Exact order of steps to set up new iMac by migrating files from old iMa?

4. If, as I expect, I need an account on the new iMac before launching Migration Assistant, ...

To be clear, you don't need to do that. Do not create a new User Account. It will result in needless work. When you turn on the new iMac, it will ask you if you want to transfer information from the older one (or its Time Machine backup... it really doesn't matter). It will tell you what to do.

That also obviates answers to your questions 1-3.

As for #5, You can use the same name if you please, but I prefer using descriptive names. It's totally up to you though and Migration Assistant will cope with whatever you choose.

In addition to Tesserax's comments, consider calling Apple to have them walk you through the migration: Contact Support. It's a service you already paid for by purchasing a new Mac. They enjoy helping people do it right, and you're definitely doing it right.

I suggest that you start by reviewing this Apple article to see if it can address each of your questions:

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

However, if you have been making regular backups with Time Machine on your old iMac, you may find the overall experience even simpler if you use Migration Assistant to restore your Time Machine backup to your new iMac without going through the Target Disk process.

I don't doubt Apple's reports of a similar problem, but that explanation is weak. It doesn't make any sense. Migration Assistant is specifically designed for migrating information from an older Mac to a newer one. The hardware is always different by definition. If you were to migrate information between identical Macs you wouldn't need it. You could just restore one from the contents of the other, or restore a TM backup.

Anyway, glad it all worked out.

Could I just ask one question because the best way to setup a new Mac has been tasking me for a while. I would prefer to avoid Migration and Time Machine if possible in order to have the OS as clean as possible.

I’m ok with installing App’s from scratch and importing mail from archives after setting up the accounts, contacts calendar notes etc can sync back from the cloud and not really bothered about iMessages - but what puzzles me is how to deal with Keychains.

If you don’t use iCloud Keychains how would you get passwords and secure notes from the old to the new Mac, can you use Finder in some way to move certain keychain folders or database files so the new Keychains App can import or see.

Sorry for crashing an already started discussion.

I may not be the best one to ask because Migration Assistant / Setup Assistant is all I have ever used since the very first OS X Public Beta, which itself migrated information from a Classic Mac. On the rare occasions in which I have nothing better to do I may find files dated from a decade or two ago. They have no operational effect, typically occupy a few kbytes, and can just be trashed. Even that is usually more trouble that it's worth. Time Machine backs them up exactly once. It's better to ignore them.

There are concerns with erasing a Mac and reconfiguring it from the ground up, and you can find plenty of them on this site. The concept of a "clean" Mac is only appealing on an emotional basis. Unfortunately it's very appealing because it implies the equally emotional concept of a "dirty" Mac. Some people became very wealthy (and continue to do so) exploiting that concept. It's an understandable human frailty, but it has little or no technological justification.

The installation and use of pervasive "cleaning" scam products changes all that. The ideal solution is not to use them to begin with, but once a Mac has been affected by them, erasing it is the most practicable solution. Remedies short of that are possible, and should certainly be explored first, but my patience with such things is almost nil. That's the reason I advocate erasing Macs that have been affected by them. It's faster that way and Time Machine makes recovery a lot easier.

The User Account Keychain folder is here: ~/Library/Keychains and I think you can just copy it to the new Mac. However, the introduction of iCloud Keychain may complicate that. Try copying that folder.

Much appreciated, I don’t intent to “clean” my existing iMac (agree with your view regarding that aspect) but come the day I do upgrade (waiting for the next generation iMac with edge to edge screen like iPad Pro’s) would like to setup as cleanly as possible, and how to manage existing Keychains (without iCloud) was the only are of uncertainty.

Still, suppose Apple aren’t going to release my “dream” iMac just yet so I’ve got a little more time to get this right.

Many thanks.

Surely I'm reading too much into your "OS as clean as possible" goal but I understand. What I advocate is migrating everything, then deleting whatever has fallen into disuse by either the user or macOS. That task can be put off as long as you want.

For example I just found a folder in ~/Library/Keychains that had not been altered in five years. I trashed it.

John Galt wrote:

...What I advocate is migrating everything, then deleting whatever has fallen into disuse by either the user or macOS...

I see, I'll have to read up on Migration a little to find out what it actually brings across or what the user can limit it bring across to the new Mac.

I suppose my goal is to have the new Mac as close to "out of the box" as possible after logging into iCloud and allowing Contacts, Calendar, Notes, Safari Bookmarks etc to sync back.

I'm not worried about Mail because I can add my account and import mailboxes, iMessages can start from scratch and I don't employ iCloud for any photo syncing preferring to keep them on external backup drives..

So the only remaining area was Keychains and all those passwords and Secure Notes, which would be a pain to type in again by hand.

With respect to Keychains I feel there are three ways to get them across to the new Mac if I exclude long hand, use Migration and then deal with trying to remove other stuff it also brings over (or just except the other stuff and leave alone), enable iCloud Keychains on old Mac and then let it sync across similar to Contacts or employ an Import method similar to Mail.

Because I've never used iCloud Keychains and I've stayed away from 2FA (that's another story) I'm really not sure about wanting to do that just for a single purpose, so that leaves me with the Import option.

If Keychains allowed Export and Import in a similar manor to Mail it would be a lot easier, but as I understand you can't Export collectively, only single items. The closest method I've read is to copy the "login.keychain" and "login.keychain-db" files over to the new Mac then open Keychain Access and Import that old login keychain. Then from within Keychain Access move the contents from old keychain to new keychain after which the old keychain can be deleted.

That nicely deals with all the Secure Notes but Passwords being under Local Items would still be left and I'm unsure under which Finder keychain db they are stored or even if the same file copy/Import technique could be used. I suppose you could move all the passwords from Local Items to Login (on old Mac) on a temporary basis and once the contents are on the new Mac using the file copy/Import method, move them back again to the new Mac's Local Items.

Anyhow, that's what I'm trying to get straight in my mind at the moment, how to have a new Mac that's as close to "out of the box" with respect to software on it but also to have all my old keychains available.

Sorry for the long post.

I’ve started a discussion on this topic because I feel I’ve crashed the OP discussion and don’t want to be rude, he may also have more questions that my “off-subject” may prevent him asking.

This is the link to the new discussion, many thanks to John for the advice so far, much appreciated.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250290430

Thanks. I don't want to muddy the waters by replying to that Discussion, because as I wrote I succumbed to the necessity of using iCloud Keychain and 2FA a long time ago. I just have too many  devices and too many passwords with too many different inscrutable requirements "for your security" 🙄 so what you prefer to do just isn't an option for me.

I don't like it any more than anyone else, but such is life in the 21st century.

2FA is becoming a de facto requirement for many products and services, some of which are not optional (think taxes). Apple isn't the only one. I don't think they like it either.

Well, at least you had someone to share your misery.

It's not supposed to be that difficult. If you did it on your own you probably would have assumed you did something wrong. You didn't.

Thanks, must say everything you have raised is also going through my mind and I sometimes feel like I’m being a little “behind the times”, since posting the new discussion I’m now wondering whether iCloud Keychains wouldn’t be the best option, and I don’t believe 2FA is necessary from what I’ve read.

I suppose I’ve been comfortable in what I’ve been doing and haven’t had the necessity to change until now (or more correctly when I get the new Mac), and altering too many things at once to achieve my aim is not what I would consider good practice.

But may be enabling iCloud Keychains would be the first step, and if all goes well everything will be in place for the big day.

Anyhow, will see what others think on the new discussion, thanks again for your thoughts and time.