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innerimager · 09:56 PM

Can one clone the OS from a Macpro tower to a Macbook? I use Super Duper, would love to save the hours of loading software, etc. Will the cloned OS "know" it's running a Macbook? Thanks....Peter

AKcrab · Jul 29, 2008, 09:56 PM

Should work fine.

jmiddel · Jul 29, 2008, 09:58 PM

The Tower is Intel, the 'Book PowerPC, right? If so, no, because the filesystems are a bit different. Is the Tower your main machine, and are you trying to clone it to a 'Book whose drive will be erased in the process? If so, maybe you could try installing your OS on the 'Book, using Migration Assistant which lets you install the new OS on a new drive, at the same time 'migrating' your stuff from the 'older' computer, 'old' meaning the one that is created before the 'Book (the Tower), not physically older. You'd want to erase the 'Book's drive using Disk Utility in the Utilities folder.

innerimager · Jul 29, 2008, 10:05 PM

It's the latest Macbook (black). That's intel...yes? If so, is it a go? Thanks....Peter

Chuckit · Jul 29, 2008, 10:10 PM

All MacBooks are Intel. The PowerPC equivalent was called the iBook.

But Leopard is universal, so even if it were an Intel->PowerPC transfer, I'd think it would work. I haven't tried it, though, so maybe there are some gotchas. At any rate, you've got two Intel machines, so there should be no problem.

innerimager · Jul 29, 2008, 10:39 PM

Sounds good. I just wasn't sure about files that are specific to the hardware in a Macpro vs a macbook. I assume the system does a check and uses the files needed for the environment it finds itself in. Anyway, since this will be a brand new Macbook, I can test a clone out it and if it seems cranky, erase and start over with a fresh OS.

Cold Warrior · Jul 30, 2008, 02:31 AM

Let us know how it goes.

ghporter · Jul 30, 2008, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by Chuckit

But Leopard is universal, so even if it were an Intel->PowerPC transfer, I'd think it would work.

I would think that cloning a RUNNING OS from one processor-platform to the other would be less simple than you're suggesting. I've seen plenty of posts from people who did upgrades of their OS on a PPC machine and an Intel machine, and they noted a different size of upgrade file and final disk usage. That implies to me that while Leopard is universal, it won't install PPC stuff on an Intel computer's disk and vice-versa.

But to the OP, if they're both Intel, you will probably have no problems.

Art Vandelay · Jul 30, 2008, 01:21 PM

You can move a Leopard install back and forth between PPC and Intel without any problems.

ghporter · Jul 30, 2008, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by Art Vandelay

You can move a Leopard install back and forth between PPC and Intel without any problems.

That implies that there are at least some binaries in Leopard that are twice as large as they "need" to be for either platform. Which boggles the mind... But I assume you have experience with doing this, so I'll just be amazed.

OreoCookie · Jul 30, 2008, 06:06 PM

I assume this only works if you use the retail version of Leopard, I don't think the install disks that came with a new Intel-based contain the PowerPC binaries.

Art Vandelay · Jul 30, 2008, 06:37 PM

Nope, can be done with any Leopard DVD. The bundled install discs are just the latest OS build, bundled software (i.e. iLife, etc.) and a modified install plist that blocks install on other Mac models.

Chuckit · Jul 30, 2008, 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

That implies that there are at least some binaries in Leopard that are twice as large as they "need" to be for either platform. Which boggles the mind... But I assume you have experience with doing this, so I'll just be amazed.

Apple advertises that Leopard is all-universal on its Web site.

ghporter · Jul 30, 2008, 09:48 PM

Originally Posted by Chuckit

Apple advertises that Leopard is all-universal on its Web site.

I had assumed that meant all DISCS were universal... That's what I get for assuming, eh?

Brass · Jul 30, 2008, 11:43 PM

So you can run the same kernel on two completely different CPU architectures, even when the operating system that tells it how universal binaries work has not even been loaded? That's clever!

CharlesS · Jul 31, 2008, 12:11 AM

I don't know how it works, but it does. I can put my iMac G5 in target disk mode and boot my MBP off its hard drive.

Art Vandelay · Jul 31, 2008, 12:18 AM

I'm guessing it's the PPC and Intel boot loaders that know how to get the right platform code in the kernel started up. Then the kernel does the rest.

innerimager · Aug 27, 2008, 01:03 PM

So I finally got the new Macbook, and the cloning from my desktop using super-duper worked flawlessly. thanks for the help....Peter

Big Mac · Aug 27, 2008, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by CharlesS

I don't know how it works, but it does. I can put my iMac G5 in target disk mode and boot my MBP off its hard drive.

I must say that's impressive.

olePigeon · Aug 27, 2008, 04:13 PM

I can tell you that I don't miss Windows Protection Faults one bit.

SVass · Aug 27, 2008, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by innerimager

Can one clone the OS from a Macpro tower to a Macbook? I use Super Duper, would love to save the hours of loading software, etc. Will the cloned OS "know" it's running a Macbook? Thanks....Peter

Last year I used Migration Assistant to move all of my user files from an old G4 to my new Mac Book Pro AFTER I had updated the Operating System via the Net and after I installed almost all applications from the original CDs and/or the net for things like NeoOffice. The only application that I copied over was AppleWorks.
Everything appears to work just fine.
sam

tooki · Aug 27, 2008, 10:33 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

That implies that there are at least some binaries in Leopard that are twice as large as they "need" to be for either platform. Which boggles the mind... But I assume you have experience with doing this, so I'll just be amazed.

Except that in the context of a complete application, the extra code adds up to next to nothing. Even in a big app like, say, Aperture, the entire binary is only a couple of megabytes -- it's all the language files, icons, etc. that take up the remaining 300+ MB.

tooki · Aug 27, 2008, 10:34 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

I would think that cloning a RUNNING OS from one processor-platform to the other would be less simple than you're suggesting. I've seen plenty of posts from people who did upgrades of their OS on a PPC machine and an Intel machine, and they noted a different size of upgrade file and final disk usage. That implies to me that while Leopard is universal, it won't install PPC stuff on an Intel computer's disk and vice-versa.

But to the OP, if they're both Intel, you will probably have no problems.

There are some minor differences in installs, but they have nothing to do with CPU architecture.