How to use a time machine back up to create a new APFS drive

[peterjfox69]

I use Mojave on both my mid 2014 MacBook pro and late 2015 iMac.

I want to keep my current system for my photoshop cs6 etc but want to upgrade to Big Sur.

I have created an APFS directory on my hard drive in disk utility.

How do I use my time machine back up to transfer the data to the APFS directory?



I though of keeping the original set up and creating a Big Sur APFS but then I don't have any applications etc and would have to load it all up.



What I would prefer is to have as my main system Big Sur using my Mojave system as a base and have my Mojave system on my APFS but I do not know how to transfer the Mojave Time Machine back up to my APFS directory.



Can I boot from the Time Machine back up in migration assistant to load to the APFS?



Thanks

 

[Bigwaff]

I'm sorry. Which is your "current/main" system? The MBP or the iMac? Also, what is the drive capacity and current space usage for both.

Please clarify, did you create an "APFS" directory using the Finder or do you mean to say you created an APFS partition using Disk Utility? I think you mean the latter but the distinction here is extremely important.

Is your intent to dual boot Mojave and Big Sur on the same system, switching between the two?

Use more than one version of macOS on Mac - Apple Support

If you install a compatible macOS on an additional internal or external storage volume, your Mac can start up from either volume.

support.apple.com

 

[peterjfox69]

I'm sorry. Which is your "current/main" system? The MBP or the iMac? Also, what is the drive capacity and current space usage for both.

Please clarify, did you create an "APFS" directory using the Finder or do you mean to say you created an APFS partition using Disk Utility? I think you mean the latter but the distinction here is extremely important.

Is your intent to dual boot Mojave and Big Sur on the same system, switching between the two?

Use more than one version of macOS on Mac - Apple Support

If you install a compatible macOS on an additional internal or external storage volume, your Mac can start up from either volume.

support.apple.com

Thanks for getting back to me.

I created a APFS in disk utility with Big Sur on it so that I can use the latest versions of photoshop etc for my new cameras but have kept Mojave on the original HD as I have software I would like to continue using.

I’m on a mid 2014 MacBook Pro and late 2015 IMac.

I’ve created the same scenario for both.

I worked it out today after a bit of trial and error.

Really quite easy in the end.