Best Method of Transferring From Old Mac to New Mac

The easiest method is to use Setup Assistant that automatically starts the first time you use a new Mac. It will offer you the opportunity to migrate all users or just those you select.

Mike Osborn wrote:

... Are there any "gotchas" I should be aware of before moving everything over?

If you do not use Setup Assistant, you can always use Migration Assistant later. However, this can easily become confusing if you already created a user account on the new Mac. Most people won't have the patience to use Setup Assistant and understandably want to use their new Mac right away. If you elect to do that, don't create an account with the same name as one you wish to migrate. Instead, create a user account that you plan to erase after you migrate your existing accounts. The reason is that if you create a brand new account named, for example, "Mike Osborn", you will be unable to migrate to another account with that name.

Use a wired connection. Wireless can take an unacceptable amount of time (days).

Don't create a brand new Apple ID either. Have your existing Apple ID and password ready and use it, so you don't make the mistake of creating an Apple ID with no pedigree.

Register your new Mac (and all your other Apple equipment, if you have not yet done so) using this link:

https://supportprofile.apple.com/

This provides for a convenient database of all your Apple equipment's serial numbers, service history, and warranty eligibility.

Hi Mike,

John has you covered very nicely in far fewer, less confusing words than I could! 🙂

You taught me well BD!

Mike Osborn wrote:

... Is there any advantage to transferring everything in Setup Assistant via Target Disk Mode or from a Time Machine backup? Is one better than the other? (I'm thinking the Time Machine backup route would be the easiest as I wouldn't have two ginormous iMacs fighting for space on the same desktop).

Booting the "source" Mac in Target Disk Mode will involve fewer steps - from the "destination" Mac's perspective it will appear to be a locally mounted volume. Operationally, I don't believe one has any particular advantage over the other.

Time Machine is OK too. I have used all these methods and the only major recommendation is to use a wired connection. Wireless is only acceptable under ideal conditions and will still be slower than wired. FireWire 800 and Gigabit Ethernet will be approximately equal in speed.