looking to use the migration assistant on mac to transfer files from an old mac to a new one but just want to be sure that whatever files I've stored in the new mac will not be deleted
MacBook Pro (M2, 2022)
There is a subtle potential conflict when you migrate AFTER you have been using your computer for a while. Migration Assistant would like to copy entire User-ID and all associated files and settings. This could clobber an existing user with the same name, if you are not extremely careful.
When the incoming name already existed, Older versions of Migration Assistant 'addressed' this by varying the name and creating a new account, and putting all the old files under the new name, like <oldname>-1.
Newer versions of Migration assistant ask you if you want to Merge. We have no feedback here about how well it merges, or what possible problems that might create.
You should be prepared for your passwords NOT to be available to you after a merge. I have experienced several instances of my passwords not surviving an ordinary Migration either, but my system is more complex because of developer activities. Writing down a few of your most important passwords is not a bad idea -- it can be tedious to re-derive them if there are many and they do indeed become un-available.
There is a subtle potential conflict when you migrate AFTER you have been using your computer for a while. Migration Assistant would like to copy entire User-ID and all associated files and settings. This could clobber an existing user with the same name, if you are not extremely careful.
When the incoming name already existed, Older versions of Migration Assistant 'addressed' this by varying the name and creating a new account, and putting all the old files under the new name, like <oldname>-1.
Newer versions of Migration assistant ask you if you want to Merge. We have no feedback here about how well it merges, or what possible problems that might create.
You should be prepared for your passwords NOT to be available to you after a merge. I have experienced several instances of my passwords not surviving an ordinary Migration either, but my system is more complex because of developer activities. Writing down a few of your most important passwords is not a bad idea -- it can be tedious to re-derive them if there are many and they do indeed become un-available.
No. For best results, back up the old Mac and then migrate from the backup.
(242857)
does migration of files from an old mac, removes the files in my new mac?
