I want to migrate my Aperture 3.1.2 on OS 10.5.8 to my brand new Macbook Air with 10.9

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I want to migrate my Aperture 3.1.2 on OS 10.5.8 to my brand new Macbook Air with 10.9

How do I do this? I had naively assumed I could simply use Migration Assistant and everything would work. But it didn't transfer any of my applications.

I've also now seen some things online suggesting I need to do something to my Aperture Library before I transfer it, also, but none of the advice was coming from such an old Mac!

I am using a referenced library with photos on an external harddrive, because the drive on the old machine is far too small. I am hoping to move the photos at least to the harddrive of the new machine, although I will probably keep a referenced library for the time being.

Posted on May 9, 2014 12:45 AM

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Answer 1

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léonie

Level 10

194,647 points

May 9, 2014 1:05 AM in response to ardenbird

use Migration Assistant and everything would work. But it didn't transfer any of my applications.

Just to be clear - you said "Migration Assistant", but did you really use "Migration Assistant" or rather "Setup Assistant"? When setting up a new Mac, you will be prompted after installing the system to transfer your data - and that would be the Setup Assistant. if you first create your account, and then transfer, you will be using "Migration Assistant". The "Setup Assistant" is greatly preferable, since it will keep the identity of the user account.

But it didn't transfer any of my applications.

The Setup Assistant or Migration Asistant lets you choose what to transfer. DId you enable to transfer your applications?

Is your old mac a Power PC? If your applications are still PowerPC applications, they cannot run on a Mavericks system. Try to update as many of your applications as possible to universal binary versions, that can run on Intel macs, before you migrate them to your new Mac. Aperture 3.1.2 will not still not run on Mavericks, even if it is a univaersal binary, but if you get it transferred and installed on your new Mac, you can update it to 3.5.1.

And before transferring your Aperture library, repair it using the First Aid Tools. See the Aperture Release Notes http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2518

Scroll down to "A Note on Upgrading".

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Answer 2

ardenbird Author

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8 points

May 9, 2014 3:06 AM in response to léonie

Ah, I used Setup Assistant first, using my old Mac's Time Machine backup, and checked both 'Applications' and 'User Documents' (or something like that). It transfered all the files as far as I can tell, and has my desktop and dock (except there are ?'s for most of the applications!). It did give an error saying it couldn't transfer my network settings.

When I saw the applications weren't there, I then opened Migration Assistant and tried again. This time I checked only 'Applications'. It said '0 KB chosen', which looked quite worrying. And then the migration was over in a flash, and nothing had happened. I tried it once more, and got the same result. Perhaps there is some incompatibility with migration between such disparate OS's?

The old Mac is an Intel (first generation, I think). I guess I can try to update the applications as much as possible, and then try. Is there some download or something from Aperture? Because I couldn't find a 'Check for Updates' menu item. I do have access to another Mac from work, that is running 10.7.2, so if I needed an intermediate step I could use that.

Thanks for the tip about repairing the Aperture Library. I will do that.

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Answer 3

léonie

Level 10

194,647 points

May 9, 2014 3:28 AM in response to ardenbird

Ah, I used Setup Assistant first, using my old Mac's Time Machine backup, and checked both 'Applications' and 'User Documents' (or something like that).

The old Mac's Time Machine backup may not include your Applications folder. Check your Time MAchine settings on your old Mac. Click the "Options" button and look at the "Exclude" list.

s there some download or something from Aperture?

You should find any updates by using the apple menu  > Sofware Update.

I just looked - Aperture 3.1.2 is the last version compatible with MacOS 10.5.8. You will have to upgrade after migrating Aperture. Did you buy it origially as a boxed version with a serial number in the package? Or did you download it online from the Apple Store?

If you have the boxed version, you could reinstall from the CD.

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Answer 4

ardenbird Author

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8 points

May 9, 2014 2:47 PM in response to léonie

Thanks! That was the problem with the Time Machine. I had no idea my applications weren't backed up!

But now I've got it over -- this is probably a stupid question, but how do I upgrade? Do I just go to the App Store and tell it to install 3.5.1? That's a bit scary to type in my password and everything when it's got this big price attached; and I almost went ahead and did it, but thought perhaps I ought to check and see if there's not something else I should be doing.

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Answer 5

ardenbird Author

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May 10, 2014 12:02 AM in response to ardenbird

Oh, never mind! I found if I went to the Updates tab, Aperture was there.

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Answer 6

léonie

Level 10

194,647 points

May 10, 2014 12:51 AM in response to ardenbird

Oh, never mind! I found if I went to the Updates tab, Aperture was there.

Great, you got it up and running again. 🙂

Yes, when an application is installed, it is the "Updates" tab you want and not the "Purchased" tab.

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Answer 7

ardenbird Author

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8 points

May 10, 2014 12:39 PM in response to léonie

Phew! Okay, now I have the new Aperture on my new machine, and the old machine has finally finished its library repair.

I tried to copy the library over on a disk, but it said it would take 8 hours to copy from the old machine, so I ran time machine instead and tried to copy over from that disk. Mildly worrying, the library claimed it was 16.8GB, but the copying process only thought it was 788MB, even though it read 16.8MB on the disk afterwards! When I opened it, Aperture said it needed to upgrade the library which I accepted. But then there were no photos, just all my folders, albums, etc.

I first thought this had something to do with the discrepancy in sizes, so I've started the 8 hr copy. But it's just occurred to me that it might be because I had a referenced library, and when I copied over the library it didn't know where the photos were. Is there a way to tell it where they are?

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Answer 8

ardenbird Author

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May 10, 2014 12:50 PM in response to ardenbird

Hmm, but even when the disks weren't attached (some of the photos are on disks, and some in the same folder as the library), iti showed the small previews. But they weren't there. Would it need the masters to remake them again? Or could that be some of the missing 16GB...?

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Answer 9

léonie

Level 10

194,647 points

May 10, 2014 12:56 PM in response to ardenbird

Copy the library directly over, so that you can be sure everything including the missing 16 GB gets copied. And since your library is referenced, you need to connect the drive with the masters/originals, when you upgrade your Aperture library.

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Answer 10

ardenbird Author

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8 points

May 10, 2014 1:26 PM in response to léonie

Ah, thanks! I will do that. Perhaps tomorrow, or Monday, as the copy estimate is now 21 hours!

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Answer 11

ardenbird Author

Level 1

8 points

May 17, 2014 12:52 AM in response to ardenbird

Thanks! I've now got the library over and by making sure the harddrive was plugged in, it automatically recognised where the photos were.

I did have to reconnect those photos that had been on the old harddrive, as it was looking for them on that instead of on the new machine, but that was quite easy.

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