Thanks. I'll follow the Reinstall from another Mac instructions.

     

    TnT

    Ya got one thing VERY wrong! I am 63 y/o and have been a MacHead since my first MacPlus!

    Remember the old proverb deconstructing the word "Assume" (I would do it, but the 7 words you can't say on TV + Apple's additions Filter would ruin it!)

    Maybe see you at the Fair in a few weeks > http://bigtex.com/ smileys31.gif

    smileys (31)

    smileys (31)smileys (31)

  • by elcpu,

    elcpu elcpu Sep 12, 2016 10:48 AM in response to TominTexas
    Level 6 (16,022 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 12, 2016 10:48 AM in response to TominTexas

    Is Malwarebytes still telling you that you got an issue? If so I would believe it. Malwarebytes is an excellent program developed by a very respected member of the ASC.

     

    BTW, don't believe CCC, I am a Texan also (North Houston) and he is full of it... 

  • by ChitlinsCC,

    ChitlinsCC ChitlinsCC Sep 12, 2016 10:48 AM in response to TominTexas
    Level 5 (7,625 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 12, 2016 10:48 AM in response to TominTexas

    Break it down, amigo... tell in detail your exact actions - like a tall tale around the campfire, the backstory sets up the punchline ("This disk is locked.")

  • by ChitlinsCC,

    ChitlinsCC ChitlinsCC Sep 12, 2016 10:54 AM in response to elcpu
    Level 5 (7,625 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 12, 2016 10:54 AM in response to elcpu

    elcpu wrote:

     

    Is Malwarebytes still telling you that you got an issue? If so I would believe it. Malwarebytes is an excellent program developed by a very respected member of the ASC.

     

    BTW, don't believe CCC, I am a Texan also (North Houston) and he is full of it... 

    [chuckle]

    I am pretty sure TnT said he has already reformatted, so MWB is moot at this point.

    (I think the swamp gasses are giving you a buzz!)

  • by elcpu,

    elcpu elcpu Sep 12, 2016 10:58 AM in response to ChitlinsCC
    Level 6 (16,022 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 12, 2016 10:58 AM in response to ChitlinsCC

    This is what he just said:  "I used Malwarebytes on it, and immediately after removing them, it said they were still there."  I know you country hicks to the North have difficulties so I excuse you... 

  • by TominTexas,

    TominTexas TominTexas Sep 12, 2016 11:03 AM in response to ChitlinsCC
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 12, 2016 11:03 AM in response to ChitlinsCC

    Yes. I ran Malwarebytes several times. Each time it said it removed bad stuff. I'd run it again, and the bad stuff was still there...unlike on my two other Macs, where I'd run it, and then it was clean. Largely because of that, I erased the disk to start over again.  Now I'm booting it up and getting a blank screen. Earlier I got Disk Utilities and several options, but no desktop. Still trying to get something on the screen. I'll let ya know. Thanks.

     

    TnT

  • by TominTexas,

    TominTexas TominTexas Sep 12, 2016 11:05 AM in response to TominTexas
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 12, 2016 11:05 AM in response to TominTexas

    Ha. I understand Texanese. I am in Lubbock. Lived in Texas all my life. I don't believe anybody here, not even myself. I have learned to interpret it, though. Cut through the buffalo bagels and discover the essence of the message.

     

    TnT

  • by TominTexas,

    TominTexas TominTexas Sep 12, 2016 11:13 AM in response to ChitlinsCC
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 12, 2016 11:13 AM in response to ChitlinsCC

    Well...I'm 67, so...you were a mere waif. At least closer than I was. Around 1985 I got a FatMac - 512k instead of 128. Cost nearly $3000.00 as I recall. I felt like I'd just bought a GTO with 400 hp. 

     

    Ok...on this  #^&* seven year-old MacBook Pro, after performing a seven-time erase, which took longer than a day, I now turn it on and it takes several minutes to boot. Finally, the gray apple appears and the loading-up timeline, or whatever you call it, which takes another 3-4 minutes.  Once it's finally booted, I get a window with OS Utilities as a headline. Underneath are several options: Restore from Time Machine Backup, Reinstall OS X, Get help online, and Disk Utility. At the top left are menus: Apple, OS X Utilities, File, Edit, Utilities, and Window. Somewhere I read I need to reinstall OS X. When I attempt that, it gives me an OS X El Capitan window, tells me to agree to the fine print. When I do, it shows an icon of my HD with Recovery HD in small type under it. I click on it, and it says, "This disk is locked." Below that only the Back arrow is clickable, and the Install arrow is grayed out. That's all I know.

     

    TnT

  • by ChitlinsCC,

    ChitlinsCC ChitlinsCC Sep 12, 2016 11:17 AM in response to TominTexas
    Level 5 (7,625 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 12, 2016 11:17 AM in response to TominTexas

    [I realize that you are actually replying to our Bayou City neighbor]

    I am gonna shoot thomas_r a note on this MWB "failing" report - he will likely want a VERY detailed story about those experiences

    Still awaiting the story of the "play-by-play" account of your current efforts in order to paint a mental picture of what is clear to you from your experience (make believe we are "blind", there with you and you are describing what actions you are taking)

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