Need Help with Migration Assistant, Please?

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4889 might have an answer for you, since it addresses Tiger to Lion and should apply to Mtn Lion.

Then, contact Apple's Express Lane and set up a call back. Let them sort out the issues, since it should work and you have 90-day free troubleshooting service.

My suggestion would be to borrow a friend's machine that's running Leopard to Lion, install the OS onto an ext FWHD, boot with it, and migrate your Tiger installation to it, hook it up to your fancy, new iOSified machine, restore it to factory condition, and then migrate from the ext FWHD (might need a TB/FW adapter cable).

For the poor Customer Support, try Apple Customer Relations 1-800-767-2775 or call Customer Support and ask for customer relations.

I have just successfully completed a "migration" from my old G5 running OS 10.4.11. By migration, I mean buying a new MacBook Pro with installed Mountain Lion and now have it running with all my old documents, music, photos, iCal, Address Book, Safari Bookmarks - everything I can think of that I used on the old computer. Tomorrow, I will start to do the same with my wife's old G5 and her new MacBook Pro! I now have the learning curve!

When I get a moment, I intend to publish here a "spill" of what I did. Meanwhile, I will tell you that you should not be trying to move the applications. None of them will run anyway! Decide what you will need on the new MacBook Pro and obtain the latest versions of software to handle it.

If Appleworks is involved, there is a long running thread here:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3114414?answerId=20322075022#20322075022&ac_cid=tw123456#20322075

Edm_Scott wrote:

If you got it to work GeneMike, your a luckier man then i am. i followed the step by step instructions and it never got past the looking for the other computer stage. it was tried several different ways and after a long conversation with Apple Suport, who said it is not supported and won't work. i am at a loss for how else to do so.

i would never try to move an application over, as it is far too detailed for me to do. But, i don't wish to purchase all the app's again, as much as that may sound cheap, a new laptop is the limit on my computer spending money these days. As far as the idea the app's wont run. That's not true! a lot of apps that run on 10.4.11 will run on 10.8.2, ive seen it!

if you have any ideas on what i may be missing, please feel free to pass what worked for you on. i cannot get 10.4.11 to migrate to 10.8.2!

My apology for misleading you! In the first line of my post, when I said "'completed a "migration" I intended to add "without the use of Migration Assistant. I also had a discussion with Apple Support about Migration Assistant and, along with past unpleasant experiences with it, I decided to not use it.

Also, I should not have used the absolute, "none." What I should have said is that MOST of your old apps or, at least, the old versions will not run on Mountain Lion. Appleworks will not run at all. Replacements or updated versions, must be installed.

As to the content, i.e., music, iPhoto pictures, Contact addresses, and settings, i.e., Mail accouts and messages, - - all have a different process to be followed. I found it slow and tedious but doable.

I am at the same stopping point, same OS levels, just using iMacs . Edm_Scott -- did you ever figure it out? Any steps you can give, GeneMike? With the research I have done I am assuming I will have to do the transfer manually? Just bought the iMac a week ago.

tuntuvak wrote:

I am at the same stopping point, same OS levels, just using iMacs . Edm_Scott -- did you ever figure it out? Any steps you can give, GeneMike? With the research I have done I am assuming I will have to do the transfer manually? Just bought the iMac a week ago.

You will NOT be able to use Apple Migration Assistant. The migration will have to be manual. I keep intending to post piece by piece experience but, alas, procrastination takes over. If you have questions about specific applications, please ask.

Thanks GeneMike,

I was coming to that realization with your post and one or two others in my days of reading on these boards. I feel like I am left with a couple of options that are slightly concerning to me -- mainly because I don't want to lose anything and I don't fool around with the computer, operating systems, etc., very much. That said, I am good at following directions.

So, if I can ask for suggestions and piggy back on this discussion, I have an Intel based iMac running Tiger and a new iMac running Mountain Lion, and yes, migration assistant doesn't work in any form, including with my Disk Utility created backup. I didn't use Setup assistant b/c I read somewhere on the boards that Migration Assistant was better...

I feel like option 1 is erase the hard drive on the new mac, reinstall Mountain Lion from the recovery HD, and then go through Setup Assistant from there. Concerns: does setup assistant work with Tiger? I presently only have a USB to USB wire, as well. Would I need to get a firewire to Thunderbolt cable and adapter? How much other stuff will I need to download in that case -- iLife I believe? I don't mind that part that much. Will it work is the big question.

Option 2

Manually transfer the files from the External HD, or the computer in Target Disk mode.

Option 3

I have the install disk for Snow Leopard for the old imac, but I haven't done anything because I don't know all the dangers of installing that. I don't want to lose pictures, music, etc., though I never had a backup before two weeks ago. I could manually transfer the pictures, music, work files onto the new computer. Then, install Snow Leopard on the old imac. Then, use setup assistant to migrate files back from the External HD to the old imac. Finally, I could use migration assistant to migrate it all from the old imac with the Snow Leopard over to the new imac, and thus have the data on two computers.

Do I need to do a "clean install" of Snow Leopard? I have read different thoughts on this.

One of my biggest fears is only having info on only one place, and that place being the hard drive, even if it is only for a little while. Anyway, thoughts on these options? Can I do it with a usb to usb cord? Other possibilities?

Any help would be most appreciated.

yo

I recommend option #1. However, Tiger to Lion (Mtn Lion) is problematic. See http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4889 for details. I'd get an ext FWHD, put a bootable backup/clone onto it of your Tiger installation. Then, install Snow Leopard on top of either, ensure that the machine boots with it, install all software updates, and then use a FireWire to TB adaptor cable or an ethernet one to migrate from that to the new machine. Details on wiping, reinstalling, and using the Setup Assistant on first boot are in Pondini's Setup New Mac guide. IMO, the clean install is a waste of time and effort, since it entails reinstalling all 3rd-party apps, resetting all user settings (think preferences), and finally resetting all network settings.

Thanks Baltwo. This will take a few days though for me to get the cables. I'll let you know how it goes when I get there.