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Have a 2015 MacBook that I've backed up to an external HD via Time Machine, running Catalina. And a newer MacBook Air also running Catalina.

On initial setup of the new machine, I used Migration Assistant to transfer everything from the TM backup, including all files, apps and settings.

It seems like it brought over some settings... for example, it knows about my various Internet accounts that I had logged into on the old machine... but I don't see any of my apps, or any of my files (except stuff in iCloud).

I made sure to check the boxes in Migration Assistant for apps and files... it even estimated it would take like hundreds of gigs, but the new machine is still mostly free space. There's only one account on the new machine in "Users and Groups" in settings and in /Users... it's the account from my old machine.

I've tried it twice now, the second time I blew away the account on the new machine but got the same results... am I missing something? The only thing weird about the TM backup is that there's backups for two different Macs on the same device... but I'm definitely choosing the correct one and definitely asking it transfer everything...

Thanks in advance for any advice, pointers, or questions!

Aman Loomba
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  • Seems to be par for the course for Time Machine these days. It's just no longer trustable. See https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/392734/migration-assistant-fail – Tetsujin Sep 20 '20 at 14:56
  • Hey @Tetsujin thanks for the pointer... I hadn't seen your question. Very similar to mine, except in my case Migration Assistant doesn't even indicate there was a problem, it just finishes without having transferred anything from the TM backup. Sounds like in your situation you used Carbon Copy Cloner successfully? – Aman Loomba Sep 20 '20 at 15:12
  • Yes, cloning worked & always has, over 20 years or so now. I just wanted a clean start for once… but couldn't get it :/ – Tetsujin Sep 20 '20 at 15:28

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