new Mac M1, 2020 migration from MacBook Air 2013

Question

new Mac M1, 2020 migration from MacBook Air 2013

If I set up a computer to computer ad hoc network between my old computer and new M1 MacBook Air(which I did) it appears this is a reasonable way to migrate the data into the M1 using Migration Assistant.

Is that true or are there reasons that make it better, faster, more reliable to use $100 worth of ethernet adapters and cable or use my Time Machine server (also wireless) or just connect my little Terabyte drive with an adapter to the new Mac(the Terabyte drive also has the backup's from Time machine)?

Finally, I notice that iCloud has already moved lots of stuff that is "shared" on iCloud after simply logging in the new M1 with my Apple ID. If so, when I delete all this stuff, originating from the old MacBook Air, will I lose it on the new M1 as a result? However, by going through the "migration" process will this be alleviated then since the hard data will move without using iCloud directly to the new M1?

thanks in advance for all your help!

Posted on Nov 18, 2021 4:14 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

destiny241

Community Specialist

Nov 25, 2021 9:29 AM in response to Brian Schreiber

Hey Brian,

No worries, we can clarify further.

If you kept 'System & Network' checked during this restore process, it will transfer over your previous network settings and System Preferences to the version that's currently installed. Meaning, it will match up what preferences Big Sur has to offer and transfer them over to Monterey preferences. It will set those previous settings to match the current operating system, so it won't downgrade the system at all or those preferences by design.

You may have other System Preference features available within Monterey that didn't exist in Big Sur, but you can address those individually within System Preferences after the restore process is complete.

When you get to the 'Select the information to transfer' page, you can select the > to collapse the dropdown to see the options you want to transfer over in more detail beside 'System & Network'.

Let us know if this helps out, take care.

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Answer 2

destiny241

Community Specialist

Nov 19, 2021 7:21 AM in response to Brian Schreiber

Hello Brian,

Thank you for using Apple Support Communities. Based on your post, you'd like to know the best way to transfer your data from your older Mac to a new one. We'll do our best to assist with this.

Congratulations on your new M1 MacBook Air! That's exciting.

It sounds like you've already signed in to your iCloud account on the new Mac. Due to this, it's already set up. Given that, we'd suggest restoring from your Time Machine backup to avoid having to erase the Mac and start over. Connecting the external drive to the Mac will also be more reliable and faster: Restore your Mac from a backup

Note: Pay close attention to the greyed text in step 7.

Let us know if this helps out or not, take care.

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Answer 3

Nov 23, 2021 9:48 AM in response to destiny241

Tiffany, thanks for your reply. I was pretty surprised that was the only one!

Anyway, I have a couple of questions for you:

-- Since this is a new, virtually unused MacBook Air, it makes sense to me to REPLACE the user account(same name or not) since there is virtually no data on it, Correct?

-- When deciding which data to transfer it seems I should check all boxes except the System data, right? So, that would be: The user account, applications, other data and files, but leave the "system and network" Unchecked. Correct?

-- Finally, I plan to connect my external Hard Drive with my OLD Mac's backup on it with a USB1 to USB4 adapter and a USB1 cable into the backup drive. Do you see anything wrong(?) with that? I have connected it and the new Mac does "see" the backup drive.

thanks for your time.

Brian

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Answer 4

destiny241

Community Specialist

Nov 24, 2021 6:34 AM in response to Brian Schreiber

You're welcome, Brian!

Question 1: You can replace the user account when you start this process. Just keep in mind anything in the current user account will be removed.

Question 2: You can deselect 'System & Network' if you do not want your previous network settings to transfer over to the new Mac. Also, this will not transfer any previous settings you may have set up in System Preferences.

Question 3: You should be good to use an external drive with the Time Machine backup. If the new Mac sees the drive, you're good to go!

Hoping that answers your questions so you can get that process started.

Cheers!

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Answer 5

Nov 24, 2021 11:16 AM in response to destiny241

Again, thanks Tiffany.

Regarding this response: "You can deselect 'System & Network' if you do not want your previous network settings to transfer over to the new Mac. Also, this will not transfer any previous settings you may have set up in System Preferences."

It would really be nice to not lose the system prefs, but. . .

-- The old Mac is a 2013 vintage and not upgradeable past Big Sur 11.6.1

-- This means that since I have already upgraded the NEW M1 Mac to the latest Moneteray OS, if I choose to also include the SYSTEM as a checked item, the migration will DEgrade my OS back to Big Sur while retaining the system prefs. On the other hand if I exclude it, my NEW Monterary OS will be untouched but I will be forced to go through each pref and reset them all . . .

So, tradeoffs both ways. I don't want to mess up my system files / folders just to keep my System Preferences. But, I REALLY WOULD like to keep all those system prefs without having to reset them all.

Are my concerns overblown? Can you think of a way to keep Monetary and still transfer the prefs from the old Mac?

thanks again, Brian

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Answer 6

Nov 26, 2021 6:53 AM in response to destiny241

Thanks Destiny.

I misconstrued how the migration works. Saving the newer system while simply updating the data makes more sense. I guess it has been since 2013(8 yrs) . . . I must have forgotten the details!

thanks. This solved my problem. I will go for it!

Brian

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