Moving contents of Imac with Leopard to Imac/SnowLeopard

Question

Level 1

20 points

Moving contents of Imac with Leopard to Imac/SnowLeopard

Hi, i'm looking for a very simplistic outline of how to best accomplish the following task.

I have a recording studio with all my stuff - software, audio files apps I record to - on an 17" Imac 2.16 Intel Core 2 Duo running Leopard 10.5.8.

I want to replace the machine with a slightly newer, 24-inch IMac that already has Snow Leopard installed - along with some other contents on it

which ideally I would like to keep intact.

Goal is to transfer all the content of the older 17" Imac over to the 24" Leopard machine, and begin using this as my main studio unit. I do not,

(ideally) want to have to reconfigure all of my preferences, identities for email, applications etc etc. if at all possible to avoid.

I am not very familiar with the whole Time Machine or Migration Assistant process. I used to be alot more savvy about all of this but my time

has been focused on the creative business of my business - and i had an engineer who used to do the computer maintenance but he's no longer

available.

If anyone can give me a concise summary of what i need to do to get this done in the most hassle-free - and safe - way, i'd hugely appreciate advice

on a gameplan i can use for a straightforward/smooth transition.

Thank you and sorry for any duplication of information that's already been covered on this process. Appreciate your help as always,

Sincerely,

Mike

iMac, 17" 10.5, 24" 10.6....

Posted on Jan 4, 2012 9:50 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Jan 4, 2012 10:29 AM in response to MIKEinMICH

Peruse Pondini's Setup New Mac guide and consider copying the extra stuff on the new machine to another disk, wiping the machine, reinstalling Snow Leopard, and on first boot using the Setup Assistant to do the migration. Simplest way for the new machine to act like the old one, retaining all of the old one's current settings, users, and passwords. Once that's done, copy the moved stuff back.

Reply

Answer 2

MIKEinMICH Author

Level 1

20 points

Jan 4, 2012 4:31 PM in response to baltwo

Thanks. When you say 'copy the extra stuff on the new machine to another disk' - that is the only stalling point for me. If it's stuff that is in, say, the User "Pictures" folder, for example... is that going to be able to be dragged'

n'dropped back onto the machine with the fresh Snow Leopard reinstall....or might i run into some sorts of permissions issues in trying to do that? I've never used Time Machine but wonder whether, if i run a backup using that on the machine that i'd be wiping - would i then be able to more easily restore certain contents that way...? I go back to the era of OS 8/9 when i didn't have to be concerned with Permissions and such, so it was much easier and simpler to do something like this in that environment. The 'extra stuff' i want to save would be items like documents and photos - but they're spread across the entire spectrum...some in "Documents" - others simply in the Desktop... some in Iphoto library or Itunes library... I hate to wipe this machine without being sure i can easily copy this moved stuff back without running into some weird Permissions issue that might prevent me from reading/opening them after (assuming i can copy them back) putting them back on the new Snow Leopard-installed disk. Hope this question makes sense. Been burned before by this hierarchial business and am wary....

Reply

Answer 3

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Jan 4, 2012 4:58 PM in response to MIKEinMICH

MIKEinMICH wrote:

Thanks. When you say 'copy the extra stuff on the new machine to another disk' - that is the only stalling point for me. If it's stuff that is in, say, the User "Pictures" folder, for example... is that going to be able to be dragged'

n'dropped back onto the machine with the fresh Snow Leopard reinstall....or might i run into some sorts of permissions issues in trying to do that? I've never used Time Machine but wonder whether, if i run a backup using that on the machine that i'd be wiping - would i then be able to more easily restore certain contents that way...? I go back to the era of OS 8/9 when i didn't have to be concerned with Permissions and such, so it was much easier and simpler to do something like this in that environment. The 'extra stuff' i want to save would be items like documents and photos - but they're spread across the entire spectrum...some in "Documents" - others simply in the Desktop... some in Iphoto library or Itunes library... I hate to wipe this machine without being sure i can easily copy this moved stuff back without running into some weird Permissions issue that might prevent me from reading/opening them after (assuming i can copy them back) putting them back on the new Snow Leopard-installed disk. Hope this question makes sense. Been burned before by this hierarchial business and am wary....

There could be an issue with permissions, but you'd have the same thing with a TM backup. You can always correct the permissions later. Just put everything you want to save into a separate folder, copy it to the other location, and after reinstalling SL and migrating, then just copy it back to your user (home) folder. Changing the content's permissions is a simple process once that's finished.

Reply

Answer 4

MIKEinMICH Author

Level 1

20 points

Jan 4, 2012 5:15 PM in response to baltwo

Thanks, i think i get it. So, for example if i just dragged the "Users" folder to another drive - i.e., this:

then i should be able to copy back everything i wanted to save to the new home folder ?

Reply

Answer 5

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Jan 4, 2012 6:28 PM in response to MIKEinMICH

Just drag the pieces that are different or unique. You're migrating the user's folders from the old machine. There's no need for dragging all the superfluous stuff, such as settings, Mail, bookmarks, etc.

Reply

Answer 6

MIKEinMICH Author

Level 1

20 points

Jan 4, 2012 7:11 PM in response to baltwo

OK I am going to do a TM backup of the contents of the target HD before I wipe it - just for safety -- I assume that IF i needed to retrieve any data from that volume after it was wiped, i would be able to render it again if necessary...

Reply

Answer 7

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Jan 4, 2012 7:19 PM in response to MIKEinMICH

Good luck. Let us know how it turns out. I don't use TM, so have nothing to say about it.

Reply

Answer 8

MIKEinMICH Author

Level 1

20 points

Jan 4, 2012 8:02 PM in response to baltwo

No problem. I decided to do an old-school drag'n'drop of the USERS folder to my external HD that i'm backing all this up/off to...before running the full HD backup with TM. I've never used TM either so i figured, might as well copy off the important data files separately as well just as a back-up of the back-up, as i don't know what sort of proprietary bs that TM may or may not invoke... I have to figure that an IPhoto library or media files in general - would be readable from its creation app on another computer without too much trouble regardless of where it was pulled from...but nothing surprises me anymore. I truly miss the simplicity of pre OSX for many reasons...such as what i've described in this thread....no 'permissions' or encumberment - just drag/drop and it's there...no questions asked ; )

Reply