Migration assistant reporting more files to copy than are on the disk

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Migration assistant reporting more files to copy than are on the disk

I recently got a Mac Studio. I am using it to replace a Mini M1. Both are running the latest OS and both have 500GB internal drive. I ran migration assistant and it reported that 527GB of data, most of it in User/Library need to be copied and there is not enough space. Of course this is impossible as I only have a 500GB drive on the Mini. I contacted support and they were flummoxed and referred on to next level support. I have not heard back and I am away for a week, so I thought I would post here to see if anyone had any ideas before I get back?

Posted on May 25, 2022 5:45 AM

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Answer 1

den.thed

Level 10

90,970 points

May 25, 2022 6:24 AM in response to TheTransplant

How are you trying to Migrate from the M1 Mac Mini to the Mac Studio?

Wi-Fi will fail 99% of the time and Ethernet is not much better.

Bet bet is to use your Time Machine backup to Migrate.

If you do not have a Time Machine backup of the M1 Mac Mini.

Make one as per > Back up your Mac with Time Machine - Apple Support

Then use the Time Machine backup to Migrate to the Mac Studio.

To do that see > Move your content to a new Mac - Apple Support

Also see > Setup Assistant and Migration Assistant - Apple Community

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Answer 2

May 25, 2022 7:02 AM in response to TheTransplant

With Time Machine offline, you’re using snapshots. Which use lots of storage.

Empty the trash, shut down, boot Safe Mode to rebuild caches and clear temporary storage, then boot Recovery, and select First Aid. I had some “mystery” usage recently, those steps and some file relocations to external storage resolved that.

Consider trashing what’s left of your backup with those snapshots too, as your data is clearly not consequential to you.

With that, you’ll probably have enough cleared off to fit.

Migration Assistant works well in most cases. Where things get weird is with source volumes with unexpected files in unexpected places, and similar odd setups, or source corruptions, and recent Migration Assistant does pretty well with both of those.

But… I’d return the Mac Studio, and order one with substantially more storage. Or order a higher-end mini. And a 4-to-6 TB HDD for TM. A Mac with 500 GB internal and no backups is headed for trouble over the probable life of a new high-end Mac. This if your data has value, and can’t be easily recovered from elsewhere, or can’t be re-generated from your apps.

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Answer 3

den.thed

Level 10

90,970 points

May 25, 2022 6:44 AM in response to TheTransplant

You emptied the trash and restarted after the clean-up?

A Thunderbolt connection or "Target Disk Mode" will only allow you to manually move files, which is not the same as a Migration. see > Transfer files between two Mac computers using target disk mode - Apple Support

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Answer 4

May 25, 2022 6:34 AM in response to den.thed

I was using ethernet. I also went in and substantially cleaned up the Mini - getting it down to 350GB to eliminate any issues. My time machine stopped a while ago as it was only an external 500GB drive. I have since ordered a 2TB external to back up to moving forward which will be there when I get home.

I have never had much luck with migration assistant but could always (usually) get it to work.

However, I have never had it report more files than are on the disk.

What about a thunderbolt cable?

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Answer 5

May 25, 2022 7:09 AM in response to MrHoffman

Thanks - Apple support had me do some of these things. I did empty the trash. I thought that cleaning out my mini would solve this but the reported size to copy didn't change. Good idea on Time Machine - will try when I get back home.

I don't need the local storage as I use a local disk array connected through thunderbolt which has far more capacity.

Just need to get over the hump of migrating my settings.

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Migration assistant reporting more files to copy than are on the disk

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