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Spartan24 · Jun 12, 2009, 06:53 PM

Just picked up a new 13" MacBook Pro today and have just ordered the Corsair 256 GB SSD from Newegg. While I'm waiting for my new drive I'll be setting up the current drive with the applications and all the settings as I would like them.

I'm curious if someone can help me with an easy way to get my my data over to the SSD when I get it so all I'll have to do is install the new SSD and start up the MacBook? Or is it clearly better to install a clean SSD and then format and reinstall everything?

Thanks for a great forum.

moep · Jun 13, 2009, 04:37 AM

The easiest way would be a USB/SATA interface in combination with something like SuperDuper to clone your boot drive to the SSD.

Maybe you have a broken external 2.5" USB drive around which you could cannibalise for the USB/SATA interface PCB. That’s how i did it.

OreoCookie · Jun 13, 2009, 05:05 AM

There is no need for SuperDuper, Disk Utility will clone your drive as well. Put the new drive into your ProBook and the old one into the USB enclosure. Launch your computer from the install DVD and launch Disk Utility. Then clone the drive with Disk Utility. Since the transfer speed is determined by USB, this will probably take an hour or three (depending on the amount of data).

Simon · Jun 13, 2009, 06:31 AM

Oreo is spot on. Disk Utility is all you need to clone.

However, if you happen to have a TM backup you don't even need to make a clone.
1) Intall the SSD
2) Boot from the install DVD
3) From the Utilities menu select Migration Assistant
4) Select a TM backup version to migrate to
5) Enjoy

Spartan24 · Jun 13, 2009, 08:34 AM

Thanks for the response. It sounds like getting a 2.5" enclosure is on my list for today.

Interesting you should mention Time Machine because I tried to use migration assistant last night as I'm trying to transfer from a Rev A MacBook Air to the new MB Pro and all I got was the beachball for hours... I finally shut down without any success and will try something else today.

Maybe it's because I have 2 backup volumes on the TM? I don't know, but it never got past the "reading backup archive" stage.

Spartan24 · Jun 13, 2009, 11:46 AM

Thanks for you help with this.

Just thought I'd close this out with the info that I was able to use migration assistant thru ethernet on my Rev A MacBook Air. I figured what the hell and plugged in the USB to ethernet connector on the Air and... there ya go. I suspect you guys knew this already, but from everything I had read this was not supposed to work on the Air as there is no dedicated ethernet port. Anyway, maybe this will save someone else some time at some point.

Cheers..

stuartfrost · Jul 15, 2009, 04:10 PM

Simon,
I just installed my corsair 256 ssd into my macbook pro and booted up form the install DVD and when I went to the Utilities menu there is no option for the Migration Assistant? I do have a TM back up of my old ssd 128 gig so I am a little confused here. Can you help me figure this out?

Simon · Jul 15, 2009, 04:43 PM

What kind of install DVD? IIRC you need a Leopard install DVD.

reader50 · Jul 15, 2009, 07:51 PM

You might not run into Migration Assistant until you boot into the fresh OSX Install. Even if it doesn't come up, create a dummy account like "test" or something. From there you can launch Migration Assistant manually - it's in your /Applications/Utilities folder.

stuartfrost · Jul 15, 2009, 11:34 PM

It is the grey macbook pro osx install DVD

Simon · Jul 16, 2009, 02:15 AM

Is it a Leopard version though? I thought I remebered all Leopard install DVDs should have it, but maybe only the retail versions do. Oh well. No biggie. If you can't find MA in the menu just proceed as reader50 pointed out. Install a vanilla OS X, take it from there.