Backing up a Macbook COMPLETELY! HELP!

I have the 13" mid-2012 macbook pro. I got it in July 2012...

The battery was fine when I first got it but it's just gotten worse and worse... My battery lasts 4 hours WITH-OUT wi-fi on... And maybe 2 hours with wi-fi on.

I've called apple several times and have been told to reset my macbook in different ways with different people but none of these resets have worked. I'm so unhappy with my macbook... It's supposed to be able to do 1,000 cycles and still be at 80% of its capacity, mine has done 100 and is at 90.6%... ***?

I'm going into a service centre to hopefully get it replaced... Now hears the thing - I believe that this macbook has a non replaceable battery so I would only be able to get the whole macbook replaced and not just the battery...

I have bought apps and installed disks with serial numbers etc... I don't have some of these serial numbers so if I don't back-up I won't be able to re-install them :/ Is there anyway to backup my macbook so that it's a bit like iPhone backing up?

Is time machine that? I want everything that i have on this macbook to be on the replaced one...

Some of the apps include; Adobe CS6, Adobe Elements 11, Microsoft Office and iWork... NONE of these come from the app store...

I also have loads of photos and everything i just want to keep them and be able to put everything back to how it was before when I get the new macbook...

HOW CAN I DO THIS?! HELP PLEASE VERY UNHAPPY WITH MY PURCHASE!

There are basically two things you could consider. Each requires an EHD of at least the storage memory of your Macbook.

Time Machine is, arguably, the easier option. Mount the EHD. It may need to be reformatted to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) via Disk Utility. Open Preferences>Time Machine and select the EHD as the Disk. The first backup is the longest; thereafter it backs up hourly on the basis of changes made since the last BU.

Alternatively, again using the EHD (reformatted as above), you can use a cloning software app such as Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper!. These work in a different way, creating a precise copy, or clone, of your Int HD.

Come back to us if more detail is needed.

Ian

IWT said:

There are basically two things you could consider. Each requires an EHD of at least the storage memory of your Macbook.

Time Machine is, arguably, the easier option. Mount the EHD. It may need to be reformatted to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) via Disk Utility. Open Preferences>Time Machine and select the EHD as the Disk. The first backup is the longest; thereafter it backs up hourly on the basis of changes made since the last BU.

Alternatively, again using the EHD (reformatted as above), you can use a cloning software app such as Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper!. These work in a different way, creating a precise copy, or clone, of your Int HD.

Come back to us if more detail is needed.

Ian

Click to expand...

Thanks very much! Will all of the serial numbers be kept within the programs? So when I put all my info back onto the new mac will the serials need to be re-entered?

Also will Mountain lion have to be reinstalled? Thanks !

I can't answer your question to the last letter; but I can say:

If they just replace the battery, all should be as before. If they give you a brand new Mac, then it should have Mountain Lion installed as standard. You won't need to re-purchase it.

Thereafter, when you restore from Time Machine - TM -(or the cloning software), everything should work as before - apps, preferences, settings. My principal experience is with TM and I have used it to restore as I moved from Leopard, Snow Leopard to Lion - never a hitch. Everything worked as before. Mail account, internet settings, the lot. Even Microsoft Office for Mac.

Nothing in life is guaranteed, but restoring from TM or a clone is meant to start you off as if there had never been a change of OS or machine.

That answers your points as best I can.

Ian

macobsessed said:

I have the 13" mid-2012 macbook pro. I got it in July 2012...
I'm so unhappy with my macbook... It's supposed to be able to do 1,000 cycles and still be at 80% of its capacity, mine has done 100 and is at 90.6%... ?

Click to expand...

There is nothing unusual with 90.6%..virtually no battery ships at 100% and your machine isn't about to fall over.

If your machine is clocking 100 cycles then your full charge cycle regime is approximately 4 times per week over that period which looks like you're charging from flat or pretty close to.

If those charge cycles are from 20% or less to full capacity then you will stress your battery and decrease it's life quite dramatically.

What I would suggest is that you charge from higher capacities more frequently if you don't already do so and you will see that 90.6% figure improve.

What you use on your Mac and how you use it will also have a bearing on battery capacity. Quit apps you aren't using for instance, turn down the volume, decrease screen brightness, plug it in when you are using CS6 and on wi-fi and so on.

What IWT says is sound advice and I would certainly prioritise the back up and clone side of things.

Also just as an aside we are a friendly bunch on here with people of all ages and dispositions and it would be great if you could ease up on the profanities even if they are abbreviated

No matter which method you use to back up data you may need those serial numbers. Some software may ask for the number upon relaunch. If I am not mistaken some / all of their (Adobe) software does this.

Generally the large suites require re=activation after migrating. Microsoft Office and various Adobe software certainly do. You will need the codes and where necessary the discs.

Slydude & harryb2448 are way more experienced than I, but I have to say that this has never happened when I've restored from TM to a new Mac (nor when I've restored to a new OS on an existing Mac). I only have Adobe flash player, but I do have Microsoft Office for Mac. Never had to reactivate or put in serial numbers for these or other third party apps....yet!

Ian

If I remember correctly it is some of the Adobe Creative Suite software that complains. This may not be true for the newer versions (I haven't upgraded in a while). Most software will likely not be an issue. I have a few Photoshop plug ins that will complain because the registration system the plugin uses is a combination of the activation key and some information about the hardware it is installed on

Here's a few thoughts from someone in a similar situation Subtraction.com: Moving to a New Mac

And Sly each and every time Migration Assistant has been used, Office does the re-activate dance. It is no great hassle but you do need to keep the codes handy.