Migration Assistant in OS X 10.4.10 doesn't have a 'to another Mac' option

Some have been able to "migrate" by starting the 10.4 machine in target disk mode attached to the new Mac and then transfer material hard drive to hard drive.

See this knowledge base article on target disk mode.

Later versions of Migration Assistant have both from and to options.

Why not use Migration Assistant on the new Mac?

That is interesting.

My Leopard help file appears to contradict this but it is explained on: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4413

As others say it can be overcome with FireWire if that option is available to you.

The link I gave implies (not stated explicitly) that Migration Assistant is only required on the target Mac if the source is a Time Machine backup or another disk or if it is done via sharing - perhaps read to the bottom of the document.

Neville you are wrong.

Migration Assistant must be run on both computers, it has to start on the source computer and then feed to the target computer.

Target disk mode operates in the manner of starting on the source cmputer which then mounts the hard drive in that computer on the desktop of the target computer. The user then can drag and drop material from the source to the target.

Please take the time to understand the way these programs work before advising users to do things incorrectly.

Uhhh, no, with the old Mac in t mode, you only need to run MA on the newer one, but you need to choose from another Disk or TM volume or such, the Network method requires both to run it . 🙂

Done it many times... with all due respect.

benphillips1989 wrote:

Last week my faithful old MacBook from 2006 finally became unusable, and so I'm now the proud owner of a new Air. However, I'm having some problems migrating from the one to the other: Migration Assistant on the old Mac only offers the options of migrating from another Mac, or to another volume in the same computer. This is, of course, utterly baffling and really frustrating.

Any ideas/solutions?

You cannot transfer from a Mac running Tiger to one running Lion via network.

You must use Firewire for a Mac-to-Mac transfer from Tiger.

Otherwise, you can use either Time Machine or "clone" backups on an external HD.

See Using Setup Assistant on Lion for details and instructions, especially the blue box.

Neville Hillyer wrote:

. . .

My Leopard help file appears to contradict this but it is explained on:http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4413

That link is for Snow Leopard, not Leopard, and not Lion (what a new Mac runs).

The Lion article is: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4889

The link I gave implies (not stated explicitly) that Migration Assistant is only required on the target Mac if the source is a Time Machine backup or another disk or if it is done via sharing - perhaps read to the bottom of the document.

Again, that's the wrong link. Kindly read the correct one, and you'll find that you cannot migrate from Tiger to Lion via a network.

Setup Assistant or Migration Assistant is required on the target (ie, new) Mac for any automated transfer.

Migration Assistant is required on the source (ie, old) Mac for any automated transfer directly from that Mac.

This is, unfortunately, a slightly complex area. Please inform yourself before trying to advise others.

For all the nitty-gritty, see: How do I set up a new Mac from an old one, its backups, or a PC?

Message was edited by: Pondini

Pondini wrote:

. . .

Migration Assistant is required on the source (ie, old) Mac for any automated transfer directly from that Mac.

That should read, "for any automated transfer via network."

Or, the old Mac can be stared in Target Disk Mode if you can connect via Firewire.

I picked my words carefully - I doubt that you can identify an incorrect statement - please read the documents I refer to.

Thanks for the information - pity neither of my documents were clear about this.

Migration Assistant is required on the source (ie, old) Mac for any automated transfer directly from that Mac.

Pity neither of my documents were clear about this for network, TM or external disk - perhaps you should read them.

Ahhh, BD and Pondini you guys are right, missed a point there and should not have since I just did a transfer last week from my old 10.4.11 iMac to the new one and had to go out and BUY a Firewire 400-800 cable...don't just hate it when you have to buy a cable for a single use 🙂

Ethernet is stil the best way to go...helped my daughter in NYC setup her new MBP and migrate from the three year old MBP, wireless said 48 hours to transfer everything...took less than an hour after connecting the two by ethernet wire.

Thanks for keeping me honest guys.

Neville Hillyer wrote:

. . .

Pity neither of my documents were clear about this for network, TM or external disk -

Neither? Kindly review your post again; you only posted one link, and it was to the wrong document! It's the one for transferring to Snow Leopard, and it does make it clear when you need to start Migration Assistant on the old Mac -- the WIreless or Ethernet section.

There are a number of differences when transferring to Lion; that's why there's a separate article about it.

perhaps you should read them.

I have, many, many times, both before they were expanded and afterwards. While more complete than before, they still omit some things and don't clearly explain others. That's why I wrote How do I set up a new Mac from an old one, its backups, or a PC?

Please don't get me wrong; your intent to help here is great. But none of us knows everything. Instead of being defensive when someone corrects you, take the opportunity to learn, so you can help better in the future.