Restore aftr HD change+clean sys install

[davefo]

Hi, I have a white MacBook 1,1.
I have just upgraded from a 60GB HD running OS X 10.4.11? to a 250GB drive.
Before changing HDs, I backed up the old HD onto an external FireWire drive using Retrospect Express 6.1.
I made a clean install of 10.5.6 onto the new HD, installed Retrospect Express.
I then restored my entire old HD to a *folder* on my new HD. There is room for it on the external FireWire disk also if that is better.
I expected wrongly to be able to use Migration Assistant to integrate my applications, e-mails, calendar, bookmarks, etc. into 10.5.6 but it did not allow me to select a folder to migrate from (I think it is looking preferably for another Mac attached via FireWire or at least an external disk, but I'm not sure what it's limits are).
I am also now concerned about Migration Assistant losing data (such as filed e-mails) as I have consulted with a tech friend who says it is problematic and I should restore by hand!
Can you tell me the most efficient and reliable way to get out of my predicament? I'm crazy busy business-wise and I don't have time to lose wallowing & finding my own way, I can afford the time to do things right though which is why I'm asking.
Obviously I am shut down now, I do not want to start doing "real work" on my computer until all my applications and files are in their proper places.
Applications (Quark, Adobe, Apple), all my Mail accounts, iCal, Fonts, Firefox + extensions & bookmarks are my mission-critical tools.
Advice on how best to proceed & what to put where is greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Dave

 

[edadams]

Hi Dave

Yes migration assistant is looking for a firewire target mode mac to extract data from and I personally feel it has some issues, good advice from your tech friend.

I would suggest that your applications should be installed from original disks, copying these can lead to issues.

As for the rest of your personal data, its easy to move it back and let 10.5 upgrade the mail etc.

So from your retro express backup do you have your entire user directory?
Your mission critical files are stored here-
Apple Mail - /Users/username/Library/Mail
Apple Mail prefs - /Users/username/Library/Preferences/com.apple.mail.plist
Apple Address Book - /Users/username/Library/Application support/Address Book/
Apple iCal - /Users/username/Library/Application support/iCal/Sources/
Fonts - either in /Users/username/Library/Fonts/ or in /Library/Fonts/ or were you using a 3rd party app like Suitcase or Font explorer?
Firefox - /Users/username/Library/Application support/Firefox/

Copy the above items/folders (except iCal for now) into your 10.5 user identical locations and launch those apps to make sure data has moved properly. Apple mail will ask you for your email passwords to be entered.
iCal, grab the .ics files stored in the sub folders of the sources folder and open iCal in 10.5 and select import then iCal file, select the .ics files one at a time to import.

Let me know if you need any other info

Ed