can i migrate data from old macbook running 10.5.8, to new macbook pro, retina?

Joined
May 8, 2009
Messages
13
Reaction score
0
Points
1
if anyone can help me this, i'd be grateful. have had a frustrating few hours trying to answer this question. just bought a macbook pro, retina, running mavericks. i can't figure out if there's any way to get my data off my old computer, onto the new. i can't upgrade to snow leopard because my computer won't run it. whenever i have tried connecting the two computers via ethernet, the new computer won't recognize the old (though i think the old recognizes the new). i don't have a time machine backup, because my computer is so old and full, that it became corrupted. (which is why i got a new one). does anyone have any answers or suggestions on how i could do this? thanks. --nancy
 

pigoo3

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
May 20, 2008
Messages
44,210
Reaction score
1,418
Points
113
Location
U.S.
Your Mac's Specs
2017 15" MBP, 16gig ram, 1TB SSD, OS 10.15
if anyone can help me this, i'd be grateful. have had a frustrating few hours trying to answer this question. just bought a macbook pro, retina, running mavericks. i can't figure out if there's any way to get my data off my old computer, onto the new. i can't upgrade to snow leopard because my computer won't run it. whenever i have tried connecting the two computers via ethernet, the new computer won't recognize the old (though i think the old recognizes the new). i don't have a time machine backup, because my computer is so old and full, that it became corrupted. (which is why i got a new one). does anyone have any answers or suggestions on how i could do this? thanks. --nancy

Here's the deal. Firstly...a lot of time has passed between OS 10.5.8 and OS 10.9 Mavericks. What this means is...just about all (if not all) of the apps you were using on your old 10.5.8 Macintosh will not run with OS 10.9.

Thus if most or all of your old apps won't run under OS 10.9...then there's no need to transfer them. Now what you would want to transfer are:

- files you may have created with your apps (such as word processing documents, spreadsheets, etc.).
- photos
- movies/videos
- music/mp3's
- files you may have created using various Adobe apps.

Long story short...you would mostly be transferring all your files. photos, music, and videos...but not much else.

Of course you will want to double check (just to be sure) if any of your apps from your old computer will work with OS 10.9...but I'm guess there will be very few if any.

If none of your apps will run with OS 10.9...you could simply use a USB thumbdrive...copy all the items I mentioned above onto it...then copy them onto your new retina MacBook Pro.

HTH,:)

- Nick
 

pigoo3

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
May 20, 2008
Messages
44,210
Reaction score
1,418
Points
113
Location
U.S.
Your Mac's Specs
2017 15" MBP, 16gig ram, 1TB SSD, OS 10.15
i can't upgrade to snow leopard because my computer won't run it.

I also wanted to mention that your old computer (MacBook running OS 10.5.8) most definitely can be upgraded to Snow Leopard. Assuming that you're correctly identifying it as a MacBook...and not something older like an iBook or a Powerbook.

On the other hand...if you were actually referring to your new MacBook Pro...you are correct...it cannot run Snow Leopard. And even if it could...then that would be a downgrade not an upgrade.

- Nick
 
Joined
Apr 24, 2009
Messages
965
Reaction score
128
Points
43
Location
UK
Your Mac's Specs
Various Mac's
i don't have a time machine backup, because my computer is so old and full, that it became corrupted. (which is why i got a new one). does anyone have any answers or suggestions on how i could do this? thanks. --nancy

If your hard drive became corrupted you will have problems migrating or copying the data off. Have you tried booting from the MacBook's Leopard install DVD and running disk utility repair disk on the hard drive? What does disk utility report?

You can also buy a cheap USB external drive case to mount your MacBooks hard drive into, then attach to your new Mac.Then attempt to copy your data off. If your old drive isn't seen or you get errors when copying, run disk utility repair disk over the drive. Does this fix the problem, if not what error does it report?
 
OP
N
Joined
May 8, 2009
Messages
13
Reaction score
0
Points
1
thanks for the suggestions...

somewhere or other today, I read that MacBooks lower than model 5,1 can't run snow leopard. mine's 4,1. and every time I've tried to install SL, It's crashed. is there some way to make my Mac install it?
 
C

chas_m

Guest
All old MacBooks -- all of them -- are capable of running Snow Leopard. Only machines that came with something newer than that originally can't run SL. I suspect the problem you're having is that you're not using an "official" version obtained from Apple.

But this is probably neither here nor there for your issue. Connect the two by USB or Ethernet, start Migration Assistant on the new one. That should be all that's required, and it will handle bringing over the correct/compatible stuff all by itself.
 

pigoo3

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
May 20, 2008
Messages
44,210
Reaction score
1,418
Points
113
Location
U.S.
Your Mac's Specs
2017 15" MBP, 16gig ram, 1TB SSD, OS 10.15
somewhere or other today, I read that MacBooks lower than model 5,1 can't run snow leopard. mine's 4,1.

Even the very earliest MacBooks (model 1,1) can run Snow Leopard (OS 10.6.8).

Just goes to prove that everything read on the internet is not true!;)

- Nick
 

RavingMac

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jan 7, 2008
Messages
8,303
Reaction score
242
Points
63
Location
In Denial
Your Mac's Specs
16Gb Mac Mini 2018, 15" MacBook Pro 2012 1 TB SSD
My reccomendation FWIW is to purchase an External HD if you don't already have one(you really ought to keep one for backups) and then use Super Duper or Carbon Copy Cloner to clone your old HD to the external.

Then you can use Migration Asst on your new MBP for transfer. When you are done, reformat the External and use it as a backup drive.
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top