MP 7,1 5,1 to 7,1 (Audio Studio/Logic X set up) to restore from Time Machine or fresh install of everything?

[John_B Beta]

I get that this is more of a software question but figure you guys are the types of ppl who've been through this and would be best to advise...

I'll be getting my new 7,1 in a few weeks, upgrading from a 2010 5,1 Mac Pro on mojave - used mainly for Logic X. I have heaps of audio plug ins etc etc so doing a fresh clean install of everything music-related, on top of any other apps, is going to be a bit of a mission when I upgrade. Am capable of doing it, just would rather avoid if poss...

My question is, if you were in my shoes, (and assuming I can get catalina installed on the 5,1 - which I'm assuming I have to for the time machine backup of that machine to be useable for when I'm setting up the new 7,1 and restoring from it - haven't researched that yet) would you restore from the backup from my old machine, or do a fresh clean set up and insall all the plug ins, apps etc afresh one by one? I've always thought that was a more solid sensible approach - but never had any problems with my MBPs in the past, which I always just restore from the previous machine I had when upgrading. Not done it on a big mac pro with a lot more stuff going on, and where performance & stability is more important to me...

Any thoughts/advice from any of you old pros that have been through this recently or a gazillion times in the past much appreciated thanks!

 

[Snow Tiger]

Please , just avoid Time Machine . It's not an archival back up method . It's a convenience .

When you do restorations across macOS versions you might discover not everything will transfer .

I installed some high end upgrades to a classic music composer's cMP and when he later performed a self upgrade of his OS locally , he was forced to go to a nearby computer store for assistance with transferring data with Time Machine . Critical files for his workflow were missing when he tried doing this himself .

For a media editing machine ...

The best solution - I learned this trick from my pro video editing clients - is to have a clean install of the macOS on your production boot drive in your new Mac . Then , perform a fresh install of your apps . Then set your app settings so everything is nicely performing . Then CCC this production boot drive image onto another backup drive before you actually use your Mac for work . Store the backup image drive somewhere safe and use your original boot drive for production . Then , some six or twelve months later , erase your production boot drive , zero out your production boot drive and reverse CCC your backup image onto your production boot drive . If you do everything right , it's like you are getting a new machine again . Very high performance once more . Of course , you should only use your production boot drive for the OS and apps . Keep all your data on separate drives . And if you accidentally placed any data on your production boot drive remember to back up those individual files before you do any erasing . The fastest drive in an editing machine should be your working drive ( or RAID array ) - where you write your data hopefully without any latency .

 

[Coyote2006]

@Snow Tiger : do you move your user folder to a different drive?

 

[Snow Tiger]

@Snow Tiger : do you move your user folder to a different drive?

As I first learned how to install OSes and archive data from 1979 , I do things personally really the old fashioned way - from scratch and by hand ( drop and drag ) . I also always try to avoid updating from one major macOS version to another ( with the exception of point updates ) . Clean installs are golden after zeroing out the drive .

But when I install a modern macOS , I leave the user folder exactly where the installer places it .

 

[profdraper]

Totally agree with the other advice here, ie: clean install, avoid TimeMachine, use CCC ongoing ( I also use GoodSync for file backup and sync to a NAS). Just a couple of other comments to the OP:

Have been through exactly what you are describing in the last week or so, and migrating material & hardware from both a MP5,1 and a Dell T7910 workstation (still keeping and using the latter in parallel to the MP7,1). Two things: Catalina is a dog IMO; the MP7,1 hardware is brilliant - no doubt will receive design awards in the future and end in in MoMa I'd say.

The hardware has been fuss free, fast, silent and takes everything I throw at it - PCIes, external drive bays, a bizzillion USB devices via hubs, external Displays that are not Apple, etc, etc, etc. Most of the ports are maxxed, no bus load issues; external pro audio IO, BlackMagic Decklink and so on. Such a great piece of tower here.

Catalina, jeeze .... where does one start? I guess the main thing to whine about is in losing so many applications /audio & video plugins & other bits and pieces. And this is not a 64bit vs 32bit thing. It is just plain 'won't work' anymore. For example, earlier version of Pro Tools (2019.6, not 'that' early) or Waves v9. Now these could be upgraded to the very latest versions, but that also costs a bomb, don't need ... In the case of Windows 10 for Workstations (ie, the 'pro version') - all of these apps do continue to run and function perfectly.

Ditto for some AU plugins - simply will not be recognised by the apps that need them (a bit silly because AU is simply a Apple propriety wrapper on a VST plug). That's fine then using VST3 with apps like Cubase, Ableton Live, DaVinci Resolve etc, but for the Apple apps Logic & FCPX, some of this is clearly a dead end ...

Still have not got to the bottom of all that re. software installs and interdependencies, but my general takeaway is that I have to learn to live with not having some of my software (and longterm investment) not being available anymore. For that I keep the Dell & still prefer the UI and OS control.

So, all the above should even more strongly support the 'clean install process, but also you need to hunt & peck & test throughout the process because of Catalina.

 

[John_B Beta]

Thanks for the advice guys. Looks like a fresh install is in my future, always a good opportunity to strip things down a bit anyway so all good. It's a bummer I'm going to have to be on Catalina on this one, would never normally dream of my Audio computer being on a relatively new OS, always keep it on the one previous so hope any compatibility issues with plug ins get ironed out soon - I think the major ones I use are all Ok now but thanks for the heads up - at least I'll be able to plan ahead. And at least I'll still have the old 5,1 machine to use for any older projects if there's issues. Cheers!

 

[HDFan]

I have heaps of audio plug ins

Do all of the plugins work with Catalina?

 

[DPUser]

What about using System Migration? It worked well for me when I recently moved from Sierra to Mojave on my 5,1 studio machine. Clean Install OS on freshly APFS-formatted SSD, then System Migration to move apps and plugins into place from my old boot SSD (saved for backup) with excellent results. I can't recall if I even had to re-authorize any apps or plugins. Everything just worked really well, and I saw big improvements in GUI response, probably due to an updated GPU driver.

You can always start over from scratch if System Migration is a fail.

Admittedly, the move to Catalina involves some real challenges... good luck!

 

[davidec]

Yes John B!!
Ive just been there mate.. absolutely fresh install. Everything is spot on in Catalina and will force you to get new installers. Your shiny new 7,1 will thank you for it and you’ll never go back to your 5,1
only thing! If your using an Access Virus the TI side via USB won’t work on Catalina. Only other plug I couldn’t get working was Ohmicide. Other than that you won’t know yourself!
good luck and PM me if you have any specific Logic / 7,1 q’s