Question about moving to a new Mac Pro

[Mactrunk]

I'm just about to get a new Mac Pro.
I've been on a 2008 3,1 since 2008 and I'm about to get a 2012 5,1.
I'm running 10.8.2 and have all of my software updated to the latest versions.

Can I just clone my current boot/system drive and put it in the new machine?
Or is there some machine specific stuff that would interfere with smooth operation?

In that case, would I be better off using Migration Assistant?

I defer to the experts.

Many thanks.

 

[phoenixsan]

Done.....

the transition from a 2008 Mac Pro to my current 2010 Westmere. In that moment I have only 2 TB discs. Cloned both drives without problem. But that was my user experience. And I use the version available in that time of CCC. But still, I hope more people can weigh in with tips/user experiences.

 

[deconstruct60]

I'm just about to get a new Mac Pro.
I've been on a 2008 3,1 since 2008 and I'm about to get a 2012 5,1.
I'm running 10.8.2 and have all of my software updated to the latest versions.

Can I just clone my current boot/system drive and put it in the new machine?
Or is there some machine specific stuff that would interfere with smooth operation?

Are you going to run the 2008 in parallel with the new one. ( e.g., the 2008 goes into a back up role and the new one takes primary duties )? In that case cloning isn't so good. It isn't really hardware driven machine specific stuff as much as the computer's short name and perhaps a few more config parameters.

You need to decide what you are doing with any software with license keys. [ do they need clone -> deauthorize or deauthorize -> clone sequence. ] Again that isn't the hardware driven, but the hardware ID of the two machines are going to be different. A clone is transparent if attach to same machine, but perhaps not so much for certain pieces of software.

In that case, would I be better off using Migration Assistant?

Migraton Assistant allows you to de-select some computer preferences and/or accounts. So it may be easier to do that rather than clone if it is filering out the parts you don't want to move.

There is a small chance Migratio Assistant will filer out some stuff during transfers that an upgrade may have missed (old obsolete kernel extensions ), but the upgrade should have done that. Sometimes it is a good sanity check since an cranky old installer may have stuffed it back in after 10.8 upgrade was done.

 

[nhoyer]

I don't know if it's an option for you to wait a couple of months - but as I understand it, Apple is just about to give the Pro line a major overhaul, with expected release in 2013. Mind you, the graphics in the 2012 Mac-pro are a couple of generations behind, and uses semi-highend graphics of 2009 (AMD 5xxx series as opposed to the upcoming 8xxx series). Not sure if graphics matters to you at all, but would be a bit silly to get stuck with old gen stuff when buying a rig priced as the Mac Pro...

If I were you, I'd hold it for a bit longer, just to see what they can come up with

 

[deconstruct60]

I don't know if it's an option for you to wait a couple of months - but as I understand it, Apple is just about to give the Pro line a major overhaul, with expected release in 2013.

It is likely either several weeks or more than several months. A couple of months isn't in the mix. if there is a need now there isn't much upside to waiting past mid-April.

Either they were aiming at mid February and missed or were stalled dead in water for sinficantly long into 2012 before doing anything. In the first instance, they could have avoided the embarrassment of having to withdraw the product from the EU markets primarily because it is so old. It is way overdue, but that newflash just drives home the point.

In the latter case, it wouldn't make much sense to intro a Sandy Bridge based Xeon E5's a month or so before Intel makes a big splash about Ivy Bridge Xeon E5's. They'd likely wait until after but Xeon E5 v2 (Ivy Bridge) are pragmatically coming later in mid-to-late Q3.

If I were you, I'd hold it for a bit longer, just to see what they can come up with

I'd make plans to move anyway. There are some signs they may move (new GPU cards appearing, but that may be just linked to 10.8.3 release and a "finger in the dike" move ) but if Apple had a well laid out plan they shouldn't be almost a month past mid February deadline.

If there is no pressing need for performance boost then waiting is an option.

 

[rezwits]

Definitely

You're in luck too.

If you clone over your 10.8.2 right now and then boot the new machine, then install a 10.8.3 upgrade over the top of it everything should be sweet.

Laters...

 

[Mactrunk]

got the new Mac

Thanks for all of the help.
I dropped in a clone of my main drive from my old Mac.

Booted up fine.
I've spent many hours reauthorizing my software.
Luckily, I have all of the purchase receipts and serials from when I bought them.
I've contacted many companies and they all have helped me in this process.

Even though my clone was an exact copy, much of my software is protected for a specific machine.

I had several authorizations on iLok and those were the easiest.
I gotta say, iLok is very cool for situations like this.

bottom line... A lot of work, but I'm loving the new machine