Transferring files from SATA HDD to External HDD

[macarthurdent]

I've removed the 250.0GB SATA HDD from my old white 13" 2009 MacBook after the USB and Firewire ports stopped working. I bought an USB adaptor to plug the SATA HDD into myMacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2014) and have been copying some files to the MacBook Pro by drag and drop.

But now I would like to transfer all the files and folders from that SATA HDD to a 1T Western Digital external HDD. Then I want to put the SATA HDD into another 2009 white MacBook that has an SSD HDD -which is otherwise desirable but has only 120.0GB storage whereas the SATA HDD has 250.0GB. I would then delete all the files and folders from the SATA HDD leaving the System files in place. I would appreciate advice as to the best way to transfer all the files from the SATA HDD to the WD external HDD. Not sure whether to use drag and drop, or Disk Utility or Migration Assistant or Super Duper.

 

[Fishrrman]

"I would like to transfer all the files and folders from that SATA HDD to a 1T Western Digital external HDD."

Important questions:
Does the WD drive have any files on it now?
What KIND of files?
Is it bootable, with its own copy of the OS on it?

All questions must be answered before going forward.

 

[Weaselboy]

SD would work well for that if you have it and don't need to spend money for it.

Otherwise, the Disk Util restore feature essentially makes clones and will do what you want.

Restore a disk using Disk Utility on Mac

In Disk Utility on your Mac, make an exact copy of one volume on another volume.

support.apple.com

 

[macarthurdent]

"I would like to transfer all the files and folders from that SATA HDD to a 1T Western Digital external HDD."

Important questions:
Does the WD drive have any files on it now?
What KIND of files?
Is it bootable, with its own copy of the OS on it?

All questions must be answered before going forward.

The WD drive has no files on it as I erased it, created two partitions and formatted as Mac Extended(Journaled). Sorry, I didn't make it clear that I don't need system files transferred as it doesn't need to be bootable with the OS on it. I just want all my own personal files and folders from that old Mac including the V2 Mail ones.

 

[macarthurdent]

SD would work well for that if you have it and don't need to spend money for it.

Otherwise, the Disk Util restore feature essentially makes clones and will do what you want.

Restore a disk using Disk Utility on Mac

In Disk Utility on your Mac, make an exact copy of one volume on another volume.

support.apple.com

[automerge]1570498038[/automerge]
Thanks Weaselboy. I have the paid version of Super Duper but when I had some problems understanding how to use it I found Dave Nanion quite aggressive and unhelpful. He didn't seem to understand what I was asking him and became so unpleasant that I don't want to use SD again.
Please would you give a little more detail about using Disk Utility to transfer my files to the WD Drive. I want everything that's not System. Pictures, Music, Documents, Movies etc. Thanks.

 

[Fishrrman]

My suggestion:

Download CarbonCopyCloner.
It's FREE to download and use for 30 days.

Connect the external drive.

Open CCC.
Put your source drive on the left
Put the target drive "in the middle"

Important:
In the lower left, there's a popup menu that says either "all files" or "some files".
Choose "some files".

A new window will open with A LOT of checkboxes.
You can now "work your way down" the list, UNCHECKING things you don't want copied.
For example, if you don't want the OS copied, I would just copy the "users" folder and any other "top level" folders you have created that have personal data in them. As long as they are checked, everything INSIDE them will also be copied.

When done, click the "done" button and then proceed with the clone.

CCC will clone over all the files you selected, leaving the DE-selected stuff behind.

As easy as it gets.
Child's play.

 

[macarthurdent]

My suggestion:

Download CarbonCopyCloner.
It's FREE to download and use for 30 days.

Connect the external drive.

Open CCC.
Put your source drive on the left
Put the target drive "in the middle"

Important:
In the lower left, there's a popup menu that says either "all files" or "some files".
Choose "some files".

A new window will open with A LOT of checkboxes.
You can now "work your way down" the list, UNCHECKING things you don't want copied.
For example, if you don't want the OS copied, I would just copy the "users" folder and any other "top level" folders you have created that have personal data in them. As long as they are checked, everything INSIDE them will also be copied.

When done, click the "done" button and then proceed with the clone.

CCC will clone over all the files you selected, leaving the DE-selected stuff behind.

As easy as it gets.
Child's play.

Great...sounds good, fishrrman! I will do that now. Thanks for your advice.

 

[Weaselboy]

Please would you give a little more detail about using Disk Utility to transfer my files to the WD Drive. I want everything that's not System. Pictures, Music, Documents, Movies etc. Thanks.

It sounded like you wanted to copy the whole drive, and a DU restore will handle that. But it won't let you only copy certain folders.