MacBook setup, understanding migration or iCloud options.

[ajo]

I might have to help set up a new MacBook Air. Ive not done this in a long time, the last time I did I used Time Machine.

Ive not used Migration assistant, so does this carry everything over. I thinking of things like all the library files that have built up over the years. Am I right that Time Machine did that as it was basically just a copy. Will Migrations Assistant be the same?

Is a better option to kind of start from fresh, and just pull Photos, Documents, Keychain from iCloud (Not sure about music yet) and then re-download the programs that are needed. (Pages, maybe a few others I don't know about as its not for me) then just spend a little time getting the settings how you want?

Thanks for any help

 

[0128672]

Maybe you've already seen this, but if not, as a starting point to know what to expect using Migration Assistant, this support doc might answer a lot of your questions. Migration Assistant has an option to transfer everything from a Mac or from a Time Machine backup (as well as other options).

Transfer to a new Mac with Migration Assistant - Apple Support

Use Migration Assistant to copy your files from another computer.

support.apple.com

 

[zarathu]

Will my new M1Pro give me the option of transferring the system? The Time Machine Backup is from Mojave, and of course you cannot run any system lower than Monterey on a new mac. I do need to transfer the network information.

 

[James_C]

Will my new M1Pro give me the option of transferring the system? The Time Machine Backup is from Mojave, and of course you cannot run any system lower than Monterey on a new mac. I do need to transfer the network information.

You should be fine, I would migrate from the old Mac if you still have it, rather than time machine. It will be quicker and less prone to errors.

 

[zarathu]

You should be fine, I would migrate from the old Mac if you still have it, rather than time machine. It will be quicker and less prone to errors.

Why? I don’t consider my wifi stable enough for that.

 

[James_C]

Why? I don’t consider my wifi stable enough for that.

Migration Assistant uses Peer to Peer Wifi transfer so your WiFi network should not be an issue. Time Machine works fine most of the time, but it can fall over. Given the choice I would run Migration Assistant Mac to Mac, rather than via Time Machine.

 

[James_C]

Last week I migrated around 500GB of data using Mac to Mac Migration Assistant from an M1 MBA to a M1 Pro MBP and it only took around an hour.