correct way to transfer non-mac apps from old mac to new mac

[Elspeth]

I have a lot of rubbish on an older macbook pro so do not want to do any complete transfers of files folders and apps. I can manually transfer files, photos etc. but I do not know what to do with apps that are not supplied with the new mac and that I often use. Example: aimersoft, to download you tubes, TED talks etc as our rural internet is too slow for streaming so I use the already downloaded to show to educational groups.

Can I simply transfer the app that is in the applications folder? Or, do I have to look for things like extensions and plugins that i do not understand nor know where to find?

Alternatively, should I find my license number and download their installer again from their site - but remember slow internet downloads mean this is often an overnight job for me. And there is more than one non-mac app that I want.

So what is the best way to transfer an app and all it needs to work from the old mac to the new one?

 

[honestone]

OK, need to know the following:

1. What exact Mac models do you have? It is critical that you let us know what exact Mac models they are.

2. What Mac OS is on each machine? Again, be precise.

Assuming each of those Macs have the appropriate ports, there is a way to doing what you want.

 

[Elspeth]

OK, need to know the following:

1. What exact Mac models do you have? It is critical that you let us know what exact Mac models they are.

2. What Mac OS is on each machine? Again, be precise.

Assuming each of those Macs have the appropriate ports, there is a way to doing what you want.

Older model is MacBook Pro 13 inch late 2011, upgraded far too often now running high sierra 10.13.1

New one is MacBook Air 13 inch 2017 also running high Sierra 10.13.1

I don’t have Ethernet port on the Air. I was thinking of using my 64 gb flash drive, slow but could do it hopefully. But I’m not well informed and do not know how to find extensions or other bits that the installers put into various folders. Thanks for any help

 

[Elspeth]

Older model is MacBook Pro 13 inch late 2011, upgraded far too often now running high sierra 10.13.1

New one is MacBook Air 13 inch 2017 also running high Sierra 10.13.1

I don’t have Ethernet port on the Air. I was thinking of using my 64 gb flash drive, slow but could do it hopefully. But I’m not well informed and do not know how to find extensions or other bits that the installers put into various folders. Thanks for any help

Could also use back up disc - lots of time machine on it from the older mac. Again problem is I do not know what it is I am looking for nor where on the disk to find it.

 

[honestone]

First, it would not be wise to use the "old" Time Machine backup on the external drive, as some/all of the applications on it might not be compatible with High Sierra. From what you said above, the old Mac has High Sierra, OS 10.13.1, already installed there. I assume you used that Mac for "some" time, and ran the apps "under" High Sierra.

In any event, what you will be doing is 1) booting your late 2011 MacBook Pro in Target Disk mode, and 2) then using Migration Assistant on the new MacBook Air 13" 2017 model to do the transfer.

This is your older Mac, I believe:

https://everymac.com/systems/apple/...4-13-late-2011-unibody-thunderbolt-specs.html

Note that it has a Firewire 800 port.

This is your newer Mac Book Air:

https://support.apple.com/kb/SP753?locale=en_US

Note that it has a Thunderbolt 2 port.

You will need two more pieces of hardware: a Thunderbolt to Firewire 800 adapter, like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Thunde...&keywords=thunderbolt+2+to+firewire+800+cable

and a Firewire 800 cable. This link has a number of sources for it:

https://www.google.com/search?q=Fir...i57j69i60l2.6270j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

If you have a Best Buy or Frys near you, you can get one from there.

Once you have those, hook up the two Macs with the adapter and the cable. Then, plug in both machines. Boot up your new, Mac Book Air machine. Then, while holding down the T key on your old Mac, start it up. What will happen is that the old Mac's internal drive will appear on the Mac Book Air's desktop as just another hard drive.

Then, within the Utilities folder (contained in your Applications folder) on the new Mac, double click on Migration Assistant. You will then see a screen that has a "menu" of choices:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204350

You would select the first one (it might already be pre-selected), "From a Mac, Time Machine Backup, or startup disk". You should then see an icon of your old Mac's internal drive. Select it, (again, it might already be pre-selected), and click continue. You'll then get a list of "stuff" you can transfer. Note that the first one is Applications. If that is all you want, then de-select everything else. Click Continue, and then the "migration"/transfer process begins. When you are done, all the Applications (and all the "pieces" for each one) that were on your old Mac are copied to your new Mac. Given that both Macs are using High Sierra, I'll assume you are sure that any third party apps you are "migrating" are compatible with High Sierra.

I always use Migration Assistant when I am going to install a new Mac OS on either of my machines, except I am doing it form a bootable SuperDuper! backup. In my case, I "migrate"/copy everything from the backup to the Mac I just installed the new OS on. The process works flawlessly (I do have to do 3 more steps on my Mac after the process completes, but they are application specific).

I actually have one of those Thunderbolt to Firewire 800 adapters, and I used to use it when I had external drives with Firewire 800 ports. I no longer need to do that, though, as my external "drives" are SSDs enclosed inside Orico enclosures, and the interface is USB 3.0. (If you were closer to me, I would sell you the adapter for a reasonable price).

In any event, if you follow those instructions step by step, you'll be successful! Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

 

[Elspeth]

First, it would not be wise to use the "old" Time Machine backup on the external drive, as some/all of the applications on it might not be compatible with High Sierra. From what you said above, the old Mac has High Sierra, OS 10.13.1, already installed there. I assume you used that Mac for "some" time, and ran the apps "under" High Sierra.

In any event, what you will be doing is 1) booting your late 2011 MacBook Pro in Target Disk mode, and 2) then using Migration Assistant on the new MacBook Air 13" 2017 model to do the transfer.

This is your older Mac, I believe:

https://everymac.com/systems/apple/...4-13-late-2011-unibody-thunderbolt-specs.html

Note that it has a Firewire 800 port.

This is your newer Mac Book Air:

https://support.apple.com/kb/SP753?locale=en_US

Note that it has a Thunderbolt 2 port.

You will need two more pieces of hardware: a Thunderbolt to Firewire 800 adapter, like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Thunde...&keywords=thunderbolt+2+to+firewire+800+cable

and a Firewire 800 cable. This link has a number of sources for it:

https://www.google.com/search?q=Fir...i57j69i60l2.6270j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

If you have a Best Buy or Frys near you, you can get one from there.

Once you have those, hook up the two Macs with the adapter and the cable. Then, plug in both machines. Boot up your new, Mac Book Air machine. Then, while holding down the T key on your old Mac, start it up. What will happen is that the old Mac's internal drive will appear on the Mac Book Air's desktop as just another hard drive.

Then, within the Utilities folder (contained in your Applications folder) on the new Mac, double click on Migration Assistant. You will then see a screen that has a "menu" of choices:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204350

You would select the first one (it might already be pre-selected), "From a Mac, Time Machine Backup, or startup disk". You should then see an icon of your old Mac's internal drive. Select it, (again, it might already be pre-selected), and click continue. You'll then get a list of "stuff" you can transfer. Note that the first one is Applications. If that is all you want, then de-select everything else. Click Continue, and then the "migration"/transfer process begins. When you are done, all the Applications (and all the "pieces" for each one) that were on your old Mac are copied to your new Mac. Given that both Macs are using High Sierra, I'll assume you are sure that any third party apps you are "migrating" are compatible with High Sierra.

I always use Migration Assistant when I am going to install a new Mac OS on either of my machines, except I am doing it form a bootable SuperDuper! backup. In my case, I "migrate"/copy everything from the backup to the Mac I just installed the new OS on. The process works flawlessly (I do have to do 3 more steps on my Mac after the process completes, but they are application specific).

I actually have one of those Thunderbolt to Firewire 800 adapters, and I used to use it when I had external drives with Firewire 800 ports. I no longer need to do that, though, as my external "drives" are SSDs enclosed inside Orico enclosures, and the interface is USB 3.0. (If you were closer to me, I would sell you the adapter for a reasonable price).

In any event, if you follow those instructions step by step, you'll be successful! Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

 

[Elspeth]

thanks for the detail. First, on an island, so no best buys near - via amazon or other the cable look like $40 + and I am not willing/able to spend more. I can get migration assistant through the wifi, slow as it is, and will just take the time. However, when I try it, I have to tick "apps". It doesn't say if I will have an opportunity after ticking to SELECT the third party apps I want. I am sure I do not want all - many from the app store were acquired by grandkids years ago when they were 3/4 years old and loved stuff that no-one has any intention of playing any more, at least not on my computer. So I am afraid to just tick "apps".
Can you tell me if after ticking I get a list that I can select from, or does the assistant just start and take all across?

I really appreciate that someone like you with knowledge takes the time to help someone like me.

 

[honestone]

Unfortunately, via Migration Assistant, you would get all apps. However, there is a nifty free program called AppCleaner that you can use to remove any of those (and all the "associated" pieces) from your Mac after the migration. It's available from here:

https://freemacsoft.net/appcleaner/

Real simple to use, and it's very effective.

Regarding your Time Machine backups to the external drive, you could get the Apps from there with Migration Assistant. The process works the same as I described above, except that 1) you can already connect the drive to your new Mac, and 2) there is no booting up of that external drive. Again, though, I of course don't know how currect the stuff is on the backup. If you have another external drive, maybe do a "full" Time Machine backup of the odl Mac to it.

 

[Elspeth]

I found the best way for me was to download and re-install the third party apps I wanted - involved finding the emails that had sent the registration numbers when first purchased etc. Time-consuming. Then I had to just be patient with the local download speed - start it off, go and do something else. It all took a long time, but I think was worth it and in the process I have learned more, thanks to the replies received and the searching.
I am going to start another thread when the transfer is finally done [still got to sort photos and videos]. From looking at some of the threads on here, I think I could clean the older computer, restore it to Yosemite and have something functional for other family members to use. I maybe didn't have to buy a new on for myself at all, if I had understood earlier that upgrading is not always the best thing to do, especially when we don't all need all the new bells and whistles offered. Cost of learning. Glad to find mac-help.
Thanks Honestone.

 

[honestone]

I would still download and install AppCleaner. It is an effective, useful tool.

Also, when one "upgrades" the Mac OS to a new one, or "reverts" back to an old one, the best way to do that is via a clean, fresh, "virgin" installation of the OS. Then, with Migration Assistant, "migrate"/copy needed "stuff" from a backup.

Finally, there are actually 2 methods of backing up your machine: Time Machine, and using backup/cloning software like SuperDuper! or Carbon Copy Cloner. You might want to read this thread I "developed" recently:

https://www.mac-help.com/threads/backups-backups-backups.223959/

I believe my initial post was fair and balanced, and there are also a number of useful, informative posts by others to that thread.

Myself, I could not do without SuperDuper! (it's one of my 6 critical third-party applications). It has always made upgrading to a new Mac OS easier, cleaner, and given me more control. And for the few "emergencies" I have had, it has saved my bacon.

 

[honestone]

One other thing that is worth mentioning is that it is best for you to perform disk cleanup/maintenance/repairs on a consistent, frequent basis (along, of course, with backups). You actually can do a good amount of disk cleanup on your own, and there are some excellent programs available (both free and commercial) that can provide assistance with those tasks.

I am actually doing disk cleanup on my own numerous times each day, with about 95 to 99% of that due to having deleted EMails permanently removed. Also, every week (typically on a Saturday), I perform more extensive disk clean up, disk maintenance, and disk repairs, and of course my SuperDuper! backups. In fact, I just completed all of that for both of my machines just s few minutes ago.

You will not be sorry if you do those tasks. But, as the old saying goes, "To each his own".