old mac can't find new mac for migration

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Level 1

120 points

old mac can't find new mac for migration

I am trying to set up my brand-new iMac El Capitan and transfer everything from my old iMac running OS X 10.6.8. The new Mac finds the old one readily, using Migration Assistant on both computers, but the old one keeps searching. Then the new one tells me that the old one, whose name it knows, isn't available. I'm using WiFi, for lack of Thunderbolt or FireWire (?), whatever they are. I could detach the ethernet cable from our wifi modem, if that would work better, and I have a backup Gdrive mini, and maybe that would be easier still.

There is another identical question, from 2014, on the forums, but the answer doesn't seem relevant--I did not get a screen asking about transfer when I first started up the new iMac. (I also managed to get to a screen insisting upon a keychain password and it would not accept the password I set up initially at first startup. What is going on? I've never struggled with any of our Macs going back to '83 like this one!)

Many thanks for any bright ideas!

Posted on May 5, 2016 2:50 PM

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Answer 1

Duane

Level 10

124,267 points

May 5, 2016 2:56 PM in response to Gail Zlatnik

Follow the steps in Move your content to a new Mac - Apple Support

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Answer 2

Gail Zlatnik Author

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120 points

May 5, 2016 4:34 PM in response to Duane

Thanks, Duane, but I looked at that site previously, did as it said, and still have the same problem. The old Mac just can't find the new. So, again, Time Machine's backup? Ethernet? FORCE old Mac to cooperate?

gz

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Answer 3

Duane

Level 10

124,267 points

May 5, 2016 4:39 PM in response to Gail Zlatnik

In the process described, there is nothing that indicates that the old Mac should see/find/locate the new Mac.

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Answer 4

rkaufmann87

Level 10

140,346 points

May 5, 2016 7:22 PM in response to Gail Zlatnik

Gail,

Using Migration Assistant is extremely simple. Here is what you do. Connect the Time Machine backup External Hard Disk from the old Mac to the new iMac using a USB cable. Then launch Migration Assistant on the new Machine (Applications - Utilities - Migration Assistant) and follow the on-screen prompts. It will ask if you want to migrate from a Time Machine drive, select yes and then again follow the on-screen prompts.

This is THE most reliable method to migrate.

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Answer 5

Gail Zlatnik Author

Level 1

120 points

May 5, 2016 7:25 PM in response to rkaufmann87

Thanks, rk. That worked, although oddly I had to start over with some of the things I'd already done on the new computer. Sort of weird, seeing the same-old on the new screen, and I have to find out where to get the little up/down arrows at the bottom of the scroll bar, and figure out how not to have to log in every time I turn around. New features, hah. No, thanks.

But thank you!

Gail

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Answer 6

Gail Zlatnik Author

Level 1

120 points

May 5, 2016 7:26 PM in response to Duane

That was the problem--there was nothing to account for the fact that my old Mac kept searching and searching for a target, and the new Mac kept telling me the old one was not available (or something like that). Bug somewhere, I guess, or just too-old old Mac.

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