New iMac Migration Assistant issues

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Level 1

7 points

New iMac Migration Assistant issues

I'm helping a friend migrate from an old (2009) iMac to a new M1 iMac and we're running into issues in terms of transferring critical files to the new machine. Part of the problem is that my friend isn't terribly computer savvy and purchased the new machine with an SSD that was smaller than the old computer's HDD.

The new computer has roughly 150 GB free space (on a 256 GB SSD) and we don't need to transfer the old user account but we do need the files from the old computer. We're trying to transfer from the last Time Machine backup and the files we need are mostly small, MS Office files, Quickbooks files and photos. He'd really like to get his music from the iTunes library as well.

My question really boils dow to, if there is insufficient space on the new computer, is it possible to transfer the files to an external drive using Migration Assistant? His new iMac is running the latest version of macOS Monterey and the old computer's back up was made in El Capitan (the last OS the computer supported).

Any help would be really appreciated, he's running a small business and he needs his billing records and business files. Thank you!

iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on Feb 6, 2022 12:24 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

BlueberryLover

Level 4

1,111 points

Feb 6, 2022 1:19 PM in response to mhayesdesign

use an admin account
connect the Time Machine drive to the new machine
If needed, mount the Time Machine volume using the Disk Utility
If the backup files are accessible, use Finder to copy the files to the new account or, if necessary, add the volume to Time Machine using by Time Machine System Preferences (temporarily uncheck Back up automatically) and then copy

Finally, make the new user the owner of the copied folder (use Get Info Sharing & Permission on the top-level folder to add an ACL entry for new user and then Apply to enclosed items...).

Good luck!

- Pie Lover

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Answer 2

Feb 6, 2022 12:41 PM in response to mhayesdesign

Here's a method that you might want to consider:

On the original machine:

Create several user accounts corresponding to business, photos, music, etc.
Make a copy of the existing files into the new accounts
Make a new Time Machine backup (excluding the original account (see TM Options) )

On the new machine:

Connect the disk with the most recent Time Machine backup
Use the Migration Assistant to select one user account at a time (e.g. from smallest to largest) and restore
As each account is created, copy that account into the ultimate user's account and then delete the source account

Finally, you should end up with most of the data transferred.

- Pie Lover

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Answer 3

mhayesdesign Author

Level 1

7 points

Feb 6, 2022 12:46 PM in response to BlueberryLover

Unfortunately, the original machine is no longer booting, it's pretty old. All we've got is the Time Machine backup, sadly.

If I could still get the old machine to boot in any mode other than Target Disc Mode (which doesn't work over ethernet and the I/O is completely different between the new machines, USB 2.1 on the old machine, on the new machine, no Firewire, USB-C and ethernet with a dongle). I spent most of yesterday, trying everything I could think of, and I'm pretty good at this stuff and failed.

Really wish he'd bought that new iMac with a larger SSD.

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Answer 4

PRP_53

Level 10

86,605 points

Feb 6, 2022 12:54 PM in response to mhayesdesign

If the new computer is going to be the Apple Silicon M1 Equipped Computer - would suggest Only Migrating the User Account and nothing more.

1 - Apple Silicon with either Big Sur macOS 11 or Monterey macOS 12 Only Support everything 64 bit and there is no workaround.

2 - Issues that may exist on the older computer will be migrated to the New Computer. This would badly pollute the new Original and Pristine installation of the new OS.

3 - Applications, extensions and Software Drivers may or may not even work on the new computer.

4 - IMHO - it would be best to only install new application etc Directly from the Developer or the Apple Apps Store.

5 - Due Diligence on New Applications and make sure they are Monterey / Big Sur compatible and factor in the ARMs CPU of the Apple Silicon Computer

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Answer 5

mhayesdesign Author

Level 1

7 points

Feb 6, 2022 1:01 PM in response to PRP_53

The new computer is an M1 Apple Silicon iMac running macOS Monterey. We're not trying to transfer any applications and the user account on the new computer is new and we don't need to transfer any of the settings, drivers, etc.

All we need to transfer are the files, MS Office, Quickbooks, photos and, if possible, the music files in his old iTunes library.

The problem is, as I stated in the original query, that my friend purchased the new computer and didn't understand that the SSD was a much smaller capacity than the older iMac's HDD (new 256 GB SSD, old 750 GB HDD). In a perfect world, we could transfer the files out of the old Time Machine backup file to a new external drive. That's what I'm really trying to accomplish.

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Answer 6

mhayesdesign Author

Level 1

7 points

Feb 6, 2022 1:04 PM in response to BlueberryLover

That looks like a great solution, but I'm unfamiliar with mounting a Time Machine backup as a volume, what are the steps? At that point, I could manually copy the files to an external drive and get my friend up and running with his new system!

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Answer 7

Feb 6, 2022 12:55 PM in response to mhayesdesign

In that case, try mounting the old Time Machine volume on the new machine and manually copy the folders of interest (see below).

- Pie Lover

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Answer 8

mhayesdesign Author

Level 1

7 points

Feb 6, 2022 1:18 PM in response to BlueberryLover

When I get over there later today, I'll give this a shot! Thank you — I'll let you know if I'm successful...

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