Home Forums Mac Software Mac Operating Systems Migration Assistant

It is time to get a different MacBook Pro. I have a 17 inch 2006 model running 10.6.8. I decided to buy a 15 inch 2011 with 10.10.9
I used my time machine backup to use the migration app. I haven't used a password in the past but now the 2011 is asking for a password. I can't get past the screen that shows users. I have used OS 10.7 that I installed on a external drive to start up the computer. When I start up with that it doesn't look like anything transferred.
What can I do to get past the log-in page? It won't let me install 10.7 and if I try to start up with a os installation dvd it just beeps.

1. Just to clarify, Barb, are you trying to install OS X 10.7 on your new MBP?

2. If you've never used a password, OS X may just be looking for you to hit "enter"; have you tried that?

3. I'm not sure what you're trying to do, but your new Mac probably won't be able run an earlier version of OS X than that with which it shipped, or even boot from an install disc for an earlier version.

Please let us know.

I am not sure where you mean by 10.10.9 since the latest released version of OS X is 10.10.5. By any chance do you mean you are running OS X 10.9 (Mavericks) or OS X 10.10.x (Yosemite)?

The first time you booted the 2011 MBP, was their an account already setup on it? Perhaps one left from a previous owner who did not properly prepare the MBP for sale? If so the password for that account is the one the system is asking for. If it was setup to boot from the account, you are stuck in it.

1. Cold boot your 2011 MBP from the recovery drive by holding down ⌘-R. If that does not work do a cold boot while holding down ⌥⌘-R to boot from the Internet Recovery drive.
2. Open Disk Utility and erase the boot volume on the hard drive.
3. Run the OS X installer from the Recovery Drive which should install the latest version of OS X
4. When the system reboots DO NOT create a new account, you will be prompted to reload from a hard drive, time machine, or some other options — select Time Machine. your old account and settings will be reloaded from Time Machine.
5. On the next reboot you should boot into your old account (but you will be running Yosemite not Mavericks.)

The "new" computer is late 2011 MacBook Pro. I bought it from a company that takes lease computers. I was told it has a new logic board and superdrive. It is 2.0Ghz i7 Quad core non-retina 16GB Ram and 1TB SSHD. It came with Yosemite. It has 2 usb ports,1 thunderbolt and 800 Firewire.
I clicked on Enter many, many times. I do not have the Yosemite dvd. I have 10.7 installed on a external drive. I can start the computer with the external drive. If I try to use the OS 10.7 recovery dvd I get the message that I can not do that because a newer OS is installed.
Is there any way to bypass the password? My time machine is the backup of OS 10.6.8
I got the computer which was called Mac and had no password. It started fine with not going to the name/login window. It wasn't until I used migration that it wanted the password.

There is no Yosemite DVD; it's only available as a (free?) download from the App Store.

There's an option to change your password, and I believe you don't have to know the original to do it; I assume it's in your recovery partition, so boot into it and cruise your menu bar options.

While booted from your recovery partition you can use Disk Utility to erase your hard drive, which, from what you've posted, sounds like it may enable you to restore either 10.7 or 10.8.

Can I download Yosemite from OS 10.7 or do I have to buy 10.8 or 10.9?

I've downloaded Yosemite from 10.6.8, so I'm sure you can do it from 10.7.

Edit: If your MBP's got 10.10 on it already, I think you can both erase and download directly from your recovery partition.

Where is the recovery partition?

The recovery partition does not show itself either in Disk Utility or the Startup Disk preference pane. To boot into it, start up while pressing ⌘ and R simultaneously. OS X: About OS X Recovery

I was able to use disk utility to erase the hard drive ane then it let me install 10.7. After that was installed I downloaded the Yosemite 10.10.5. My Seagate external drive I was using for backups with time machine decided not to mount...grrrrr...so I used Firewire 800 and used Migration Assistant. I am now discovering what software will open in Yosemite.
Thanks for the help.

15 Inch MacBook Pro
Yosemite 10.10.5
2.0 ghz Core i7
16 GB Ram
1 TB SSHD

Seagate has had reliability issues. See Hard Drive Reliability Update – Sep 2014 If I were you, I would replace the Seagate with something more robust. FWIW, I have never had any problems with Hitachi Deskstar (now HGST). My DP 450 had two of them, my Mac Pro had four, and I now have two in a Mercury external enclosure. All performed flawlessly.

HGST drives are now made by Western Digital, and original Hitachi's last so long that it will still be a number of years before any reliability stats are available for the WDs.

For one thing, all my pre-WD Hitachis were made in one particular somewhere, and my posts were made somewhere else.

By then no one will be using rotating media any more having been replaced by SSDs.

Considering global warming, human stupidity and overpopulation, the few people left will use engraved stones.

was using for backups with time machine decided not to mount...grrrrr...so I used Firewire 800 and used Migration Assistant. I am now discovering what software will open in Yosemite.

Instead of Firewire 800 I used the USB port and the Seagate drive mounted. I repaired it and erased it. It is working fine at the moment.