Is there a way to get my files from my iMac onto my MacBook Air if the iMac won’t boot up?
iMac 21.5″, macOS 10.15
Yes, you have to create it and you should on any Mac you own. Please read Back up your Mac with Time Machine which will require and External Hard Disk to backup to, many experienced users on these forums like the OWC Mercury Elite Pro due to their high reliability, reasonable cost and ease of use. Personally I would make backing up your MBA your #1 priority.
As for your problem, about the only thing you can do if it does not have a backup is to have the internal HD removed from the old iMac and put it in an enclosure and then you can migrate from that using Setup Assistant and Migration Assistant. You will likely need to take the old computer to your local Apple Authorized Service Provider to have the HD removed as it is extremely difficult to do. HOWEVER the computer may not start due to a failed HD which would mean your data is gone, which is another reason to ALWAYS back up!!!!
Yes, you have to create it and you should on any Mac you own. Please read Back up your Mac with Time Machine which will require and External Hard Disk to backup to, many experienced users on these forums like the OWC Mercury Elite Pro due to their high reliability, reasonable cost and ease of use. Personally I would make backing up your MBA your #1 priority.
As for your problem, about the only thing you can do if it does not have a backup is to have the internal HD removed from the old iMac and put it in an enclosure and then you can migrate from that using Setup Assistant and Migration Assistant. You will likely need to take the old computer to your local Apple Authorized Service Provider to have the HD removed as it is extremely difficult to do. HOWEVER the computer may not start due to a failed HD which would mean your data is gone, which is another reason to ALWAYS back up!!!!
would help greatly if you stated the year and model of the iMac. So I'll assume its 2011 vintage. I would make an external bootable macOS drive and I'd think the odds are pretty high that you could copy over your data. If this guess is accurate then its your internal mechanical drive that is dying or almost dead.
Thank you for responding to my post. The Model is iMac [21.5 inch, Late 2013], Version macOS10.15.7, iMac 14.1
Part Number: ME086xx/A, ME087xx/A
I think I purchased it in 2017 new from Apple. I recently switched from Windows products to Apple so I am grateful for any help you can offer.
Are you able to tell me how to "make an external bootable macOS drive"?
Do you have a Time Machine backup of your old Mac? Use that to migrate to your new Mac.
No, I don't think I have that. If it is something I would have had to create...I definitely don't have it. : (
I have an iMac that won’t boot up and I just bought a MacBook Air. Is there a way to get my files off my iMac and over to my MacBook Air?
