"Setting up icloud drive" on MacBook Air (2014) El Capitan 10.11.6

I've been given a MacBook air by a friend.... trying to access all my iCloud drive material from my iMac (mid 2011) Mac OS Sierra 10.12.6 as it's getting a bit slow now and I want to retire her.

I can access iCloud drive material on my phone, iPad and uploading on the iMac is sharp.

On the MacBook air i have attempted to set up the iCloud drive but all I get is 'Setting up iCloud drive' on the finder screen with nothing happening... no folders, no files or progress.

iCloud addresses, email, contacts, calendar, notes have all seamlessly been enabled

I have tried the following:

• relaunch finder using option & right click
• disabling / re-enabling com.apple.iCloudHelper process
• logging out / logging back in icloud account
• ticking / unticking iCloud drive
• activating / deactivating 'documents and desktop' on the imac
• multiple log in and outs followed by restarts