iMac Setup Assistant

[EmilyHamerWest]

I am reading that the old MacBook which is running Mavericks has to be updated to the most recent OS before I can use setup assistant to migrate over to the new iMac. Truth or fiction? If it's truth does this apply for a time machine backup? It doesn't seem as if it would matter. And maybe there's a lot of hot air out there on the 'net. 

[Crystal Felton]

it's probably true.   Apple seems to work like that

@Brian

[Brian]

I don't think so. Take a look at this:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204350

[Brian]

Or you could just copy things manually, like I do. Or even use Time Machine. But putting Mavericks on your new iMac? Forget it, you are stuck with El Capitan.

I will create a folder called "Transfer" Then create simple folder names in the "Transfer" folder. Like Docs, Music, Pics, etc. Something different than what they are called on my Mac. Bonus points if you put the Transfer Folder on a clean EHD.

You could always network the two Macs together and copy things over that way. Up to you.

 

2 hours ago, Crystal Felton said:

it's probably true.   Apple seems to work like that

No Mac Bashing Crystal. Windows is just as much of a Pain in the Ass as Macs are when it comes to migration.

[EmilyHamerWest]

Ooh, no I don't - the link says 10.6.8 or later so I'm good. I was worried I would need to put el cap on the old one because there's no way I could. I may end up using your plan since the old one keeps overheating and shutting down. As it is I've been moving a ton to Dropbox and can download from there. Theoretically I could do the entire thing that way I suppose. 

Thanks!

[Brian]

Or just use a EHD. WAY faster. Going from Mavericks to El Captian is easy. It's just when you try to go the other way, will you hit a brick wall.

Just be sure to un-authorize your iTunes and PS, etc. on your old Mac when you are ready to pull the plug. Don't forget your Actions, Brushes, E-mails, etc.

[EmilyHamerWest]

Well you know what they say about it not being over till the lady sings? She's still warming up. Setup assistant didn't do anything but bring over my user account. And then the old one overheated and shut down. And then I made a new user account when I started again and had to delete it, but apparently that's common. So then I just started doing everything manually. But then I got myself hooked up to the old one via the network and thought I could use migration assistant to bring files over, but....TaDa, the iMac keeps turning the wifi back ON and ignoring the Ethernet every time I try. So I gave up and decided to do that manually. 

Now I am dragging folders of photos over from the old Mac to the new one, from one finder to the other. They seem fine, the MB are the same, dates and file names good, and they look ok, but I wanted to run this past you before I went further, in case there is some secret trap for the wary that I don't know about! 

It will be tedious on the one hand but on the other hand it's a great time to sort out messes and get everything super organized. 

As for software I've already been downloading everything fresh, thankfully I keep things handy in Evernote so had all the info at hand. Again, this could work to my advantage, really. 

[Brian]

Nope, you are doing everything that I would.

[EmilyHamerWest]

Whew! (Wipes brow)