msk944

Q: Migration from MacBook Pro to iMac

I have MacBook Pro and will be purchasing an iMac. My laptop has been running slowly despite filling it up with RAM and making other performance improvements. Would I be better off installing my apps fresh on the iMac vs doing a restore from Time Machine? My concern is bringing over "garbage" from the laptop.

 

Thanks.

Posted on Dec 15, 2015 5:02 AM

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Q: Migration from MacBook Pro to iMac

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  • by rkaufmann87,Helpful

    rkaufmann87 rkaufmann87 Dec 15, 2015 10:34 AM in response to msk944
    Level 9 (58,956 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Dec 15, 2015 10:34 AM in response to msk944

    Please carefully read and follow the advice in Move your content to a new Mac - Apple Support. IMHO, the best method of migrating is when you turn on the computer for the first time. Have the other machine Time Machine (or bootable clone backup) connected to the new machine. Setup Assistant will eventually ask if you are migrating, select yes and follow the on-screen prompts and you will be fine. For the most reliable connection use a USB connection, do NOT use Wi-Fi!!!

  • by dwb,

    dwb dwb Dec 15, 2015 7:46 AM in response to msk944
    Level 7 (24,440 points)
    Notebooks
    Dec 15, 2015 7:46 AM in response to msk944

    It would be nice to know all the specs of your MBP (model, RAM, operating system etc). It is possible that your MBP has some malware or misconfiguration that is causing it to be slow. It is also possible that you are simply overpowering an older computer with software that it really cannot handle. Knowing which is the case would help in determining whether you should migrate and/or what you should migrate. It is indeed possible that you have something going on with the computer that could be passed on when you migrate.

     

    If you run Etrecheck and post the results here it would give us the information we need to help make an informed suggestion. In regard to the process of migration - rkaufmann87 is spot on.

  • by msk944,

    msk944 msk944 Dec 15, 2015 10:34 AM in response to rkaufmann87
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 15, 2015 10:34 AM in response to rkaufmann87

    Thanks, I forgot about the migration assistant. That's how I will handle it.

  • by msk944,

    msk944 msk944 Dec 15, 2015 10:37 AM in response to dwb
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 15, 2015 10:37 AM in response to dwb

    I run virus scans regularly so I am comfortable that there is nothing going internally. It is possible that I am overpowering my MBP but because it is slow to boot, I thought there might be something else.

  • by dwb,

    dwb dwb Dec 15, 2015 10:46 AM in response to msk944
    Level 7 (24,440 points)
    Notebooks
    Dec 15, 2015 10:46 AM in response to msk944

    It is easy to overwhelm an older computer with a new OS and newer software

  • by rkaufmann87,

    rkaufmann87 rkaufmann87 Dec 15, 2015 10:52 AM in response to msk944
    Level 9 (58,956 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Dec 15, 2015 10:52 AM in response to msk944

    msk944 wrote:

     

    I run virus scans regularly so I am comfortable that there is nothing going internally. It is possible that I am overpowering my MBP but because it is slow to boot, I thought there might be something else.

    Antivirus apps on any Macs are not recommended as there are zero viruses for OS X. Most AV apps tend to create more problems than they solve and as there are no viruses, at best they serve no purpose. That being said, I recommend that you uninstall the AV app by following the developers instructions and not migrate it. While there is a very small amount of other types of malware for OS X in the wild, these are generally easily avoided. If you follow the advice below and just let OS X run natively without any AV, cleaning, or any third party maintenance utilities most users are rewarded with years of trouble free use of their Macs. To avoid OS X malware:

     

     

    That being said, I think your migration will go smoothly if you uninstall the AV app from your existing Mac prior to migrating to a new Mac. .

  • by msk944,

    msk944 msk944 Dec 15, 2015 12:46 PM in response to rkaufmann87
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 15, 2015 12:46 PM in response to rkaufmann87

    Thanks, I always figured Sophos was ok, it does identify risky attachments but I never bother with those anyway. I'll uninstall before migrating. I think dwb is right too. My 2011 MBP was probably not designed to deal with things like Lightroom and Photoshop which is why I am moving to the iMac. Thanks again for your help.

  • by rkaufmann87,

    rkaufmann87 rkaufmann87 Dec 15, 2015 12:50 PM in response to msk944
    Level 9 (58,956 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Dec 15, 2015 12:50 PM in response to msk944

    Your welcome.

     

    At best Sophos is worthless, at worst it will make a mess of your system. Uninstall it on your MBP by following the developers instructions.