Suggestions on moving Adobe CS6 and user files to MBP 2018 please

[hajime]

Hello, I have 1TB (600GB for Mac OS and 400GB for Windows) SSD on my MBP. The Mac partition has only 30GB left. It contains files accumulated for over 10 years (from different machines). Usually when I bought a new MBP, I just used Time Machine to move everything from the old MBP to the new one.

I am considering to by the MBP 2018. Upgrading to 2TB is too expensive for me. I would like to stay at 1TB. What suggestions do you have?

One issue I have is that in one previous workplace, I was given a budget to buy computer hardware and software. While the hardware had to stay with the university as it was over a certain amount, I was allowed to take the software (Adobe CS6 Master Collection) with me. If I just move everything from my current MBP to the MBP 2018, there should be no problem with licensing as I have done before. However, if I just install a fresh Mac OS on the MBP 2018, I will not be able to install CS6 on the new machine since I do not have the login id and password for the Adobe account created by the secretary. The project was terminated by the university and the group no longer exists. So, I cannot get the login id and password from former colleague.

 

[HDFan]

The Mac partition has only 30GB left

You need at least 10% free space, preferably 20%-25%. 1TB is too small unless you clean out at least 70 GB, preferably 170 GB. I would move everything you can to an external hard disk.

However, if I just install a fresh Mac OS on the MBP 2018, I will not be able to install CS6 on the new machine since I do not have the login id and password for the Adobe account created by the secretary. The project was terminated by the university and the group no longer exists. So, I cannot get the login id and password from former colleague.

Yep.

 

[hajime]

You need at least 10% free space, preferably 20%-25%. 1TB is too small unless you clean out at least 70 GB, preferably 170 GB. I would move everything you can to an external hard disk.



Yep.

Thanks. Is the best option now is to move everything from my current laptop to MBP 2018 via TimeMachine during initial startup instalation. Then, move the stuffs off from the new laptop to an external drive?

It is so expensive to get a 2TB drive.

 

[dwig]

It's likely that 90% of what is on your current machine doesn't need to be on the boot drive. One "solution" would be to copy the bulk of your documents, images, ... to a new external drive and, once the copy is confirmed to be good, delete them from the internal drive, leaving little more than the system and the apps. Then force TimeMachine to backkup the current machine. Now, when you use TM while setting up the new machine, there is less for it to clone to the new machine. You can later copy some of the files on the external onto the new machine if needed.

 

[MSastre]

When following dwig's advice, be sure to copy your files directly from your internal drive to the new external drive, rather than a TM copy.

 

[velocityg4]

Do you need a Windows partition all the time? How about putting Windows on an external if you just need it occasionally. A 500GB Crucial MX500 and USB 3.1 Gen 2 enclosure are pretty cheap.

 

[hajime]

Do you need a Windows partition all the time? How about putting Windows on an external if you just need it occasionally. A 500GB Crucial MX500 and USB 3.1 Gen 2 enclosure are pretty cheap.

Do you mean running Windows externally from an external drive? So it means I need to carry one more item?

 

[velocityg4]

Do you mean running Windows externally from an external drive? So it means I need to carry one more item?

How about using Google Backup and Sync, iCloud Drive or Dropbox? They have options to only store files on your computer you open. Everything else is stored on the cloud. The downside being if you have no internet connection or a slow connection. You won't have access to any files which aren't local.

Is there a way to get around a 400GB Windows install? Alternative Mac Apps, running Windows apps via Wine. All I or anyone can do is make guesses.

The crux of the matter is. 1TB is not enough space. You'll either have to use external storage, pay for 2TB, move to Windows/Linux or make some other compromise. Simply put, not enough storage space is a miserable experience. In my opinion you'll regret buying a new computer which doesn't meet your needs.

 

[HDFan]

I am considering to by the MBP 2018.

It is so expensive to get a 2TB drive.

I assume you are referring to the internal SSD? In the US you can get a 6 TB USB 3.0 Seagate hard drive for ~$110 from Costco, a fraction of what you will be paying for the MBP.

Is the best option now is to move everything from my current laptop to MBP 2018 via TimeMachine during initial startup instalation. Then, move the stuffs off from the new laptop to an external drive?

When following dwig's advice, be sure to copy your files directly from your internal drive to the new external drive, rather than a TM copy.

Time Machine may be convenient, but it can be unreliable. Do not delete your originals until you have confirmed that everything is there. The problem with copying the files directly is that things are stored all over the place. Preference Files, Application Support files, Extensions, Daemons, etc. Time Machine may do a better job of copying some or all of those locations. I would bet it would be easier than trying to find and copy all of those folders that have user or application data. You just have to put up with the fact that it will be a slower copy/restore.

 

[dwig]

... The problem with copying the files directly is that things are stored all over the place. Preference Files, Application Support files, Extensions, Daemons, etc. ...

You've somewhat missed my point.

My suggestion involved moving the bulk of the User files, thus reducing the footprint on the main boot drive. The OP could then force a new TM backup to get a smaller TM footprint. That new smaller TM backup could then be used when setting up the new machine. After the new machine is setup, with all of the scattered "under the hood" files and apps cloned out of the TM backup, the OP could then move/copy any important user files from the external as space allows. Older user files that a kept for "archive" purposes and not needed on a regular basis would be best left on the external.

 

[hajime]

Given all the issues with MBP2018, if I decide to buy the base model without upgrading the SSD from 512 to 1TB, what can I do? Note that in this case I have a 1TB drive in the current laptop. It has two partitions one for Mac OS and one for Windows. Using TM during installation may not work since the original drive is twice the size as the 512 SSD in the MBP2018.

 

[HDFan]

Given all the issues with MBP2018

Er, what issues? There are a lot of posts from people who were looking for something specific, such as speed and memory. But you then get into the compromises. If you want maximum power without any throttling due to heat then you are going to get something like a 10 pound laptop with huge power supply. Throttling is part of the design. I haven't seen any real issues yet, such as keys on keyboard failing, board failures due to heat, etc. But you have decide if the tradeoffs that Apple had to make meet your needs.

if I decide to buy the base model without upgrading the SSD from 512 to 1TB, what can I do?

You could just install as a new system, and then manually restore from Time Machine files on a file and folder basis. For just user documents this wouldn't be that hard. But if you are also restoring applications, that can be a nightmare.

My system folders are almost 200 GB in size. [I do have a ton of applications]. If your 600 GB MacOS drive already is full, how are you going to fit 600 GB in 500 GB? What are you going to do with Windows? What room do you have left for expansion, assuming this system is to last you for quite a few years?

 

[hajime]

Er, what issues? There are a lot of posts from people who were looking for something specific, such as speed and memory. But you then get into the compromises. If you want maximum power without any throttling due to heat then you are going to get something like a 10 pound laptop with huge power supply. Throttling is part of the design. I haven't seen any real issues yet, such as keys on keyboard failing, board failures due to heat, etc. But you have decide if the tradeoffs that Apple had to make meet your needs.



You could just install as a new system, and then manually restore from Time Machine files on a file and folder basis. For just user documents this wouldn't be that hard. But if you are also restoring applications, that can be a nightmare.

My system folders are almost 200 GB in size. [I do have a ton of applications]. If your 600 GB MacOS drive already is full, how are you going to fit 600 GB in 500 GB? What are you going to do with Windows? What room do you have left for expansion, assuming this system is to last you for quite a few years?

Sounds like I need to BTO to get a 1TB drive.

 

[HDFan]

Sounds like I need to BTO to get a 1TB drive.

Yes. Is that a problem? It just means that you probably can't just walk into a store to purchase one.

 

[hajime]

Yes. Is that a problem? It just means that you probably can't just walk into a store to purchase one.

Yes and also non-refundable since they said that they only accept 1 return per year.

 

[HDFan]

Yes and also non-refundable since they said that they only accept 1 return per year.

You have already done a return during the last 12 months?

Why would you want to return it? I can certainly see that it would be a valuable safeguard. Some other ideas:

1. Maybe there is a retailer that allows returns? Here's a U.S. dealer that looks like they do returns for 15 days:

http://forums.bestbuy.com/t5/Best-Buy-Store-Purchase/Laptop-Return/td-p/1093880

I don't know how old you current system is. Since money is tight, would it make sense to get an older model or an Apple refurbished one which might make a 1, or preferably 2 TB system (given your current usage), affordable? [I really don't know anything about MacBook Pros so this might not make any sense]. I say this because

2. There are a lot of deals right now on older models. Since you are replying at 5:45 am I assume you are not in the U.S., but here's one example:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/apple-savings/deals

3. Or you could buy from Apple Refurbished which would be the equivalent of a new machine. However the discount is relatively small, and you would probably have to wait at least 6(?) months before the new system show up, and likely would not be the configuration you want.

 

[kohlson]

I will not be able to install CS6 on the new machine since I do not have the login id and password for the Adobe account created by the secretary.

I'm not sure I understand this. I have CS6 Master Collection, but I have the DVDs and the license. I have installed this on a few machines, according to the license. The process is pretty straightforward: Open Photoshop, and Help-Deactivate. Then install using the DVDs on a different system. When installing, it asks for the license. At no point did I need an Adobe login ID and password.

At one point when I did work for Adobe, there were lots of licensing schemes. The way my license works may be different than yours.

 

[hajime]

I'm not sure I understand this. I have CS6 Master Collection, but I have the DVDs and the license. I have installed this on a few machines, according to the license. The process is pretty straightforward: Open Photoshop, and Help-Deactivate. Then install using the DVDs on a different system. When installing, it asks for the license. At no point did I need an Adobe login ID and password.

At one point when I did work for Adobe, there were lots of licensing schemes. The way my license works may be different than yours.

I don’t have the DVD. The secretary gave me a login I’d and password to download the software. I think I have the original file though.