Photos missing during migration from MacBook Pro to iMac 27, and other concerns

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Level 1

4 points

Photos missing during migration from MacBook Pro to iMac 27, and other concerns

Yesterday I used Migration Assistant to transfer all the contents from my MacBook Pro (13 in 2016, macOS Monterey 12.0.1) to my new iMac (27 in, 2020, macOS Monterey 12.0.1) .

I had expected that everything would be the same as on my MacBook Pro so I could format my MacBook Pro after the migration for other use. However I found I was wrong. I actually need to set up some apps to use them and adjust some features like screen saver etc..

And then I found that only a very small portion of my photos were successfully transferred to the new iMac. This is very confusing because based on the hard disk space usage I can tell all the data have been transferred. I believe those missing photos are on the new iMac. My question is where to find them?

I tried to recover the data from the time machine but the new iMac cannot recognize it.

And then I started having more concerns. Since photos are missing I wonder if other data are missing too. I don't have time to check on it because I have about 350GB data on my computers, so I cannot format my MacBookPro just in case I have to recover data from it in the future.

Thank you for reading. I have a lot of questions here. I appreciate any advice or suggestions.

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 10.12

Posted on Dec 11, 2021 10:03 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

rkaufmann87

Level 10

143,452 points

Dec 11, 2021 10:13 AM in response to treefromcv

You do not state how you use Migration Assistant, if you used a wired connection from Mac to Mac or even worse you used Wi-Fi those methods frequently have problems. Please follow the method in Setup Assistant and Migration Assistant and it will work. If you do not have a Time Machine backup , then make one! You should be backing up anyway to protect your data, if for some reason you are not familiar with Time Machine please get yourself a high quality External Hard Disk such as a OWC Mercury Elite Pro and follow the steps in Back up your Mac with Time Machine. You will be backing up the MBP.

After you have backed up the MBP you will start over again which is VERY VERY simple in Monterey now.

System Preferences
System Preferences menu (upper left of your display)
Click Erase All Content and settings
Then launch Migration Assistant on the new Mac and migrate with the Time Machine External Hard Disk from the MBP connected to your new Mac and presto it will be perfect.

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Answer 2

treefromcv Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 11, 2021 10:39 AM in response to rkaufmann87

Thank you for your reply rkaufmann87. I was using ethernet cable during the migration.

After reading your reply I found I don't know what Setup Assistant is. Sounds like that was what I really needed.

Yesterday I did try to use the Time Machine disk (Seagate) of my old MacBook Pro but it did not work. The new iMac could not recognize it at all. I connected it to my new iMac with a USB-A cable. When the iMac started the first time, on the prompts page of the Migration Assistant there was only the old MacBook Pro. I could not see the Time Machine Disk at all. That'a why I followed the MA instructions. I guess this is a bigger concern. Thank you for recommending hight quality external disk. If that was where the problem was, I would be very frustrated.

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Answer 3

rkaufmann87

Level 10

143,452 points

Dec 11, 2021 2:55 PM in response to treefromcv

Assistant is what launches when you turn on any Mac for the first time, it will only run 1x and that's it. You can still use Migration Assistant and it will work just fine. Seagate HD's are, their enclosures are not. It pays to buy higher quality products As mentioned if you simply follow the steps I laid out including wiping your drive you will be just fine.

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