imacimacair
Level 1 (4 points)
Desktops

Q: Setting up 2nd iMac

Hi - thanks for your help in advance!

 

I run a early 2009 24 inch 2.66ghz, 4gb, 640gb. I run El Capitan (iMac1). This machine runs at capacity (near 600gb of 640gb used). It has 120gb of pics (originally used Aperture but too complicated for needs so moved on to iPhoto. I have lots of duplicated photos but would be a nightmare to go through and delete the rubbish). The next largest proportion of storage is "other" at 280gb.

 

I have this machine backed up via Time Machine on to a portable external drive.

 

I am now buying a newer 21.5 inch 2012 model, 8gb, 1tb (iMac2), to use as my main computer and handing the older iMac to my kids.

 

Here are the issues for me:

 

  1. My old machine runs poorly after years of build up. If i am backing up on Time Machine is there a chance that I am also backing up the problem?
  2. I want to clear iMac 1 - what is the easiest way to do this? Don't mind returning to "factory settings" as it were!
  3. Will I face any issues transferring from the external drive to iMac2?
  4. Anything else I should consider doing before I start the process?

 

Many thanks - and if there are other questions I should have asked, please don't hesitate to ask and answer them for me!

 

Cheers

 

S

iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11.4)

Posted on May 17, 2016 12:19 AM

by dwb,Solvedanswer
dwb dwb
Level 7 (24,177 points)
Notebooks
A:

IF you are using the wireless keyboard and mouse try using the USB ones from the old Mac (I'm assuming they are USB). If all else fails you can call AppleCare for immediate help rather than this type wait for answer...I know how frustrating tech can be

Posted on May 18, 2016 1:57 PM

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imacimacair

Q: Setting up 2nd iMac

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Mike Sombrio,Helpful

    Mike Sombrio Mike Sombrio May 18, 2016 11:39 AM in response to imacimacair
    Level 6 (17,233 points)
    Apple Watch
    May 18, 2016 11:39 AM in response to imacimacair

    Move your content to a new Mac - Apple Support

     

    OS X: What is "other" space in About This Mac? - Apple Support

  • by dwb,Helpful

    dwb dwb May 18, 2016 11:39 AM in response to imacimacair
    Level 7 (24,177 points)
    Notebooks
    May 18, 2016 11:39 AM in response to imacimacair

    Your computer is running slow because it is an old computer with only 4GB of RAM and a standard rotational hard drive running a new resource hungry operating system. While it is possible you have something on the current computer you should be concerned about, it is equally possible that your problems are fully summed up in my first sentence. If you are truly worried you might migrate a problem to the new computer download and run EtreCheck and then post the results here. We can look at what you have installed that might be a problem.

     

    If your TimeMachine drive is USB you are good to go. If it is FireWire you’ll need to purchase a FireWire->Thunderbolt dongle (which requires a FireWire 800 cable). One note: at work I was given a new iMac last year that according to the specs should run better than my personal iMac. It didn’t. The work iMac had the standard 5400 RPM drive which turned out to be a major roadblock in performance. If the computer comes with the standard 5400 as mine did you’ll find that an SSD in a high quality USB 3 or Thunderbolt enclosure will make a huge difference in performance.

     

    As for the 2009 iMac. More RAM will improve performance with El Capitan but you might also consider retreating to Yosemite assuming you originally had it installed on the computer. If you didn’t it is no longer available for download unfortunately.

  • by imacimacair,

    imacimacair imacimacair May 18, 2016 11:35 AM in response to dwb
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    May 18, 2016 11:35 AM in response to dwb

    Thank you both for your responses. All was going so well until...

     

    Set up iMac 2 no probs. Updated from Time Machine back up on external drive. All looked good. Restarted and now have the no entry sign.

     

    I have done command and r and tried to reinstall OS X - that went well. Then come out to reboot and it starts by saying OS X installing, but then defaults to the recovery menu. I have looked at the disk fix utility and they all look ok. Have tried to select a startup disk and when I choose the only option (Mac HD) it gives me the message "You can't change the startup disk to the selected disk - Building boot caches on boot helper partition failed"

     

    Way outside comfort zone now! But at least iMac1 still working and not yet wiped!

     

    Cheers

     

    S

  • by dwb,

    dwb dwb May 18, 2016 1:09 PM in response to imacimacair
    Level 7 (24,177 points)
    Notebooks
    May 18, 2016 1:09 PM in response to imacimacair

    Well, that shouldn't have happened! While in the recovery partition select Disk Utility and erase the computer's hard drive. Then do the download and install.

     

    When you started up the new computer did you go through the initial setup and then use setup assistant to migrate from your TM backup or did you do a restore from the TM drive? I'm trying to figure out what might have happened.

  • by imacimacair,

    imacimacair imacimacair May 18, 2016 1:33 PM in response to dwb
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    May 18, 2016 1:33 PM in response to dwb

    Hi there - pretty certain I installed using the initial setup and assistant to migrate.

     

    I have two drives - main 1TB drive and also something reference as "disk 1 MAC OS X Base System" - which should i erase?

     

    S

  • by imacimacair,

    imacimacair imacimacair May 18, 2016 1:34 PM in response to imacimacair
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    May 18, 2016 1:34 PM in response to imacimacair

    Sorry, hard drive is the give away! 1TB being erased

     

    S

  • by imacimacair,

    imacimacair imacimacair May 18, 2016 1:52 PM in response to imacimacair
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    May 18, 2016 1:52 PM in response to imacimacair

    I think this is going from bad to worse! Mouse now doesn't connect and keyboard has limited functionality and I can't move around enough to enter any commands!

  • by imacimacair,

    imacimacair imacimacair May 18, 2016 1:57 PM in response to imacimacair
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    May 18, 2016 1:57 PM in response to imacimacair

    Right, it has now given me back mouse and keyboard capability and I have started to re download OS X Mountain Lion. No idea how long this will take but suspect it will be tomorrow now "downloading additional components. Your computer will restart automatically".

     

    Incidentally it gave me two drives to choose from although it would not let me get to one of them. I am downloading to main Mac HD drive

     

    Cheers

     

    S

  • by dwb,Solvedanswer

    dwb dwb May 18, 2016 1:57 PM in response to imacimacair
    Level 7 (24,177 points)
    Notebooks
    May 18, 2016 1:57 PM in response to imacimacair

    IF you are using the wireless keyboard and mouse try using the USB ones from the old Mac (I'm assuming they are USB). If all else fails you can call AppleCare for immediate help rather than this type wait for answer...I know how frustrating tech can be

  • by imacimacair,

    imacimacair imacimacair May 18, 2016 11:43 PM in response to dwb
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    May 18, 2016 11:43 PM in response to dwb

    dwb, thanks a lot for your help so far - you and your gang save Apple a fortune in support costs!

     

    As of this morning everything seemed to be reset back to factory - OS installed. I have not turned off/on, simply left it to come to work and will get back to it tonight.

     

    Next steps are to do the upgrades being offered - of which there are many! Should I download and install all on offer (leopard, lion, Yosemite and El Capitan)? Of should I do them all and stop at Yosemite. Or indeed simply download and instal Yosemite?

     

    Once all upgrades done, I will then use migration assistant to upload all data from TM.

     

    That's my plan - I could be back, who knows! But in the meantime, thanks again - as a non tecchie I can genuinely feel my blood pressure rising with issues like this - so complex!

     

    Cheers

     

    S

  • by dwb,

    dwb dwb May 19, 2016 4:51 AM in response to imacimacair
    Level 7 (24,177 points)
    Notebooks
    May 19, 2016 4:51 AM in response to imacimacair

    You can jump immediately to Yosemite or El Capitan, whichever you prefer. No need to take every stop along the way. With 8GB your computer can handle El Cap - Yosemite is a little less resource hungry but not by much.

  • by City4life,

    City4life City4life May 20, 2016 6:31 AM in response to dwb
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iTunes
    May 20, 2016 6:31 AM in response to dwb

    Well after a lot of time and effort and hanging around waiting for things to move, I think this has all been resolved. Thanks a bunch for your help!!

  • by dwb,

    dwb dwb May 20, 2016 9:25 AM in response to City4life
    Level 7 (24,177 points)
    Notebooks
    May 20, 2016 9:25 AM in response to City4life

    Glad you got it settled.  Sometimes the road isn't as smooth as you'd lIke...or expected