I thought it would be simple . I intend , how intemperately is setting up a young Mac ? Just a few twenty-four hours ago , I ’d gone through clone a Mac miniskirt ’s internal crusade andduplicating it onto an external SSDwith no job . How could a MacBook induce me difficulties ?
turn out , in plenty of manner . While I ’d anticipated many of the issue with a gadget with a single larboard using USB - C , a measure that is very thin in the market so far , both I and executive editor in chief Susie Ochs were flummoxed by what we get .
Here ’s my summation ( with interjections from Susie ) that may aid you with similar trouble — if not divert you .
What is the sound of one hand shipping?
We were already primed to be peeve , to be quite fair . Apple said in the announcementof the fresh MacBook that orders would start on April 10 , the same twenty-four hour period as it shipped . We took that mean , as is typically the case , that the exemplar would be available for in - store purchase and pickup truck at some Apple Stores , too .
But that was n’t the case . Orders were accepted for some models right after midnight with transport times a couple of weeks out unless one give the $ 10 expediting fee , which push home delivery up to April 15 . Some models appeared to deal out almost immediately , with delivery go steady weeks out .
miss in action mechanism : Apple ’s multiport Ab adapters for the novel MacBook .
Though we were surprised about the lack of in - store breed , Apple ’s new models are sometimes highly provision encumber , and often airshipped directly from China to encounter merchant marine dates . Fair enough .
But what we divulge when our computers come on Wednesday was actually rather dismaying . The two USB - C multiport adapters — theDigital AV Multiport Adaptor for HDMIand theVGA Multiport Adapter — announced at the same time as the MacBook are the only way presently to utilise a USB Type A adapter while keep the laptop computer plugged in and charge . Apple has n’t declare any DisplayPort adapters , odd given their late focal point on Mini DisplayPort , but I was able to purchase aUSB - C to full - size of it DisplayPort cable television from Google .
On Wednesday , we pass to set up Apple ’s adapter for testing , assuming we could pick them up in an Apple Store . However , they ’re heel as usable in … 4–6 weeks . This seems like epically regretful preparation on Apple ’s part . Only a subset of MacBook buyers will need HDMI — far few , VGA , except for backwards compatibility with projectors — but not having them uncommitted seems just special .
Certainly , AirPlay is an alternative in many cases , and a superior one , but not for using a second monitor . Until multiport adapters ship from Apple and others , this makes the MacBook a nonstarter .
Getting started, or, rather, stalled
I have arrange up many a Mac , specially in testing , where I have to pass over and repair and get over to jibe out problem . But both Susie and I have glitch that we have to go for are n’t common . Consulting with colleagues , however , makes us guess they are n’t unicorn .
I want to practice Migration Assistant to do a Mac - to - Mac written matter from my 2011 MacBook Air to the Modern MacBook . I therefore bypassed all the frame-up options , but you ’re required to create one story before start .
The newfangled MacBook is making@sfsoozreally deplorable , so I consoled her . ( Photo via@JasonCross00)pic.twitter.com / d90EBAhVTg
remember from previous mishaps , it ’s critical that the account name you set up not be the same name as any of the accounts you ’re migrating . I typed in Glenn Setup ( glennsetup ) with the plan to erase it later . When I clicked to continue , a rainbow spinner appear . Many minutes later on , it was still there .
Colleagues on Twitter have go through the same thing , although typically when also lumber into an iCloud report during setup . The only option was to force exponent - down the laptop and commence over . The second story world worked . Susie had the same problem when she tried to enable FileVault during setup , and had to force shutdown , re-start , and begin over .
Ready, fire, aim!
A few daylight ago , Apple ’s MacBook varlet focus on USB - Cincluded this language(we added the link to compatible cable length ):
Your MacBook endorse USB Target Disk Mode when you use it with a compatible , full - feature ( “ first-rate speed ” ) USB - C cable television service . Note that theUSB - C Charge Cableincluded with the MacBook does not support USB Target Disk Mode .
To enable Target Disk Mode , hold down the liothyronine button on your keyboard while starting your MacBook . Then unite the USB - nose candy cable . Use a full - feature USB - C to USB - C cablegram to link to another MacBook , or a full - featuredUSB - A to USB - C cableto connect to a Mac with standard USB - A port .
The eagle - eyed Dan Frakes , formerly of this publishing and now a senior editor in chief atthe Wirecutter , pointed this cached text out to me , as the pagenow omits it .
On 4/10 , Apple keep article HT204360 enounce the 12 ” MacBook supports USB Target Disk Mode . Today , gone.pic.twitter.com/wZb9S1E4Oi
Target Disk Mode has almost always require either FireWire or Thunderbolt . The MacBook miss both , and it ’s impossible Thunderbolt will be supported via USB - C , while FireWire is unlikely though theoretically possible .
If you boot the MacBook holding down the deoxythymidine monophosphate button , you do indeed see a USB symbol make full the screen indicator that the electronic computer is acting as a campaign . But it wo n’t hop on on another Mac . It does n’t appear in the System Information utility as being attached to the USB bus , even .
Without Target Disk Mode , you could still utilise Wi - Fi or ethernet for migration . I had problems with both . I first tried Wi - Fi , setting up my MacBook Air via program program > Utilities > Migration Assistant to be looking to copy to another Mac , and then running the same usefulness on the MacBook .
The older laptop computer seem , but was unavailable — a yield polarity , when get across , informed me the MacBook Air was using a newer OS . Yes , the MacBook was put in production before 10.10.3 was discharge . I continued in the setup process with migrating , and prepared to download necessary updates—2.1 GB for all of them , which is five hour with a 1Mbps connection and about 30 minutes with my cable modem speed .
The MacBook restarted , did its usually arrangement setup at boot , and I tried Migration Assistant again . I was again say the system was too old , and I check About This Mac : sure enough , 10.10.2 . Go figure . Launching the App Store , I was secern that update were available and downloaded already . I allow it restart again , and after two startup ding ( one to update the Recovery HD ) , I was in business .
study a photo of my screen did n’t work so well , but neither did Migration Assistant .
That is , until it miscarry each time I try . The MacBook Air appeared quick , the MacBook volition , but the MacBook pooped out with an error each time . I lacked twoUSB ethernet adapter , so that was n’t an option .
On to the next strategy , then .
The clone wars
I figured my next good bet — at least to imitate what most multitude would go through — was to make a full Time Machine relief of the MacBook Air , then bestride it on the MacBook and use Migration Assistant to spell it . ( If I were doing this just for myself , I would belike have opt for SuperDuper or Carbon Copy Cloner , as I’vewritten about recently . )
The fill-in go o.k. . I had a USB passenger vehicle - powered 500 GB drive , and the MacBook Air has an 250 GB drive . Since it ’s a 2011 model , it only tolerate USB 2.0 , Thunderbolt , and 100 Mbps ethernet ( via a USB adaptor ) . Despite Time Machine suggesting the support would take about three hours , it took four . The MBA is distinctly hardware constrained from using USB 2.0 ’s full throughput , which should have been under two time of day .
Yay , the one adapter Apple had in ancestry would allow me to connect my Time Machine drive ’s micro - USB cable .
Then I went to plug the USB driveway into the MacBook and understand my error . While I have a couple of USB - 100 adapter , I ’d forget the drive used micro - USB ; I had been expected to plug a USB Type A jack into one end . A quick trip to a nearby Apple Store afterward , and I had aUSB - C to female Type A adapter , which will let me use any Type A connections . It ’s the only USB - C data point Apple currently has usable .
When plugged in , the drive did n’t power up . I tried other association with the adapter and other cables , including ethernet and DisplayPort . Nothing . The MacBook could receive power via the included 29W transcriber and via a USB port on my MBA , but nothing data - related worked .
So I zapped the PRAM . It ’s been a foresightful time since I had to restrain down Command - Option - P - radius after pressing the index button , but it make for . ( I did two round , which is often urge . )
Finally , everything was aligned , and the private road mounted and Migration Assistant accepted it . Except that with no external battery indicant and the Migration Assistant running , I could n’t tell how much power was left . I ’d charged it to 100 percent , and cipher even with hours of USB copying , it would belike consume only a fraction .
In just over two hours and about 50 percent of the battery consumed , Migration Assistant completed its work , and I was in business organisation .
Dan Frakes said that he was able to accomplish the same task much quicker : he had a USB 3.0 drive and a 2012 MacBook Air , which have the new touchstone . It took him about 20 mo to clone his MBA drive and 20 minute to transmigrate to a newfangled MacBook . Must be nice .
What you may encounter in the future
USB - C is definitely an up - and - coming banner , and we ’re seeing more shipping products and announcement for cable , peripherals , and accessory that contain it every day . There will soon be a true ecosystem of peripheral , and we wo n’t be reliant on Apple ’s not - yet - available adapters . But you ’ll surely need to read the label cautiously on whatever you grease one’s palms .
guardianship - only overseas telegram and charge - and - sync cable look just the same too ! ( This is a $ 25 mission - and - sync cable from Monoprice . )
For instance , Apple ’s admit USB - C to USB - C cable ischarging only — it omits some of the interior wiring for cost and narrowness , and can not be used to channelise data . Instead , you ’ll need a cable television service marked for datum or sync and shoot , such asthe upcoming USB - C to USB - cytosine from Monoprice .
