Migration to New MacBook from PT 11 Machine

[tgfactor]

I have had a great MacBook Pro for 10 years working on Pro Tools 11 and UAudio hardware (Apollo Quad) & software, but it is finally getting to be the time that I will need to purchase a new machine. However, when I chatted with my UAudio representative, he indicated that in my situation, it would be best to NOT use the Migration Assistant available for MacBooks for my new Macbook Pro. He mentioned a significant update for UAD plugins and software would be required for the new machine, and he also indicated that the OS on all new MacBook Pros are incompatible with Pro Tools 11.

So, given that, it seems like I'm being told that I will be forced to do a cold installation of all my software and settings again. Can anyone give me guidance on what steps I should take to prepare myself to make this transition from my old machine to the new one as painless as possible? In addition, is it still possible to run PT 11 on my new machine or not?

[dougdi]

You need a new PTools, you can upgrade for $199 to Pro Tools Studio. It’s a great deal. Get it from Sweetwater, they are great for support while Avid are disappointing.

Make a list of each app or software you want to install, and obtain new installers for each, then you need to find serial numbers or codes for them. Expect to lose some in the process, but this is a great opportunity to discover a better replacement for some.

I agree, don’t use migration assistant.

[smurfyou]

Yes unfortunately you are in for quite a process. Even if you were to get the last Intel Macbook you'd be looking at an OS that wouldn't play nice with PT11.

[Darryl Ramm]

Quite a process... here is more on that. Just work though stuff and you'll be fine.

First step I would do is make sure you have multiple known to work backups of your current system, stored not attached to the computer. It's too easy to make a mistake here during a transition and wreck something.

Next is to make a spreadsheet of every plugin and app and version of those you have installed and own licenses for and then use that to see if you need to purchase upgrades of those or not, or if you only need to download the latest installers.

I also would not use Migration Assistant (Migration Assasin), .. not for moving over apps and drivers, you might want to use Migration Assistant to move over the user accounts and documents... if you don't you should make sure the user ID (UID) and group ID (GID) of your user account on the new computer matches that on the old or you can run into file permission problems on your own files. Now if each computer only has a single user account on it you should get the same UID and GIDs by default.

You don't state what exact Mac and macOS you are running on now. Knowing that would have helped.

But since it will be an Intel Mac you need to make sure as you work though that spreadsheet of apps and plugins that you can find new versions of those that support Apple Silicon. And be careful with some vendors claims of "compatible with".. that does not mean it has native support, it may mean it's just known to run under Rosetta. By now most vendors really should have all their products with native Apple Silicon support, but there are still laggards... and those may be worth running away from. There are multiple very useful long threads on DUC you can find about plugin native apple silicon support. You can work around that if needed using Rosetta 2 on the new Mac but you really should avoid it, especially for plugins. Install Pete Gates PT Prefs tool and generate a plugin report as a start for your spreadsheet (and also note where that report shows you if the versions of the plugins that are currently installed are Intel only or universal (== Intel and Apple Silicon support)).

Get Pro Tools and interface drivers installed and tested on the new Mac before installing any plugins, then start with Avid extra plugins and then third party ones. Test stuff periodically as as you go and stop if there are problems and try to sort them out, e.g. on a full system build I'll often run up the Pro Tools demo sessions as a test. Have some other of my own tests sessions recording a decent number of inputs etc.. If there are problems with plugins not appearing then run a PT Prefs 2 report to confirm the plugins you installed are all universal). Make sure on the new Mac you run the latest version of PT Prefs 2... to be compatible with new style plugin caches in the latest few Pro Tools releases.

How are you backing up the existing Mac? What is the boot filesystem? If it is booting off HFS+ now that will be changing to APFS on the new Mac. That has implications for bootable clone backups, you can no longer clone a boot disk and make incremental backups to the clone and have it stay bootable. You can still make bootable clones, just not incrementally update them. Bombich/Carbon Copy Cloner has a lot of info about this on their blog.

If you have sessions or samples on external HDD or slower old SATA SSDs they will be significantly slower than just running those on the internal super fast Mac SSD. If you have the price flexibility you may want to consider buying the new mac with enough internal storage to accommodate samples and session. If not and you still have external HDD maybe replace those with faster NVMe SSDs.

Since memory is not upgradeable on any current Macs make sure you purchase one with enough memory/DRAM you might expect to need in it's lifetime. Do not assume that Apple Silicon macs require less memory than Intel based ones. I've posted details on that on DUC before, should be findable with Google search.

I would *not* use iCloud for my home directory/documents. Make sure you don't accidentally select that when setting up your new mac.

Remember to do the documented Pro Tools optimization steps (if disabling Spotlight is still on the list I'd skip that unless you have problems). See under "help us help you" up the top of each DUC web page.

You may have some learning/study to do about Pro Tools packaging and upgrade or new purchase or subscriptions options. You should look at the options and decide if you want to go with Pro Tools Artist or Studio or Ultimate. Make sure you understand the difference between a subscription and a perpetual license update/support plan (but Avid is now also confusingly using subscription at times to describe that). This has been much discussed on DUC, or best call and talk with a sales rep at Vintage King or Sweetwater and buy the update or new license from them. If you purchase the Pro Tools perpetual update remember that you get updates for 12 months but after that you can keep using the version you still have (and older versions). As a part of the update/support package you also get some plugins (like from the Avid Complete Plugin Bundle for Studio and Ultimate) but they are a subscription and will stop working when the update/support plan expires (but you can renew that again if you want... look at those costs and you can not renew it then and decide to some point later and just update then, there is no longer any penalty/barrier to doing that).

If you say upgrade from Pro Tools 11 standard to a Pro Tools Studio perpetual license you get to keep your Pro Tools 11 perpetual license (but it has to stay on the same iLok in the fixed license bundle, but you can then move that iLok between Macs... this would be very important to me to be able to keep going back to the old system if there are any problems)... make really sure you talk to a sales rep at those dealers and make clear you want to do that when buying any upgrade.

Pro Tools has so many new features you might not be used to or aware of. Disk Cache, track input monitoring, freeze, commit, folder tracks, track markers, ARA support, MIDI changes,... far to many to think of now. Be prepared to spend some time playing with it to see what is different. This table gives just some idea of the changes: https://avidtech.my.salesforce-sites...ledge/en393795

Since many of the things you are going to work though happened a few years ago for most users almost all your questions are already likely to be covered on DUC. Use google search with the site:duc.avid.com qualifier to search for those of you need more info or run into problems.

Oh and just check for other compatibility issues before starting... for just about anything that connects to the computer... like make sure all your audio interfaces and any other computer stuff have drivers that are supported on Apple Silicon. UAD stuff is fine there they have great support. If you have older non-EUCON and non-HUI Avid control surfaces they won't work any more on Apple Silicon at least not on current Pro Tools releases running Apple Silicon native. MIDI keyboards that rely on the M-AUDIO MIDI controller for DAW control features will no longer provide DAW control features since that driver support was removed. Mulligan plugin control software will also not work for the same reason. Lots more details in other threads on DUC.

[tgfactor]

This is all helpful information. Thank you guys! Anybody else that wants to contribute to this to help or others in the same situation, by all means please do!