Author Topic: Cloning from quadMac Pro toadualMacBook Pro?  (Read 2374 times)

Offline MamaMoose

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Cloning from quadMac Pro toadualMacBook Pro?
« on: February 01, 2009, 07:20:51 PM »
When I travel, I use my MacBook Pro. The day before travel, I would like to clone my Boot drive on the mac Pro to the boot drive on the Mac Pro. Therefore, keeping this synced. How should I do this?The MacBook Pro has the same OS (10.5.6)as the MacPro. I have several thoughts as to how to do this:

1) Should I use FireWire Target Disk Mode?  If so how do I replace the MBP boot volume with that of the MacBook pro?

2)  Connect the MBP to the Mac Pro so it is treated as just an external drive. Then use Carbon Copy Cloner to clone the Mac pro Boot

3) Another option is to connect an external FW drive to the the Mac Pro and then clone the Mac Pro to the external drive. Then, connect the external to the MBP and boot into the
    external's boot volume. Following this, clone the external to the MBP.

What is the best way or is there one that I have not considered?

Thanks, MamaMoose
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Offline Paddy

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Cloning from quadMac Pro toadualMacBook Pro?
« Reply #1 on: February 01, 2009, 08:13:09 PM »
Tom, I don't think it would be a good idea to do that. My understanding is that there are hardware-specific drivers etc. that get installed with the OS. Important things like video drivers...

See: http://www.shirt-pocket.com/forums/showthr...=MacPro+MacBook
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=311884
http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/os-x-oper...k-pro-imac.html

That said, I did boot my Powerbook for 3 weeks off an external drive with a clone of my G4 several years ago. However, just because that worked, doesn't mean what you're proposing will work now.

I'd use Migration Assistant on a clean install on the MacBook Pro.

When you get back, just copy any new/revised documents and your mail folder back to the MacPro.
"If computers get too powerful, we can organize them into committees. That'll do them in." ~Author unknown •iMac 5K, 27" 3.6Ghz i9 (2019) • 16" M1 MBP(2021) • 9.7" iPad Pro • iPhone 13

Offline Mayo

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Cloning from quadMac Pro toadualMacBook Pro?
« Reply #2 on: February 01, 2009, 08:45:27 PM »
FWIW, I recently used my Intel MBP booted from a SuperDuper! iMac clone on an external volume and I did not experience any problems during normal usage for around three days.

When the iMac came back from the shop I used SD! to update it from the cloned volume. It's going on two weeks since I did that and no problems to report...

I'm going to peruse the links Paddy posted after I finish this, but for awhile now I have had the impression that machine-specific data is not altered when using Migration Assistant and possibly SuperDuper!, but I could be wrong about that...!

This is the kind of question that I would send to Dave at SuperDuper! if it isn't already answered by him on the Shirt Pocket forums.

Offline Paddy

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Cloning from quadMac Pro toadualMacBook Pro?
« Reply #3 on: February 01, 2009, 09:26:39 PM »
The first link is from Dave Nanian on the Shirt Pocket forums, Mayo. But it's certainly worth asking him about this specific situation - and getting a definitive answer from someone who should know! I'm just noting what others said, which as you and I both found, contradicted actual experience.

I've posted the question on the Shirt Pocket forums. We'll see what the response is.

Anyone got any other actual experiences to share?
"If computers get too powerful, we can organize them into committees. That'll do them in." ~Author unknown •iMac 5K, 27" 3.6Ghz i9 (2019) • 16" M1 MBP(2021) • 9.7" iPad Pro • iPhone 13

Offline Paddy

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Cloning from quadMac Pro toadualMacBook Pro?
« Reply #4 on: February 01, 2009, 09:44:46 PM »
Response from Dave Nanian (that was fast!):

QUOTE
In general terms this is possible. However, recently released MacBook & MacBook Pros are not yet necessarily supported by the 'general' 10.5.6 releases.

You can, of course, create a backup of the MacPro and then try starting up the MacBook Pro from it. That would allow you to test before committing.

Note that in general terms, I suggest migrating from either a full backup or from the original Mac when going Mac to Mac... especially new hardware.


If you do decide to test it via an external clone, let us know how it goes, Tom! smile.gif
"If computers get too powerful, we can organize them into committees. That'll do them in." ~Author unknown •iMac 5K, 27" 3.6Ghz i9 (2019) • 16" M1 MBP(2021) • 9.7" iPad Pro • iPhone 13

Offline krissel

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Cloning from quadMac Pro toadualMacBook Pro?
« Reply #5 on: February 01, 2009, 11:47:18 PM »
Not sure this is helpful in your situation but...

I've mentioned before that the version of Leopard that I'm running on my G4 DA (10.5.5) is a cloned copy of the OS from the MPB I purchased in November. Used SuperDuper to clone the MBP to an external and the external to the G4.
I haven't encountered any incompatibility or missing files in my daily use of the G4.  I hand copied any applications from my Tiger partition and most files are stored on another partition.

In short, I was really surprised at how uneventful the process was and how well Leopard behaves on this old Mac.  smile.gif


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Offline Mayo

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Cloning from quadMac Pro toadualMacBook Pro?
« Reply #6 on: February 01, 2009, 11:47:34 PM »
In my case I'm using a previous generation MBP, so the caution regarding the new so-called "unibody" portables doesn't apply to me...

Offline MamaMoose

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Cloning from quadMac Pro toadualMacBook Pro?
« Reply #7 on: February 03, 2009, 04:16:41 AM »
Thanks everyone for your advice and counsel.  Since my MBP is several years old (May 2007), I am going to try the Carbon Copy Clone approach. I should mention that I have upgraded the OS on the MBP to 10.5.6 the same as on the MacPro. To complicate maters, my son (YoungMoose) told me that he can access his home system from anywhere (such as my home by using Chicken of the Sea!! Don't ask). I guess it is a private VPN network.In any case he is going to work me through it tomorrow> He claims he has it set up so he can see my desktop from his machine at home. Will wonders never cease. In the old days we didn't use such new fangled gizmos. When we wanted to communicate, we wrote a letter faxed or used a carrier pigeon!! toothgrin.gif

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Offline dolphin

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Cloning from quadMac Pro toadualMacBook Pro?
« Reply #8 on: February 03, 2009, 06:19:46 AM »
QUOTE(MamaMoose @ Feb 3 2009, 05:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Thanks everyone for your advice and counsel.  Since my MBP is several years old (May 2007), I am going to try the Carbon Copy Clone approach. I should mention that I have upgraded the OS on the MBP to 10.5.6 the same as on the MacPro. To complicate maters, my son (YoungMoose) told me that he can access his home system from anywhere (such as my home by using Chicken of the Sea!! Don't ask). I guess it is a private VPN network.In any case he is going to work me through it tomorrow> He claims he has it set up so he can see my desktop from his machine at home. Will wonders never cease. In the old days we didn't use such new fangled gizmos. When we wanted to communicate, we wrote a letter faxed or used a carrier pigeon!! toothgrin.gif

MamaMoose


Not necessarily specific to this thread. However, my son can also see and take control of my MBP from his home. We use LogMeIn. It works just grand.  thumbup.gif toothgrin.gif
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Offline Paddy

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Cloning from quadMac Pro toadualMacBook Pro?
« Reply #9 on: February 03, 2009, 07:51:26 AM »
I think that's "Chicken of the VNC", Tom. wink.gif

Screen Sharing is built right into OS X Leopard - it's an implementation of VNC by another name. smile.gif VNC=Virtual Network Computing.

I'm not sure which is superior - opinions seem to vary.
"If computers get too powerful, we can organize them into committees. That'll do them in." ~Author unknown •iMac 5K, 27" 3.6Ghz i9 (2019) • 16" M1 MBP(2021) • 9.7" iPad Pro • iPhone 13

Offline Xairbusdriver

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Cloning from quadMac Pro toadualMacBook Pro?
« Reply #10 on: February 03, 2009, 10:27:49 AM »
LogMeIn also has a free iPhone client. smile.gif
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