Migrating from 2012 MBP to 2021 MBP - what cord to use?

[Dave00]

Very excited getting my new 16" MacBook Pro. However, I will need to migrate a system that has about 750MB of data, and the ports are different. The old MacBook Pro has thunderbolt (original, not TB3 or 4) and USB3 ports. The new machine will have only thunderbolt 4 ports. I've done migrations before over WiFi, but I would think doing so this time would take far too long. I'd like to use Migration Assistant over a wired connection. I have an old thunderbolt cable but of course this won't connect to the TB4 port. Should I get a thunderbolt 4 to thunderbolt 2 adaptor, or a thunderbolt 4 to USB3 adaptor? Also, it looks like most of the adaptors have a female on the adapted side, and I would need two males.

Thanks in advance!

 

[kschendel]

You mean 750 GB, right, not MB?

 

[njvm]

Between Thunderbolt 2 and Thunderbolt 3 on a 2014 MBP to a 2020 Intel MBP, I used this connector.

Plug the Thunderbolt 3 cable of the adapter into your MBP and then plug the male end of your TB2 cable into the adapter on the TB3 to TB2 connector.

Thunderbolt 3 USB C to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter - Apple (AU)

Apple Store Search Results

www.apple.com

 

[monokakata]

You could consider picking up a USB external disk with USB-C connection, and then getting a USB-A-->USB-C cable. Back up the old machine to the new disk with Time Machine, dismount, connect to new machine and then use System Migration from the disk.

Obviously this is more expensive than tracking down the pieces you need for a Thunderbolt connection, but if you need a new disk then you can do the migration and then use the disk for whatever. Or, maybe you have an external drive already.

 

[Fishrrman]

The problem with buying the thunderbolt 2 to thunderbolt 3 cable is that OP will pay $69 for a cable that he may use only once.

Better to take that money, throw in a little more, and buy a 1tb external USB3 drive.

Use the drive as "the medium" for the migration.
And afterwards, the OP will STILL HAVE the drive to use as a backup for the new MBP.

I would suggest a USB3.1 gen2 drive that is rated for 10GB transfers.
The Samsung t7 would do it.

Or, put together a drive by using:
- an "nvme" blade drive of your choice (many available)
and
- a USB3.1 gen2 enclosure (also many available)

Some of these just "snap together". Easy as pie.
Use disk utility to erase it to HFS+ (Mac OS extended with journaling enabled, GUID partition format)

FOR THE ACTUAL MIGRATION, I recommend creating a cloned backup by using either CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper.

BOTH of these apps are FREE to download and use for 30 days.
"Doing it my way" will cost you no money.

Important: for best results, you DO NOT WANT TO OPEN THE LID on the NEW MBP unless you have the backup nearby and ready to connect.

Connect the backup and open the lid for the very first time -- the new MPB will boot automatically to the setup assistant.

Begin setup. At the appropriate moment, setup assistant will ask if you wish to migrate from another Mac or drive. YES, you do.

"Aim" setup assistant at the backup drive, and give it time to "digest" everything.
This takes a while, so be patient.

Setup assistant will present you with a list of stuff to be migrated (apps, accounts, settings, data). IT'S UP TO YOU to select what you wish to migrate.
I'd just accept the default of "everything" and let it go.

Migration will take some time, so again, be patient.

When done, you should see the login screen as you did on the old MBP.
So... log in and "look around"...

 

[Dave00]

You mean 750 GB, right, not MB?

Yikes, yes of course.

 

[Dave00]

Thanks, all. Wound up going with a USB-C to USB-A connector. Not terribly fast, but faster than WiFi, cable was only $9, and I can use it to connect to legacy USB drives. I just couldn't justify a use-once TB2 to TB4 connector. An external drive with both USB-A and USB-C connections would've been another option.

 

[satcomer]

Thanks, all. Wound up going with a USB-C to USB-A connector. Not terribly fast, but faster than WiFi, cable was only $9, and I can use it to connect to legacy USB drives. I just couldn't justify a use-once TB2 to TB4 connector. An external drive with both USB-A and USB-C connections would've been another option.

Just one word of warning, on your old Mac print out all the shareware keys for programs you like to try to update them for the M1 chips! Plus DON’t transfer Network settings because the TCP charge has been changed ever so slightly so it’s better if you your networking setting manually on new M1Mac!