My iBook G4 has Time Machine backup. I was thinking of getting a PowerBook G4. Can I simply restore this backup on the PowerBook? I was also thinking of swapping hdds and use my iBook's larger 100gb hdd on the PowerBook. Will that work outright?
i think you can by To make setting up a new Mac even simpler, Time Machine shares its data with other Mac utilities. Use Migration Assistant to copy portions of any Time Machine backup to a new Mac, or select “Restore System from Time Machine” in the Leopard DVD Utilities menu. Choose any date recorded in Time Machine to set up your new Mac exactly as your previous Mac was on that date http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/timemachine.html is this what you want to do?
That's what I want to do. But I am concerned that the hardware of the PowerBook is different. I assume Time Machine also backs up system files like drivers. Does Time machine work around this concern and restore to any Mac hardware configuration?
no idea if it will work my suggestion, install a fresh leopard then restore thru time machine, again this is only a suggestion, follow at your own risk good luck
Best way is to install Leopard on the new machine and use Migration Assistant to copy selected files and settings from the Time Machine backup. If some apps don't work, try reinstalling them or finding out if there are updated drivers for the new machine. Hope it works out for you..
Haven't tried it with older Macs, but I've successfully used Time Machine to backup and restore to/from a MacBook and a MacBook Pro. Granted, both were Intel and were of the same generation (bought within a year of each other). This is riskier. The iBook's HD might probably have machine-specific configuration, if not drivers, that might mess up when running on the PowerBook. At least when doing a Time Machine restore the system can do the job of 'translating' any machine-specific configuration or drivers (if any) from the TM backup to the current system. With a straight HD swap, though, there's no such thing.
"At least when doing a Time Machine restore the system can do the job of 'translating' any machine-specific configuration or drivers (if any) from the TM backup to the current system" <<- This is what I want validated. If this is true then I have nothing to worry about with Time Machine backup and restore.
@Mad Mac, it should work. I've tried using Time Machine to restore backups to different Macs. I'd try using a full TM restore first. The worst thing that would happen is that the new system on the PowerBook won't boot, if that's the case, then you'll just need to do an Archive & Install of Leopard. Your user accounts, settings, and data will already be in the PowerBook so you won't need to transfer those again.
OK time has come and I will need more assurances. Has anyone restored an Ibook G4 Time Machine backup to a MacBook? Will this be a sure shot or am I better off doing extra work to manually backup iTunes on cds and the user files to a hdd?
I suggest using the Install DVD that came with your MacBook to install Leopard. After you update everything via Software Update, use Migration Assistant to transfer your data from your Time Machine backup to the new Mac. I think that's a better way of doing it for your particular case.
What is best way to connect the two Macs? Do I use firewire and start the iBook G4 in Target Disk mode?
i backed up my 2006 macbook using time machine to an external hard drive & had my new macbook aluminum restored thru time machine. worked flawlessly, its as if i was using the same hdd. im not sure though if its the same case w/ ibook to macbook.
Install Leopard first and update then restore using time machine. time machine was not available before time machine version right? this makes me wanna get TC.
Oh that's good news. Given the different hardware of the Unibody I guess Time Machine adapts to the new Mac.
Yup, put the iBook in Target Disk Mode then connect to the MacBook via Firewire. Then use Migration Assistant to transfer your data and settings. Since you have access to the iBook, I wouldn't even bother restoring from the TM backup. Don't forget to use AppFresh to make sure you have the latest versions of the apps you have installed.
With nothing to lose I decided to restore using Time Machine. It went very well and everything was working and in their proper places except for Mail and iTunes. Mail was bone stock with nothing in it. Luckily, I also did a manual backup for everything. After putting all the backup files for Mail, it is now working. iTunes isn't working because I had an older version on the MacBook. I will update it and hopefully it will work. I wonder why Mail didn't work.
