How to resolve Migration Assistant transfer issues from old MacBook to new one?

If you suspect progress has stopped and no further progress appears likely, then you have no practicable choice other than to terminate the migration.

Three possible results: The Mac might not boot, or it does but some things won't work, or everything might appear to be working ok. You can always erase the Mac and start over again.

In a crowded wireless environment, a wired connection is preferable.

Michael Eckersley wrote:

Using Migration Assistant to transfer data from old MacBook to new one: Endless cycling now after 26 hours into the process. No progress bar to gauge how long the transfer will take. I feel helpless, and Apple provides no guidance or support.

Ive used Migration Assistant 4-5 years back, but this very different experience.

Kindly advise me please,

-Michael

[Edited by Moderator]

Original Title: Hung up Migration Assistant transfer

you must have the patience of a Saint...

Use a wired connection, definitely not wifi.

If necessary use one of your recent Time Machine backups as the source.

USB-C to USB Adapter - Apple

The most trouble free way to move to a new machine, is using the Setup Assistant on the initial boot of a brand new machine— you have one shot here. Set up your MacBook Pro - Apple Support

The second best way is use the Migration Assistant.

How to move your content to a NEW Mac: Transfer to a new Mac with Migration Assistant - Apple Support

Transfer your information to Mac from another computer or device:

Transfer your information to Mac from another computer or device - Apple Support

If necessary You can always force quit a shutdown by holding the power button/TouchID for ~6-10 sec.

Force Shut down your Mac.

Log out, sleep, wake, restart or shut down your Mac

Shut down or restart your Mac - Apple Support

if necessary you can erase the machine and start over—

Erase your Mac and reset it to factory settings

leroydouglas wrote:

If necessary use one of your recent Time Machine backups as the source.

Personally, this is my preferred method. Some of my TM backups are to SSDs. When setting up a new Mac, I update the TM backup on an SSD, then connect it to the new Mac and use that as the source for Setup Assistant. I’ve done this for ~7 Macs in the past couple of years, it’s fast and reliable. When going from my 2019 Intel i9 MBP with ~700 GB on the internal drive to a new M4 Pro MBP, the setup from the SSD TM backup took <30 min to complete.

Is the boot drive size of the new Mac the same or larger than the old Mac?