Exclusive LG phones only from AT&T
New Power Mac G5 models include "System Migration" feature; more details
MacFixIt has learned that the just-announced updated Power Mac G5 models are the first to include Apple's new "System Migration" feature. Apple's website states:
"Apple simplicity lets you add a Power Mac G5 to your creative studio without days of downtime configuring a new system. The new Mac OS X setup assistant helps you effortlessly move user accounts, system preferences, documents and applications from an old Mac to a new Power Mac G5 -- and the transfer is FireWire fast."
This feature evidently works in the following manner:
- On first boot, you're given the opportunity to connect a FireWire cable between your new G5 and your old Mac.
- The Setup Assistant walks you through various types of files on your old Mac -- user folders (and accounts), applications, system add-ons, etc. -- and lets you choose whether or not to transfer them to your new G5.
- The Setup Assistant then proceeds to transfer the appropriate files and completes the setup process.
As moving from an old Mac to a new one has always been one of the biggest hassles involved in upgrading your computer system, we welcome the concept behind this new feature; we're anxious to see how well it performs in real-world use. If you've ordered a new Power Mac G5 and end up using the System Migration feature, please drop us a note at Late-breakers@macfixit.com.
UPDATE Since we first reported this new feature on Wednesday, we've received more details about the actual procedure courtesy of reader Brian, who sent us screenshots of the System Migration process (the first few steps of which are simply explaining how to use FireWire Target Disk Mode):
- Intro screen: The Setup Assistant asks the user:
-
Do You Already Have a Mac?
If you are already using a Mac equipped with FireWire, all the important information from the old Mac can be automatically transferred to this new one. To do this now, you will need to connect your old Mac to your new one using a FireWire cable. The information on your old Mac will not be affected. - Step 1 screen: The next screen reads:
-
Step 1: Connect FireWire Cable
Connect a FireWire cable between this new Mac and your old Mac. Press Continue when finished. If you don't want to transfer your important information, click Go Back.
If you are transferring from a portable Mac, be sure to cnnect it to a power adapter. - Step 2 screen: The third screen reads:
-
Step 2: Restart Your Old Mac
Restart your old Mac while holding down the "T" key. Important: Continue holding down the "T" key until you see the FireWire symbol on your old Mac. This may take up to 30 seconds. - Step 3 screen: The fourth step allows you to choose what data is to be transferred from the old Mac to the new one. The choices are:
- User accounts (all or selected accounts)
- Network settings
- The root-level /Applications directory
- "Files and folders" on the hard drive (We're assuming this means that the Setup Assistant searches for any other non-system-related files and folders not located inside user home directories, in order to ensure that no files are lost.)
- User accounts (all or selected accounts)
- "Transferring" screen: After completing Step 3, the Setup Assistant begins the transfer of data, providing you with a progress screen noting which data is being transferred.
---
-d
is this a new G5 only feature or is it a system instalation feature. i
would like to see it built-in the MacOS installer . usually i use
CCCloner to solve the problem by i would like to see it in every
instalation cd
have used at work, and I have migrated from machine to machine by using
Carbon Copy Cloner to clone one machine to another, without problems. I
start up the new machine in target mode, partition the disks, and clone the
old system and project files to the new machine. I then boot up the new
machine and get back to work. It has worked flawlessly, and I don't have to
reset my preferences or passwords.
But you can't CCC an System/Boot disk from a G4 to a G5. It won't boot the
G5. This feature seems great for users coming from older Mac OS X
machines.
here's how....
Connect G5 to G4 via FireWire, put the G5 in target mode.
If there are any free bundled apps or anything else on the G5 that you want to keep, copy those things to your G4.
Wipe the G5's drive.
Use Carbon Copy Cloner to clone the G4 to the G5.
Without attempting to boot from the G5's hard drive, immediately boot from the OS X 10.3.4 installer CD that came with the G5 and perform an "Upgrade and Install."
That's it, unless you're running Classic apps-- in which case you should use the Software Restore CDs to install the Classic environment (which will basically just update any components of an existing Classic System Folder that needed to be updated for the newer hardware).
And as for the criticism that this method only carries problems from old machine to new, if you properly maintain your Mac then there shouldn't BE any problems-- at the minimum, just prior to cloning you should do a permissions repair on your boot volume and run Norton or Diskwarrior on it if you've got either of those.
Indeed, I upgraded to my G5 this way (with the original 10.3 discs in my case), and it works just fine, aside from whatever low-level stuff gets munged in the transition from 10.2.8 to 10.3. In fact, I'm essentially using a system that has been kept intact since 10.0 on my G5--nothing but upgrade installs the entire time.
I'd say it works perfectly, except I've got a weird problem where Netstat goes crazy after a few days of uptime; the only two other people I've so far found who have the same problem are G5 users with over 2GB of RAM who did exactly what I did--transferred an old system and upgraded. I'll probably reinstall someday and I expect it'll fix that, but when you've dug in deep enough, it's not an appealing prospect.
Actually, I did boot my G5 from the same ssytem that ran my G4. I had the G4
running 10.3.4 and wiped the G5 drive clean (my IT people just handed it to
me with no system, so it all it required was a quick verify/repair with disk
utility). No installation disks. The G5 booted with no problem, and then I ran
a repair permissions, and went back to work.
Yes, you can, at least in some circumstances. I just finished cloning a room
full of Quicksilver G4's onto new G5's using target disk mode and Carbon
Copy Cloner. It worked pretty well; but oddly, on each computer there were
two or three damaged preferences or erroneous permissions - different on
ach one, although all the computers had the same load of applications.
I also tried the same process, but using Apple's Disk Utility instead of CCC.
No errors, but it took over three times as long. In the long run, it was easier
to fix the problems than wait for Disk Utility.
I have tried the Disk Utility clone and never had good results. I assumed it
must work and should be the 'best' option by default. Must be doing
something wrong. But, CCC works well. I have put my generic user boot
volume on a portable FW drive so I can just plug in and boot with option to
select it. I can also keep it updated by running any upgrades while booted
from the machine to be configured. CCC after erasing the disk and I am most
of the way there.
One question on those with labs, I only have my admin user configured. Can I
configure a 'generic' non-admin user and then change the name/password
without problem?
you have to have at least one admin user. I create and deploy a basic image
with both an admin and 'standard' user. See http://www.bombich.com for
details on NetBoot/NetRestore. It's a institutional godsend.
thanks, I will give it a look. I did create a netboot volume as I recall but have
not read the details on how to deploy. I have the bootable Rsynch CD also but
it takes about 15 minutes to boot from the CD as it builds a RAM disk for
boot.
I will read the details though try to use this.
How about if my "old Mac" doesn't have any FireWire port? I've got a iMac 333 MHz, without any FireWire port! Macs equipped with FireWire ports are not that much old!...
Is it so difficult to adapt this helpful feature to USB transmission?
Simple answer. USB is so much slower than FireWire the transfer would take a
ridiculous amount of time. The total time needed would be increased
by...like....a factor of 10 minimum. Its just not practical.
USB2 is plenty fast enough--I back my system up to a USB2 drive
all the time and it's just as fast as FW400.
The main problem is that you can't boot a Mac from USB nor can
you put it into a "USB target disk mode". It simply wasn't ever built
into the firmware.
If they ain't got Firewire, they ain't got USB-2.
That old Mac is just USB. 12Mbps vs FW-400Mbps
Quote "The main problem is that you can't boot a Mac from USB nor can
you put it into a "USB target disk mode". It simply wasn't ever built
into the firmware."
Don't know about you but I've booted various Mac's via USB even the
PowerMac G5.
Perhaps you're doing something wrong??
You can boot a system from a usb disk with a system folder possibly, but the
discussion was the target disk mode, which lets you slave a computer to
another so it shows up as a removable disk.
You say : "Simple answer. USB is so much slower than FireWire the transfer
would take a ridiculous amount of time. The total time needed would be
increased by...like....a factor of 10 minimum. Its just not practical."
Maybe not practical, but highly helpful to people who have no other choice!
Why ignore them? Why such an ostracism?
It's not an "ostracism". The feature is much harder to make without the target disk mode. I hope they'll find a way to do it (probably by including a program to run on the old mac) but it will take some work.
- by glmyers.gma June 10, 2004 3:14 AM PDT
- <class="merchant"><span>></span><div class="datestamp"><i>This is a reply to a previous comment by Arnoldik</i></div></class><br />
- Like this Reply to this comment
-
Showing 1 of 2 pages (40 Comments)For an older Mac without Firewire the easiest solution is remove the hard
drive and place it in a Firewire disk enclosure to do the transfer.
(<i>Temporarily mounting the drive in the new Mac is probably an even
better idea.</i>) If you buy the Mac from a local store, you could probably
get the store to handle the transfer for a fee.