Best Transfer Option for New Macbook Pro

[SoonerChris]

Just got my new late 2016 Macbook Pro in to replace my mid 2009 MBP. I'm trying to figure out what's the best option for transferring all my pictures, docs, and videos to my new MBP. What are my options? What's the fastest option. I'm aware that the ports on my new MBP are all USB 3 and I think the fastest transfer port on my old is Firewire 800.

I'm looking to you experts to help me decide the best way to transfer everything.

 

[Poki]

The simplest option would be to make a Time Machine backup to a USB 3.0 drive (your old MBP won't benefit from 3.0, but the new one will), get the USB-C to USB-A adapter and install the backup on the new MBP.

If you don't want to buy anything extra, AirDrop is an option, although it will take quite a while depending on the amount of data you want to transfer.

 

[SoonerChris]

The simplest option would be to make a Time Machine backup to a USB 3.0 drive (your old MBP won't benefit from 3.0, but the new one will), get the USB-C to USB-A adapter and install the backup on the new MBP.

If you don't want to buy anything extra, AirDrop is an option, although it will take quite a while depending on the amount of data you want to transfer.

I don't have any issues buying additional adapters. My initial thought was Ethernet to USB-C with and adapter. I'm not going to transfer apps (going to start from scratch), just files.

 

[Clix Pix]

I do everything manually. I back up my various folders: Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Movies, Music and Pictures to an external drive and then plug in that external drive to the new machine and put all of the data into the various folders on the new machine. Yes, it can take a while, especially if one has a large iTunes library or pictures library, but it works for me in the long run. When I recently bought a 2017 MacBook, I pulled folders off my 2015 15" MBP on to an external drive and then changed cables so that I had a USB-C to USB-C cable plugged into the external drive and plugged that into my new MacBook.....

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

Do you have an external USB drive available?

If so, fastest, easiest, surest way:
1. Use CarbonCopyCloner to create a cloned backup of the OLD internal drive
(CCC is FREE to download and FREE to use for 30 days)
2. Take NEW MacBook out of the box, don't power it on yet
3. Connect cloned backup to the new MacBook
4. Press the power-on key and begin setup
5. At the appropriate moment, setup assistant will ask if you wish to migrate data from an older computer or drive -- you DO want to do this, so...
6. ..."aim" setup assistant at the external cloned backup
7. NOW -- you will be offered choices as to what to bring over (apps, accounts, data, settings)
8. If you DON'T want to migrate apps, I'd choose everything else and the click ok
9. Let setup assistant do its thing
10. When done, you'll be presented with a desktop that looks like your old one did.

If you didn't migrate 3rd party apps, you'll have to reinstall them.
IF you kept pictures, docs and videos in your [old] home folder, these will all be brought over.

IMPORTANT:
If you've already booted up the new MacBook and set up a NEW account, the above isn't going to work as expected.
You'll probably end up with TWO user accounts.
Could result in a permissions nightmare!

 

[SoonerChris]

OP:

Do you have an external USB drive available?

If so, fastest, easiest, surest way:
1. Use CarbonCopyCloner to create a cloned backup of the OLD internal drive
(CCC is FREE to download and FREE to use for 30 days)
2. Take NEW MacBook out of the box, don't power it on yet
3. Connect cloned backup to the new MacBook
4. Press the power-on key and begin setup
5. At the appropriate moment, setup assistant will ask if you wish to migrate data from an older computer or drive -- you DO want to do this, so...
6. ..."aim" setup assistant at the external cloned backup
7. NOW -- you will be offered choices as to what to bring over (apps, accounts, data, settings)
8. If you DON'T want to migrate apps, I'd choose everything else and the click ok
9. Let setup assistant do its thing
10. When done, you'll be presented with a desktop that looks like your old one did.

If you didn't migrate 3rd party apps, you'll have to reinstall them.
IF you kept pictures, docs and videos in your [old] home folder, these will all be brought over.

IMPORTANT:
If you've already booted up the new MacBook and set up a NEW account, the above isn't going to work as expected.
You'll probably end up with TWO user accounts.
Could result in a permissions nightmare!

This is exactly what I was thinking about. Didn't know however if i could just do files (which is what I want to do). Thanks!