Migrating files from old to new iMac

Migration Assistant and Setup Assistant are not selective at all. The only choices you have are:

• data files, meaning all or none.
• Applications, meaning all or none.
• Setting, meaning all or none.

Safari itself will not migrate as that is considered part of Mac OS. However, your favorites will migrate easily.

It is smart to use SA or MA and then uninstall or remove the data you want to after the fact.

Finally, please carefully read the following to ensure your migration is simple and it works as designed!!!!

When you buy a new Mac the easiest, quickest and most reliable method to migrate from the old Mac to the new Mac is to simply connect the old Mac's Time Machine External Hard Disk to the new Mac using a USB cable before you turn on the new Mac. You will likely need a USB A to USB C adapter, you can find them on Amazon for $10 or less. When you start the new Mac for the first time it will startup Setup Assistant (SA), SA will get to a point where it asks if you are migrating from another computer, select Yes  and follow the on-screen prompts and it's done! It is THAT simple.

If you have already done SA on the new computer then simply connect the Time Machine External Hard Disk using a USB cable and launch Migration Assistant (MA) which is located in Applications - Utilities - MA. Then follow the on-screen prompts. 

The ONLY difference between MA and SA is MA will create a new user account that you need to log into.

Both SA and MA migrate applications (not 32 bit apps), data files & settings. They do not migrate Mac OS itself. Some professional apps such as Adobe and Microsoft apps may require re-installing their apps as they will not allow them to be migrated. As long as you kept the security keys for installing their apps, it is not an issue. 

Finally, never EVER use Wi-Fi when doing Setup Assistant or Migration Assistant. Why, it simply fails in most cases. Please read and follow the directions in Setup Assistant and Migration Assistant. If you do not have a Time Machine backup of the older Mac then create one! If you are not aware of Time Machine, please read Back up your Mac with Time Machine and finally if you need an External Hard Disk to use as a Time Machine External Hard Disk then many experience users on these forums prefer the OWC Mercury Elite Pro due to it's reasonable price, high level of quality and ease of use. 

Yes, you could copy your photo and iTunes libraries to the new Mac. However just remember that both iPhoto and iTunes have been replaced by the Photos and Music app. To import your iPhoto and iTunes library just copy them to a flash drive or an external HD and copy to the new Mac. Then once they are on the new Mac, locate the libraries, double click them and they will import into the new Photos app (for iPhoto) and Music app. It's dead simple to do.

The Migration Assistant basically provides you with four options:

1. Transfer everything
2. Transfer a user account
3. Transfer only the apps
4. Transfer files & folders

It does not provide you with any real granularity in which apps or data to migrate.

Also be aware that apps that ran on your 2010 iMac may no longer be compatible with your new 2020 Mac. I would suggest that rather than trying to migrate any of your old apps, that you install the ones you really need directly from the app developer ... so, for example, you mention Safari. It has gone thru many updates over the years.

What version of OS X or macOS is your 2010 iMac running? How about your new 2020 iMac?

Part of your problem is you have Bitdefender on the Mac. At best Bitdefender is worthless as it offers NO additional protection or security over what Mac OS already provides. At worst Bitdefender and all other third party:

• Antivirus apps
• Cleaning apps
• VPN apps
• Security apps
• Maintenance apps

provide weird behavior (much like you are experiencing), make Mac OS slow, and make Mac OS appear buggy and unstable.

Please locate the developers uninstall instructions for Bitdefender and follow them to the letter!!!!!!!!!!

No, you cannot uninstall Safari as mentioned it is part of Mac OS.

You may have installed some adware or other malware, what I would recommend is downloading the free version of Malwarebytes and have it check your system. If it doesn't not find anything AND after uninstalling Bitdender you still have the pop up then please advise and we can have you run an EtreCheck report to see if there are any other obvious issues with your system.

FWIW. I have a couple of older Macs still running macOS High Sierra. The version of Safari on those Macs originally was 11.0 & eventually upgraded to 13.x. macOS Catalina originally came with 13.x and has been upgraded, with each Catalina update to 15.x ... so there is some overlap.

However, the "virus warning" is most likely a scam bit of malware ... not an actual virus. In any case, if you do not want any of this mischief to transfer to your new Mac, I would not use Migration Assistant at all. Just start with clean version of macOS. Upgrade that to whatever version you want. Your new Mac should be capable of running macOS Ventura ... but that's totally up to you. Then install any third-party apps directly from the app developers or the Apple App Store.

As far as your data, were you making regular backups using Time Machine or Carbon Copy Cloner, etc.? If not, you have a few options:

• Option #1
  • Connect an external drive to your old Mac, and selectively copy your date files/folders.
  • Connect this drive to your new Mac and copy any or all of them as required.
• Option #2
  • Connect an external drive to your old Mac.
  • Then clone your old Mac's internal drive to this external drive.
  • Connect this cloned drive to your new Mac and copy any or all of your data as required.

Whether or not, you want to scan the external drive with an AV or anti-malware app, is also your call.

Migrating files from an old iMac to a new iMac can be a relatively straightforward process thanks to Apple's built-in tools and features. Here's a general guide on how to do it:

**Option 1: Time Machine Backup and Restore:**

1. **Backup Old iMac:** If you haven't already, make sure to create a Time Machine backup of your old iMac. Connect an external hard drive and set up Time Machine to back up your files.

2. **Set Up New iMac:** Power on your new iMac and follow the initial setup process. You'll be prompted to select your language, Wi-Fi network, and other settings.

3. **Migration Assistant:** During the setup process, you'll come to a point where you're asked how you want to transfer your information. Choose the option to transfer from a Time Machine backup.

4. **Connect Time Machine Drive:** Connect the external hard drive containing your Time Machine backup to your new iMac.

5. **Select Backup:** Your new iMac will detect the Time Machine backup and present you with a list of available backups. Select the most recent backup from your old iMac.

6. **Choose Items to Transfer:** You can choose whether to transfer all user accounts, apps, documents, settings, and other files. You can also customize what gets transferred.

7. **Begin Transfer:** Once you've made your selections, the migration process will start. This might take some time, depending on the amount of data being transferred.

8. **Complete Setup:** After the transfer is complete, your new iMac will restart, and you can log in using your old credentials. Your new iMac should now have all the files and settings from your old iMac.

**Option 2: Migration Assistant via Thunderbolt or Ethernet:**

1. **Set Up New iMac:** Power on your new iMac and go through the initial setup process until you reach the point where you're asked how you want to transfer your information.

2. **Migration Assistant:** Choose the option to transfer information from another Mac. You'll have the choice to use a wired connection (Thunderbolt or Ethernet) or a wireless connection.

3. **Connect Old iMac:** If using a wired connection, connect a Thunderbolt cable between the old and new iMac. If using Ethernet, connect both iMacs to the same network.

4. **Select Items to Transfer:** You'll be prompted to choose what you want to transfer. This includes user accounts, applications, documents, and settings.

5. **Begin Transfer:** Start the migration process. The old iMac will share its data with the new iMac. This process might take some time depending on the amount of data being transferred.

6. **Complete Setup:** After the transfer is done, your new iMac will restart, and you can log in with your old credentials. All your files and settings should now be on your new iMac.

Remember to ensure that your new iMac is running the same or a newer version of macOS than your old iMac for a smoother migration process. Also, make sure to back up important data before starting the migration process to avoid any potential data loss.

When you say " I have deleted Bitdefender from the old Mac now." I hope you mean you used the Bitdefender uninstall instructions from the developer. Simply dragging the app to the Trash likely did NOT remove it. To properly uninstall you MUST follow the developers instructions.

Remember to make sure that your new iMac is running the same or a newer version of MacOS than your old iMac for a smoother migration process. Also, make sure to back up important data before starting the migration process to avoid any potential data loss.

[Edited by Moderator]

Migrating files using Time Machine or Migration Assistant is indeed straightforward. Essential to back up, choose the right options, and ensure macOS compatibility for a smooth transition. Great advice!"

I have successfully migrated data from my old Mac Desktop (2015) to a new Mac Air. However, I also have data on an old 2015 Mac Air that I would also like to migrate to the new Mac Air. Can I do that without corrupting the files that I have already migrated? I am not a techie so thanks for keeping it as simple as possible.