Migration Assistant not working

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Level 1

119 points

Migration Assistant not working

I am trying to set up a new-to-me used MacBook Pro circa 2012. Trying to use Migration assistant to transfer everything from my old MacBook. I have the Migration Assistant running, the two computers connected by FireWire cable (also tried connecting the two computers to the same router by FireWire cable), but the circle just goes round and round and doesn't ever say that it finds any other computers on the network. Is this something that should take a long time? Should I just go away and get a sandwich and come back? Or is there something else going on that these two machines won't talk to each other?

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on May 27, 2017 9:49 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

crystalcoo

Level 1

9 points

Aug 1, 2017 8:08 AM in response to Sharon Kerr

I'm having a similar problem, but my old MacBook Air 11" (2013) is running OS El Capitan (ver 10.11.6). I'm trying to transfer everything to a new MacBook Pro 13", and Migration Assistant on the new computer keeps spinning "looking for source." I've done all the updates on the old mac, and both are using the same wifi network, but I can't get any farther than the spinning!

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Answer 2

tjk

Level 9

51,126 points

May 27, 2017 10:41 AM in response to Sharon Kerr

Please follow the directions for migrating to Lion or Mt. Lion: How to move data to your new Mac using Mountain Lion and earlier - Apple Support

Don't upgrade to a newer OS unless you want to now. You can do it after the migration. But do run whatever updates are available for each machine before you migrate.

The instructions are very detailed in the link, but if there's something you don't understand, feel free to post back.

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Answer 3

tjk

Level 9

51,126 points

May 27, 2017 9:56 AM in response to Sharon Kerr

Hi,

See the following for all the requirements to make MA work. Make sure you follow each required step exactly: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204350

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Answer 4

Sharon Kerr Author

Level 1

119 points

May 27, 2017 9:59 AM in response to tjk

Thank you. This looks helpful. But I'm wondering, my "new" computer is running "Lion" and my old one is running "Yosemite". Should I first upgrade to Yosemite or even Sierra before I get everything set up? Or will these newer, more sophisticated operating systems just slow my computer down too much?

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