Clean switch + selective files from TM?

Joined
Feb 16, 2015
Messages
7
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Hi folks,

Thought I would ask questions *first* before messing myself up.

Bought a new MacBook Air earlier in the summer. Was ambivalent about migrating *everything* from my old MacBook via TM on a partitioned external HD. Mostly forgot about the issue and just started using my new toy.

Old mac runs Snow Leopard, I think. It was having annoying issues that made it act like a Windows machine (slow, freezing, lots of beachballs, chrome having seizures, etc.). TM is up to date from that computer and has never touched the new one - no BU yet on the new machine running OX 10.10.4.

So. Now that migration would be a pain because I've got a few months of use on the new machine, I'm really missing my full iTunes library and I'm not sure the best way to transfer it. I also want to set up a new TM, but I'm scared of losing access to TM files from the old machine.

Will TM let browse and select what I want or am I trying to use it for something it isn't really meant do? If I plug in my external HD, is TM going to automatically write to the HD instead of reading it? I've seen some people online having problems with retrieving data from the old machine after doing this and I'd like to avoid that.

Thanks for your help,
DImitra
 

Rod


Joined
Jun 12, 2011
Messages
9,631
Reaction score
1,834
Points
113
Location
Melbourne, Australia and Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Your Mac's Specs
2021 M1 MacBook Pro 14" macOS 14.4.1, Mid 2010MacBook 13" iPhone 13 Pro max, iPad 6, Apple Watch SE.
Hi devotedphoenix, you may have made things a little difficult for yourself albeit inadvertently. Originally you could have used Migration Assistant to transfer you files only to your new MBA but I assume you now have new music in your MBA iTunes library. Previously purchased music from iTunes can be reloaded from iTunes but as for the rest I think the easiest way would be to copy onto another media device like a thumb drive and transfer that way. You might like to try repairing your old mac using say OnyX but I would try with it as it is first. Your individual music can be found in your name home folder >Music >iTunes >iTunes Media> Music. There you will find Folders of each artist, Albums and Songs. Just try one first to get an idea how it works.
 
OP
D
Joined
Feb 16, 2015
Messages
7
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Hi devotedphoenix, you may have made things a little difficult for yourself albeit inadvertently. Originally you could have used Migration Assistant to transfer you files only to your new MBA but I assume you now have new music in your MBA iTunes library.

Thanks so much for responding.

Actually, I have new documents and configs but no new music that I haven't purchase from iTunes.

So can I use TM to only move my iTunes library?

I can move the docs manually. I'm also assuming my Office suite isn't super transferrable anyway. I got Pages and Keynote and have been using google docs, though, so not worried (the old machine is a work computer that was basically my primary for four years).

Thanks,
Dimitra
 

Rod


Joined
Jun 12, 2011
Messages
9,631
Reaction score
1,834
Points
113
Location
Melbourne, Australia and Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Your Mac's Specs
2021 M1 MacBook Pro 14" macOS 14.4.1, Mid 2010MacBook 13" iPhone 13 Pro max, iPad 6, Apple Watch SE.
Dimitra if you still have the original computer I would suggest it is easier to copy the entire iTunes Music Folder from that to an external HD then load it onto your new laptop. The instructions for that can be found here, https://support.apple.com/en-ap/HT201625
The reason I say this is because the TM backup you have is of an older Operating System so plugging it into your new laptop may or may not work. It will not, as you originally asked, erase the content. This however does not help you to restore your old iTunes library. You would have to backup the new laptop to the TM backup and hope you could then perform a restore of Files only. Unfortunately there are a number of things that can go wrong with this process. On the other hand copying the iTunes Library poses few risks. It either works or it does not.
I would advise you to erase your old Time Machine backup disk and use that to copy the old library and transfer to your new laptop. Likewise you can copy anything else that you might like to keep. Once everything is transferred erase the external HD again and use it as a TM backup for your new computer.
There are other alternatives but this is the simplest and least risky method.
This all assumes that your original computer is up to the task. If not check that it has enough (10% free storage) and download OnyX for that OSX, I think you said Snow Leopard that is OnyX 2.4.0 found here, Titanium Software - OnyX. Download it and run the Maintenance Suite of actions on auto settings. Don't worry if it hangs for a while, that's normal. You may be surprised at the improvement if software is the problem.
 

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