Migrating content to a new iMac

Question

Migrating content to a new iMac

I have just purchased a new iMac. To migrate my content to it, should I use the contents of the old iMac (from 2010, which has High Sierra and cannot go any higher) or my Mac Air, which has Catalina but not all of the files and applications on the old iMac? I would prefer the contents of the old iMac (via Time Machine, which is on an external disk) but fear running into difficulties because of the difference in the operating systems between the old and the new.

iMac 21.5″, macOS 10.13

Posted on Aug 25, 2020 9:15 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Tesserax

Level 10

158,304 points

Aug 25, 2020 9:34 AM in response to Josephine Paris

Using Migration Assistant (MA), along with a Time Machine backup, is the typical method to restore your apps and data to a new device. The issue you will come across, when migrating from a much older Mac, will be some of the apps will not be compatible with macOS Catalina. However, MA will not attempt to migrate the older Mac's operating system files ... so you should be fine there.

As an added precaution, you can make a complete clone of your new Mac's system drive by using an app, like Carbon Copy Cloner, to an external drive. Should something go wrong with the MA restore, you can then always restore the original content of your new Mac.

Reply

Answer 2

Tesserax

Level 10

158,304 points

Aug 25, 2020 9:49 AM in response to Josephine Paris

You're very welcome! Let us know how it goes/went. Don't hesitate to update this post with your results, as well as, if you need additional assistance with this matter ... and congratulations on getting your new iMac!

Reply

Answer 3

Sep 7, 2020 8:59 AM in response to Tesserax

Just to let you know how it went today.

In the end, I used Migration Assistant with my MacAir because I realized after reading your comments that my apps were no doubt much more up to date on that computer. I compared the apps of the old iMac and the MacAir and realized that those that were not duplicated were, in fact, no longer useful. Just in case, I connected my exterior disk to the MacAir and made a copy with Time Machine on it before I started.

I followed the Apple Support instructions on how to migrate data and -- as far as I can tell at this point -- everything went well.

I particularly appreciated your help, and the presence of Apple Communities, because it is very difficult to get Apple on the phone in Paris at this point.

Reply

Answer 4

Aug 25, 2020 9:36 AM in response to Tesserax

Thank you! That information is very helpful. I will follow your advice.

Reply

Migrating content to a new iMac

Similar questions