Logic board on 2015 iMac died. Bought a M1 MacStudio.
I have 3 potential source drives.
1: SSD from dead iMac installed in external enclosure which I can mount and read on an Intel MacbookPro.
2: Time machine backup of the iMac
3: Carbon copy clone of the iMac
Which should I use with migration app to copy users, apps & data to MacStudio?
Mac Studio
Have a different take on this but for different reasons - " Ultra Conservative Approach "
If the new computer is going to be the Apple Silicon M1 / M2 Equipped Computer - would suggest Only Migrating the User Account and nothing more.
Some have had success and others have been left with a mess when Migrating everything.
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
Have a different take on this but for different reasons - " Ultra Conservative Approach "
If the new computer is going to be the Apple Silicon M1 / M2 Equipped Computer - would suggest Only Migrating the User Account and nothing more.
Some have had success and others have been left with a mess when Migrating everything.
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
Specific to Photos, GarageBand - both of there two applications come standard and are Builtin into the new Computer and New New version of macOS.
Whatever is presently in your Home Folder ( user Account ) in High Sierra would come over when Migrating only you User Account on High Sierra to Monterey of possible macOS 13 Ventura . The later ( Ventura ) is dependent on just how long you hold off purchasing the new Apple Computer.
macOS 13 Venture is in beta testing and development by Apple and once ready may or may not be already installed on the new machine.
That makes total sense. I am still holding out till I am satisfied with the approach. When you migrate user accounts, do the home directories and data (documents, photos, movies, music etc) get migrated and integrated into the new apps like Photos, Garage Band, etc? If so this would be better than having to copy music, photo libraries and everything from the user/home.
and then opening them in the new apps. Hopefully the format of the music db etc hasn't changed.
Though tedious I could go over all the apps and install them one by one from App Store make sure that they are compatible with M1/M2. Isn't the migration app smart enough to parse all the apps and install their latest M1 equivalents from the App Store? If not Apple should definitely address this.
You are welcome and thank you too 🇨🇦
Do come back to the Apple Support Communities ( ASC ) in the future, if / or when additional questions may arise
I'd rate them in this order...
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Thank you!!
You're welcome & good luck my friend. :)
Best Source drive for migration app
