Time Machine or Migration Assistant

[Kbugsy]

So new 24inch iMac arrives very soon, I have been watching videos on You Tube on how to transfer data from my current iMac to the new machine using a Time Machine Backup or with Migration Assistant.

My current machine is a 2011 21.5” running OS Sierra, new machine like I said the new 24” iMac. What the videos do not explain, is the OS from the 21.5” transferred using either method and does my email account and saved emails get transferred as well.

This might be a silly question and the answer obvious to most of you but I am concerned that I don’t mess up my 2nd ever Mac not having ever done this before.





Thanks for any help in advance.

 

[TonyAguila]

So new 24inch iMac arrives very soon, I have been watching videos on You Tube on how to transfer data from my current iMac to the new machine using a Time Machine Backup or with Migration Assistant.

My current machine is a 2011 21.5” running OS Sierra, new machine like I said the new 24” iMac. What the videos do not explain, is the OS from the 21.5” transferred using either method and does my email account and saved emails get transferred as well.

This might be a silly question and the answer obvious to most of you but I am concerned that I don’t mess up my 2nd ever Mac not having ever done this before.





Thanks for any help in advance.

It’s not a matter of Time Machine or Migration Assistant. Rather, Migration Assistant is used to transfer you data from your old system to the new. The source can be a Time Machine backup of your old system, or a clone of it, or even the old Mac itself, if you can connect the two.

So assuming that you have an up-to-date Time Machine backup on an external device and that it can connect to the new iMac, all you need to do is first connect the TM drive to the new Mac, fire it up, and assuming that this is the first time you are starting the new iMac, it should automatically launch Migration Assistant (or maybe ask for your Apple ID first) and ask if you want to migrate from Time Machine. Just follow the cues, and don’t worry about your “old” apps. Migration Assistant will not replace the Apple apps on the new Mac with the old ones from Time Machine.

I suggest importing everything (users, apps, settings, etc.). You can delete the ones you don’t need later. And to answer your question, no, the previous OS will not be transferred over. Welcome to Mojave.

Enjoy!

 

[Kbugsy]

TonyAguila thanks for your reply, all went well used my Time Machine drive. Amazed how easy it was in the end, thanks again.

 

[TonyAguila]

TonyAguila thanks for your reply, all went well used my Time Machine drive. Amazed how easy it was in the end, thanks again.

Congratulations. Good job!