Need help/advice before I power up my new iMac

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Level 1

5 points

Need help/advice before I power up my new iMac

Hi friends .... I'm sorry to bother here- but I just purchased a new 21.5" base iMac and need advice before my first start up ..... I'm currently using my 2006 iMac with 10.4.11 .... I'd love to be able to transfer some basic files, Safari bookmarks, etc .... I have most of my photos and important docs backed up on CDs (my external super drive for the new iMac won't arrive for another few days ...)I've read that Migration Assistant isn't supported or recommended from my old 10.4 to the new Mountain Lion on the new iMac .... I'm stressed about turning on my new iMac and confused about how to use the setup assistant in my situation .... Should I just rebuild my desktop and files manually later with my back-up cd's ... or is there a way to connect the two iMacs with an ethernet and just drag files from the old Mac to the new one .... I've only used Macs and I'm embarrassed I don't know these things ... please advise the best way for me to transition from my old Mac to the new one ... hoe should I use the onscreen assistant when I start up,...I certainly don't want to junk up my new iMac and transfer all my old applications that won't work or be supported (Photoshop CS2, etc) , but I would also love to have my desktop and other stuff I use there right away to make my new machine familiar from the start .... (please answer as simply as possible ... ) ...thanks so much in advance ....

David

iMac Intel Core 2 Duo 17" 1.83 GHz, 2 Gig RAM, Mac OS X (10.4.11), iPod shuffle (Second Generation)

Posted on Mar 19, 2013 4:14 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Eric Ross

Level 6

11,807 points

Mar 19, 2013 4:21 PM in response to daystar297

Take a look at this link, http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4889

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Answer 2

daystar297 Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 19, 2013 4:33 PM in response to Eric Ross

Thanks Eric for that quick response ... I read that before - that's when my stress began - finding that because my old computer is so dated Migration Assistant isn't recommended or supported between those two OS ... .so basically just want to know if I'm reading this right .... they say to backup Documents, Music, Finder, etc.... I did duplicate those and placed on my old desktop ... having never done this before, I'm just asking if once I connect the two iMacs with an ethernet- will I be able to just drag those backups to the new desktop and then just replace my new folders with those from my old iMac? ...those are too large to transfer with CDs - so how can I transfer those from one computer to the other .... thanks again in advance ...

David

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Answer 3

Eric Ross

Level 6

11,807 points

Mar 19, 2013 4:55 PM in response to daystar297

The problem that you are going to run into is connecting both computers, you can only use FireWire to connect the two computers together to use Migration Assistant, your new iMac has no FireWire ports only USB 3 and Thunderbolt ports. You can buy a FireWire to Thunderbolt adapter to connect the two computers.

If you connect the two computers together on your network you will be able to drag and drop the folders. Migration Assistant is design do do all the work for you.

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Answer 4

daystar297 Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 19, 2013 5:11 PM in response to Eric Ross

I just looked at that solution and see that the Firewire to Thunderbolt adapter requires OS X v10.7.4 ... so that lets me out again- I'm using 10.4.11 ... I think maybe it's just easiest to just start my new iMac fresh without the old computer and just manually transfer what I can with what I have on CDs... I was hoping there would be an easier way ... are you also saying that there's no point to connect the two with an ethernet line? Having never done that I was hoping that would place hard my old drive icon onto the new iMac and then I could just drag what I needed from that ... that sounds logical but I guess I was just naive ... I also read somewhere that with Migration

Assistant you have to transfer all the applications or none- some of my applications are old and not supported anymore and I didn't want to load the new iMac with those... My old CS2 has been faithfull to me- but I can't use that on the new machine ... so I just purchased the cheaper Elements 11 and hope that will still meet my needs ...

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Answer 5

Eric Ross

Level 6

11,807 points

Mar 19, 2013 5:19 PM in response to daystar297

Oh, I forgot that part about the adapter, so the best way for you is to use the Ethernet via your network.

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Answer 6

John Galt

Level 10

141,408 points

Mar 19, 2013 5:32 PM in response to daystar297

daystar297 wrote:

I just looked at that solution and see that the Firewire to Thunderbolt adapter requires OS X v10.7.4 ... so that lets me out again- I'm using 10.4.11 ...

That will not limit its use with your new iMac.

You will need to boot your Tiger iMac in FireWire Target Disk Mode - hold the T key while starting your older Mac. You can use Setup Assistant (or Migration Assistant). From the new iMac's perspective the old Mac will appear to be an external disk.

When asked "How do you want to transfer your information" select "From a Mac, PC, Time Machine backup or other disk" then click Continue. On the next screen be sure to select "From a Time Machine backup or other disk" and not"From a Mac or PC".

Otherwise, Migration Assistant will look forever for your other Mac.

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