Setting up a new iMac

Question

Level 1

9 points

Setting up a new iMac

I have a MacBook Pro which I've owned since October 2011. When I first got it I recall the first-time setup process asking if I had another Mac which I wanted to copy applications/settings from at the time I didn't since this was my first Mac, as a long time Windows user. Now I'm a total Mac zealot and don't have any Windows machines in the house at all.

I will be buying an iMac in the near future. Does the "make this Mac the same as another one you already own" feature still exist? I've got my MBP set up exactly how I like it and I'd like my iMac to at least start off the same and I'd rather not have to download and install all the stuff I've purchased via the AppStore. Most importantly I've been using Aperture for the last 4 years, and this has of course been dropped by Apple. Photos is a complete joke, it's a toy compared to Aperture so it's vital to me that my iMac ends with Aperture on while I figure out how to migrate my 17000+ photos in Adobe Lightroom.

MacBook Pro (13-inch Early 2011), OS X Yosemite (10.10.3)

Posted on Apr 19, 2015 12:32 PM

Reply

Answer 1

babowa

Level 9

78,097 points

Apr 19, 2015 12:48 PM in response to smalbon

Yes, using the "Setup Assistant" still works, however........ (and I'm not sure about this since the problem is brand new):

Since Apple dropped Aperture and iPhoto, I do not know if your older apps would be ported over as the new one will automatically have Photos installed.

I'd suggest making a bootable clone copy of your entire system using Carbon Copy Cloner or Super Duper onto an external drive (and make 2 partitions) so you can either extract what you need (if it'll work), or, a radical solution which will only work if your clone's OS version is the same or newer OS version on the new iMac: when you get the new iMac, don't port over anything, simply make another clone of the fresh system onto the second partition of your external drive. Than boot into the clone you made previously, wipe your new internal drive, and clone your old system back. As I said, that would be radical, but safe if you have clones of both, and it should work as long as your OS version is the same or newer (Macs can't boot from OS versions older than what they came with).

Reply

Answer 2

Arandel

Level 1

59 points

Apr 19, 2015 3:10 PM in response to smalbon

Hi, Not sure about Aperture, but all the folders/items you select in Setup Assistant should be transferred over. It's always good to have a bootable clone of your hard drive, and a time machine back up; but I would guess that set up assistant will transfer over Aperture. Try it anyways, first.

Keep in mind that you'll need a cable to connect the two computers. If they both have thunderbolt, that's best. My old iMac only had firewire 800, so I used a thunderbolt cable with firewire 800 converter.

If your time machine back up hard drive is up to date, you can also use that.

There might be a way to do the whole thing wirelessly, but I haven't tried that. It would be probably be pretty slow.

Good luck, and Let us know how it goes.

Reply

Answer 3

babowa

Level 9

78,097 points

Apr 19, 2015 3:36 PM in response to Arandel

but all the folders/items you select in Setup Assistant should be transferred over.

Since iPhoto has been discontinued and its' replacement will already be installed, I don't think that iPhoto could be installed (judging from previous other apps in similar situations). Would be great if it works of course.

Reply