My HV20 arrived in the mail about a week ago, which called for an upgrade. I am upgrading my 60 GB hard drive in my MacBook white (13 inch) to a 250 GB hard drive. I tried to upgrade it today in school but my animation teacher told me that you can't transfer Final Cut.

I am unable to get ahold of the install disks, so the install I have on my computer right now is the only copy I have. We are transfering basically all my videos, pictures, and documents, to a school computer and then transfering them again after my new hard drive is installed. Is there any way to properly transfer Final Cut?

BTW, I just signed up for this forum, Hello! The previous one I went to wasn't giving me any help at all, I hope you guys are nicer ^_^

Hi Connor,

There are a number of extra components installed with FCP, so, unlike your typical Apple software, it's not all contained in one place.

I think the easiest thing to do is create a Disk Image of your 60GB drive on any external HD and then transfer that image to your new HD once it's installed. The easiest way to do this is if you connect your MacBook to another Mac and startup it up in Target mode (so it appears as a simple harddrive to the other Mac).

Now, I've never actually had to do this myself, but have seen it done from a backup to replace a faulty system HD. The startup from the new HD took a while, but that was because his preferences were suddenly trying to start up from a network location. If that happens, go to the Preferences and specific the new HD as the start up disk.

If I'm missing anything obvious, someone please jump in.

Good luck...

For a laptop upgrade, I think Tom's advice is spot on. If doing the upgrade on a full size system or an iMac, there are other methods.

I used a software application called SuperDuper to clone my original drive when I did my upgrade (props to Mike Curtis for turning me on to that one).

-gb-

Hello Gentlemen,
For what it's worth, I was able to boot off cloned external HD's and successfully run FCS 2 on other macs without having to reinstall the Pro Apps. I only had to enter the serial # obtained on the startup screen when starting the newly cloned HD. Search this forum for "Will FC work on another computer"...hope the info is helpful.

So all I have to do is transfer with the fire wire to another mac, and then transfer it back over after I have the new HD installed?

Cause I was thinking it would kinda mess things up because files would be out of place and I wouldn't know where to organize them to.

Hello Connor,
I'm not sure what you're saying. Using the free app. SuperDuper will clone your MacBook HD...you do not have to address organizing or finding files when you clone back onto the new hd...I hope you're using OS 10.4 and not upgrading to 10.5 when you clone because it seems alot of people, including myself are having problems with Apple's Pro Apps. running in Leopard without a clean install.
Good Luck !

That sounds great! How do you use the program? I don't understand how it would work. Don't you have to completely reinstall OSX after the new HD is in? If it copies your entires HD then wouldn't it mess things up?

SuperDuper is really easy to use. There is a dialog window
where you choose what hd to copy/clone ( your present MacBook hd) and where to clone it to ( an external firewire hd )..just reverse the process after you install your new hd..remember that the destination hd will be completely erased/formatted so don't use another mac containing only 1 hd with apps.

On a side note, cloning FCS 2 in Leopard requires the serial # shown on the startup AND any applicable upgrade serial #'s ( something I did not have to enter when I cloned FCS in Tiger)

Allright, well I have Final Cut Pro 5.

I still don't understand how it works though, so you have to clone the current harddrive onto another computer which erases that computers harddrive, and then transfer it over to the new harddrive once it's installed? And if that is true, wouldn't it mess something up after you've installed OSX? Wouldn't it make double of system files etc.?

You'll need to boot your computer with a boot disk, then use disk utility, carbon copy cloner, super duper or another utility to make an exact image of your computer's hard drive onto another drive.

It would be easiest to borrow an external firewire drive that will take your new hard drive and clone straight to that, but you can also make a disk image (which is just another file) on any drive that has space for your 60gb.

Despite the difference in capacity, you can clone from the 60gb to the 250gb and have an exact copy. Alternatively, you can make an image and put it on another computer's drive without erasing anything on the target drive, as long as there's enough free space, then use the "restore" function to put it back to the new drive.

What you absolutely don't want to do is just copy the contents from your computer onto some other drive -- it won't work.

...so you have to clone the current harddrive onto another computer which erases that computers harddrive

...no, does not erase, this is not a reformat of the transfer drive, you would only be making a Disk Image, but it's a big 60GB file.

... wouldn't it mess something up after you've installed OSX? Wouldn't it make double of system files etc.?

...no it would not. The idea is to make an exact copy of everything on your current hard drive and transfer it to your new hard drive. You do not need to reinstall all your software because you will have transfered your current setup up exactly to your new hard drive. Everything will be the same except you will have a larger capacity harddrive.

For info on what a Disk Image is, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_image

Hope it works out...

Allright I'm gonna do this soon, are you completely sure this can copy Final Cut?

Hi Conner,
Why are you so worried?
Follow the procedure above the gentlemen have given to you. It will probably work if done properly.

If it doesn't work: Put the old disk in again. Or get the install disks. Or buy a new license.

The only thing is you might waste some time. But this is usual when working with complicated stuff like these programs and computers.

Good luck! /Johan

Okay, so I tried this yesterday at my school, and it ended up failing cause we put an internet cable in. I think I'm going to try again today, but let me just get this straight. After I've transfered the "disk image" of my harddrive to the other mac, and then I get the new harddrive in, what is the next step? Do I reinstall the OS on the new harddrive? If I do, then how does it work that after I get the disk image back onto the new computer it doesn't screw anything up with the files that are already there? It still confuses me, surely if I was transferring the old harddrive with EVERYTHING, including all the system files, it would screw something up with the new HD.

....If I do, then how does it work that after I get the disk image back onto the new computer it doesn't screw anything up with the files that are already there? It still confuses me, surely if I was transferring the old harddrive with EVERYTHING, including all the system files, it would screw something up with the new HD.

Here's what I usually do when I upgrade a macbook drive:

1. get an external enclosure for your new harddrive (best with firewire 400 ports, sata internal). Check: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/hard-drives/2.5-Notebook/
You can use this enclosure later for your current internal drive. Nice for doing backups.
3. after you temporarily put the new drive in the enclosure, hook it up.
4. Run SuperDuper and clone your internal harddrive to the external. This will produce an exact copy of your internal drive, just with lots more free space.
5. Swap the two drives, the new one goes into the macbook.
6. Startup your machine. It will be an exact "clone" of your old one, just with more free disk space.

Yeah I don't have that external enclosure or whatever it is.. We are just using an intel iMac, and transferring it all onto a disk image file on the iMac, then transfering back over once the new harddrive is installed. The problem is I don't understand how this is going to work. Do I install the OS onto the new harddrive first? And if so, how does it work once I get the disk image file back onto the new harddrive. Nobody has explained this to me yet. I don't see how it wouldn't screw anything up seeing as how you are putting 2 of the same sets of OS X files on the same computer.

I just replaced my old 250GB system disk with a 500GB disk in my G5. No special software is needed. No disk images. Here's what I did:

1) Installed the new drive and formatted it.

2) Installed Tiger on the new drive. At the end of the system install process a window opens that asks "Already Own a Mac?" It offers a number of choices for migration, one of which is "transfer data and system information from another volume" I checked that option and selected my old system drive

3) All the data, apps, and system information were transfered to the new drive. That's it. Done.

I did have provide my serial number for FCP the first time I ran it from the new system disk.

I think you should be able to do the same thing with your MacBook if you, as suggested above, get an enclosure for the old drive (about $40 at Best Buy or similar store -- just ask) and connect it to the MacBook Pro.

Search your system help/hard drive for "migration assistant" for more information -- it's a utility provided with OS X and it does the same thing as described above. Depending on how full the old drive is, the process can take hours, so make sure you are running the MacBook on AC

Yeah I don't have that external enclosure or whatever it is..

The point I was trying to make is, for like $30 or so you can get an external enclosure. This will be a good investment because it will allow you to use your old drive in the future for backups. In addition, it makes migration to a new drive extremely easy (as described by me and others above).

We are just using an intel iMac, and transferring it all onto a disk image file on the iMac, then transfering back over once the new harddrive is installed. The problem is I don't understand how this is going to work.

This is why mirroring an entire drive (using an external enclosure) to the new drive is so easy. You need nothing except SuperDuper (which is free).
You do not have to install a new OS onto the new drive because SuperDuper will create a functional clone of your existing drive (In superduper, you specify your old internal HD as source, the new one as destination. It's real easy.
This entire process is far easier than using the disk image approach.

"You do not have to install a new OS onto the new drive because SuperDuper will create a functional clone of your existing drive (In superduper, you specify your old internal HD as source, the new one as destination. It's real easy."

How does this work?

How does this work?

read this:

http://www.bombich.com/mactips/image.html

The page describes how Carbon Copy Cloner works. It does the same as SuperDuper.
(My personal opinion: every Mac user who's in charge of his data should know and use either Carbon Copy cloner or SuperDuper in order to do backups. These two apps are sooo easy to use and they generate a "mirrored", identical backup of your internal HD.

Here's the link to superduper:
http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/SuperDuperDescription.html

So could you explain exactly what happens? I do the super duper thing, transfer the first HD as a disk image onto the iMac, put the new HD in, and then what happens?

So could you explain exactly what happens? I do the super duper thing, transfer the first HD as a disk image onto the iMac, put the new HD in, and then what happens?

Read my post #15 from yesterday. It says what you have to do.
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showpost.php?p=776679&postcount=15

Yeah I can't do the external enclosure thing, I explained how I was doing it before, is it not possible to do it the way I am trying?

Is it not possible to transfer my stuff with Super Duper to an iMac and transfer it back after I put the new hard drive in?

You guys there??

Is it not possible to transfer my stuff with Super Duper to an iMac and transfer it back after I put the new hard drive in?

Yes, you could clone (over ethernet) your internal HD to a disk image that's on an iMac. However, once you're done cloning and after you've put in the new HD into the macbook, you'll need to boot and start superduper - you can't do this from the install DVD. And you can't boot from the networked image. Also you cannot install a fresh system onto the new drive and then "merge" this with your image on the iMac. That's why I recommended buying an external enclosure.
I'm not sure if you're unwilling to listen, read the referenced websites, or whatever, hence my hesitation to answer promptly...
If you're willing to explain *exactly* what your problem is, then you might get more help.

hey y'all,
I'm resurrecting this forum with a thread query...

Here's my scenerio, I'm currently using a Macbook 13" and about to buy a Macbook Pro 15". I have a 160gb hd and the Pro has a 200gb drive. I want to clone my existing drive to the new machine with all the applications, settings, preferences and such, so I can get to work immediately on it. I am somewhat familiar with the process.

The thing is, the Macbook I currently own is still on OSX 10.4." Tiger and the Pro will have 10.5. Leopard...will this cause any problems as far as transfering the cloned image to the new machine?? or will everything be cool.

If anyone has experience with this scenerio and can advise me of the easiest most fail-safe procedure for this task, i would greatly appreciate it!!..I have a couple TB's of external firewire storage, so backing up is not a problem.

thanks so much!
Brendan

I want to clone my existing drive to the new machine with all the applications, settings, preferences and such, so I can get to work immediately on it. I am somewhat familiar with the process.

The thing is, the Macbook I currently own is still on OSX 10.4." Tiger and the Pro will have 10.5. Leopard...will this cause any problems as far as transfering the cloned image to the new machine?? or will everything be cool.
Cloning a drive means you are making an exact replica -- OS included -- of the drive. This clone is used to replace the contents of the target drive (OS included).

In other words, making a clone of a drive with Tiger and then restoring it to the new machine will replace the OS.

Give use some news of your scenario. I think i'll have to do the same thing in a few months from my MBP2.2 ghz with 10.4.11 to a brand new MacBook Pro.

Thanks

Bruno

If you are moving data from one OS to another (e.g. files from a Tiger OS drive to a new Leopard drive) then cloning is not the way to go. You will have to simply copy them over as you would from one drive to another. This also means you have to reinstall your applications from scratch. It's a PITA but that's how the cookie crumbles.

Brendan, You could buy a copy of Leopard and upgrade the MacBook, then you can clone away to the MacBook Pro knowing you are on the latest version. And you also would have a up to date MacBook to keep or sell.

buy a copy of Leopard and upgrade the MacBook, then you can clone away to the MacBook Pro
NO, you do not want to do this! I know it seems like an obvious workaround but this is a bad idea for a machine with FCS installed for the exact reasons that OS upgrades are best done as clean installs, in which case you are back to square one with having to copy files manually.

For apps that are as intricately intertwined with the OS as NLEs (and this goes for Avid and Final Cut, on Windows or OS X), it is crucial to have a stable install of both the OS and the NLE software. No upgrade path other than a clean install can provide this. Forums here and elsewhere are full of posts from people who have experienced debilitating stability issues due to a less than solid installation by the sort of upgrade path that James is recommending. You need a clean install of your OS, not an upgrade.

It's not an exciting prospect to have to do all that work, but if you want to ensure you have a good install then you need to put work into it. You need a clean install of your OS and apps, which means installing the OS, doing whatever updates you need, and then installing your NLE (and then whatever updates you need to the NLE).

mike,

I feared that this would be the response I got on this topic:)

Def gonna b a PITA, but I definitely want to ensure that everything will run smoothly on the new machine, so it looks like the route I'll take, clean installs of everything...gonna need a personal day for that..haha

gonna need a personal day for that..haha
And another one for after that. ;-D

it's the right thing to do. You know the old saying about an ounce of prevention, right? It is very tempting to take short cuts in this, but the headache you avoid by doing it right at the beginning is well worth it. There is no price on peace of mind.