- Time Machine NO LONGER BACKS UP OR RESTORES SYSTEM FILES.
- Carbon Copy Cloner NO LONGER BACKS UP OR RESTORES SYSTEM FILES.
- Restoring the System is accomplished by booting from the Recovery Drive and re-installing the OS.
Without full
hands on access to your systems potentially for several hours, I can only make a W.A.G. about the what or how of either of your backups much less whether or not they could be relied on. It is highly doubtful that any such analysis would be productive. What would be productive is restoring your old system to a stable, clean operating state for your grandkids and getting your new system up and running with your data.
- If, by any chance, you have your data and especially your Desktop and Documents folders synchronized with iCloud, Boot up your NEW computer, recreate your account and password, log on to your Apple ID, turn on iCloud synch and in a few hours you will be up and running with all your data and settings. Then erase the time machine drive and select it as the Time Machine drive on your new computer.
- Boot your OLD computer from the Recovery Drive, erase the hard drive, re-install the OS, and give the computer to your grandkids.
