Should I use Migration Assistant and the CCC to move my data?

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Jul 22, 2012
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Your Mac's Specs
2010 Mac Pro 5,1 2.8 QC/Xenon 32GB RAM PCIe SSD/2TB/4TB/6TB, TM, iPad, iPhone, ATV
I'm ready to install a new copy of OS X El Capitan from a thumb drive I made to a new internal PCIe SSD. I made a CCC of the original boot drive. Should I use Migration Assistant and the CCC to move my data? I also have a TM back up.

I also want to move all the folders in my Home folder to another internal HD. I’ve done a lot of research and I’m a little confused if I should leave the Home folder on the boot drive, and just move the sub folders, (Music, Movies, Documents, and Downloads), or move the whole Home folder.
Should I do this before I migrate my CCC to the new SSD?


Thanks,
~Jack
 
M

MacInWin

Guest
Jack, the best approach is on the very first boot, when it offers to migrate your data, say yes to that and let it migrate. Point to the CCC clone, or the TM backup and let it do its thing. When it's done, you'll be able to boot, and the system should be exactly as it is now, but on the new drive. You may need to reregister products from Adobe and Microsoft, as they don't take well to migration due to the security features in them.

If you've already created an account and gone past the offer to migrate, don't use migration, but you can use CCC to clone the files from the clone to the new drive. Usually what people want are all the files and folders in the home directory (the ones with their login name under /Users) and the Applications folder. Again Adobe/Microsoft will need reregistration.

A third way to do this is to boot from the CCC Clone and then run CCC to clone the clone back to the new internal drive. That will overwrite the new copy of El Cap you installed with the installation from the clone, but if it was working well for you before, it will be equally well now. The advantage of this third way is that you probably won't have to reinstall any third party software as every file is put back. Even Adobe and MS should do well with this approach.
 

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