You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!
When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.
When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.
I plan to transfer the entire contents of my 2017 iMac 27 to a new Studio M2 using Startup Assistant. I plan to do the transfer via cable. My question: Would it be preferable to use a Ethernet or a USB cable between the 2 machines? Thank you so much.
iMac 27″ 5K, macOS 13.7
· Always connect your old Mac's Time Machine External Hard Disk prior to startup, this will allow a migration from your TM backup and it will be dead simple! 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! This is 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.
· NOTE 1: You will likely need a USB A to USB C adapter, you can find them on Amazon for $10 or less. Something like: USB to USB C adapter
· NOTE 2: 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, my recommendation is not using Wi-Fi when doing Setup Assistant or Migration Assistant. Why, it simply fails in a lot of the cases reported in these forums. A wired connection is more reliable and the last thing you need is a failed migration when there are safe methods readily available. 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.
· Always connect your old Mac's Time Machine External Hard Disk prior to startup, this will allow a migration from your TM backup and it will be dead simple! 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! This is 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.
· NOTE 1: You will likely need a USB A to USB C adapter, you can find them on Amazon for $10 or less. Something like: USB to USB C adapter
· NOTE 2: 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, my recommendation is not using Wi-Fi when doing Setup Assistant or Migration Assistant. Why, it simply fails in a lot of the cases reported in these forums. A wired connection is more reliable and the last thing you need is a failed migration when there are safe methods readily available. 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.
USB cables are considered LOCAL peripheral cables. They will not support Mac File Sharing when plugged between Macs, so they will not support Startup/Migration Assistant.
Macs running 10.12 Sierra or later can slo form a private ad-Hoc wi-fi connection if placed VERY close to each other.
I'm a bit confused between the responses from rkaufmann87 & Grant Bennet-Alder. Will USB cables work or not when using StartUp Assistant? What about an Ethernet cable? Which would be the most reliable & the fastest? I prefer not to use wi-fi which can develop a "hiccup" during the transfer and (as I understand) is relatively slow. I'm just trying to make the transfer as seamless as possible. Thank you.
Niel, thank you for the response. I don't dispute any of the methods suggested here. I have no reason to think that they will all get the job done. I am merely trying to see if there is a consensus for which method is both fast & reliable. Thank you.
kitjv wrote:
I'm a bit confused between the responses from rkaufmann87 & Grant Bennet-Alder. Will USB cables work or not when using StartUp Assistant?
A USB cable ALONE -- computer-to computer -- will NOT work for this purpose, because USB cable is a Local peripheral cable, and if you connect computer-to-computer, it is inadequate.
However:
if you have an external enclosure containing a Time Machine backup of the old computer, AND you MOVE it and connect it as a local peripheral to your NEW computer, a USB cable works great! It is by far the easiest, fastest, most trouble-free method to accomplish what you want.
I would have blurted that out, but your query was limited to computer-to-computer using USB or Ethernet. I answered the minutia and ignored the 'Big Picture'.
raufmann87 had the good sense to ignore the minutia, and answer the question you SHOULD have asked.
Hi rkaufmann87. I failed to search the community before I posted my question regarding to moving to a newer Mac. Your comment is just what I need and greatly appreciate you posting it. Fortunately, I have an active and up to date Time Machine. All I need now to to receive the Mac Studio, due in a few days. Again, thanks and have a great New Year.
If you're migrating from a Time Machine backup or bootable clone, except for one on a Time Capsule or other network-attached storage drive, use USB. Otherwise, use Ethernet.
(257437)
My method works, period.
All's well that ends well. Thank you.
Your welcome.
Transferring Data from Old Mac to New Mac
