Migrating from one laptop to another. Old: 13" 2008 Macbook running OS 10.9.5. New: 13" 2015 Macbook Pro running 10.11.3. Used a standard ethernet cable through an Apple brand Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter to connect them.
Every time: Apple's Migration Assistant Unexpectedly Quit.
Error log awkwardly refers to something about Migration Assistant "tried to be brought forward" bla bla.
Multiple tries, swapped known-good ethernet cable for another known-good one, Disk Utility stuff, repairing permissions, turn off iCloud stuff, turning on File Sharing and Remote Apple Events etc. Reinstalled OS on new laptop. Nothing. Several days trying.
Decided to try an alternate method: ran a full backup (a bootable clone) of old laptop internal hard drive to a USB-mounted external hard drive, something that was already a regular practice for backing up the laptop's contents, and then pointed new laptop's Migration Assistant to that hard drive instead. Worked fine the first time. Used the fantastic SuperDuper! to make the backup clone.
Apple's adapter cable was a worthless overpriced $30 purchase. All hail SuperDuper!
Posted by Charles on February 28, 2016 09:41 AM