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NbinHD

macrumors 6502
Original poster
So hopefully Apple will refresh the iMacs on september the 10th, even if they dont ill probably just buy a 2012 model anyway. Now currently i have a mid 2012 13'' macbook pro that im selling to fund my new iMac. I currently have parallels 8, windows 8 and microsoft office 2013 on it, how do i switch that to the new iMac? Do i do it on migration assistant and shouldnt have any issues with the license number or do i have to reinstall it and get the code re-activited by microsoft/parallels? Also, should i buy a iMac 21.5 or 11'' macbook air with a external monitor.
 

Bear

macrumors G3
Jul 23, 2002
8,088
5
Sol III - Terra
So hopefully Apple will refresh the iMacs on september the 10th, even if they dont ill probably just buy a 2012 model anyway. Now currently i have a mid 2012 13'' macbook pro that im selling to fund my new iMac. I currently have parallels 8, windows 8 and microsoft office 2013 on it, how do i switch that to the new iMac? Do i do it on migration assistant and shouldnt have any issues with the license number or do i have to reinstall it and get the code re-activited by microsoft/parallels? Also, should i buy a iMac 21.5 or 11'' macbook air with a external monitor.
Is wWindows 8 in a Boot Camp partition? If it is, that will require different steps to migrate. However, if it's in a file on the OS X partition, then migration assistant will copy everything over.

You will probably gave to reactivate windows, I'm not sure if Parallels is tied to the hardware or not. Just don't try and run Parallels on both machines at the same time if they're using the same license key. Office under OS X should transfer fine.

As for iMac vs Air? Why are you looking at replacing your MBP? If it's just screen size, maybe you should just add an external screen to it. If it's performance issues, get the iMac as it will be faster than the Air. If you decide to get the 2012 iMac, consider buying a refurbished one from Apple to save some money.
 

NbinHD

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Is wWindows 8 in a Boot Camp partition? If it is, that will require different steps to migrate. However, if it's in a file on the OS X partition, then migration assistant will copy everything over.

You will probably gave to reactivate windows, I'm not sure if Parallels is tied to the hardware or not. Just don't try and run Parallels on both machines at the same time if they're using the same license key. Office under OS X should transfer fine.

As for iMac vs Air? Why are you looking at replacing your MBP? If it's just screen size, maybe you should just add an external screen to it. If it's performance issues, get the iMac as it will be faster than the Air. If you decide to get the 2012 iMac, consider buying a refurbished one from Apple to save some money.

Alright thanks. Nope, windows 8 is running under parallels not bootcamp so i assume that its part of the OS X partion thingo. So in terms of installing stuff on the new computer, how do i deactivate everything on my current computer? And then do i call up microsoft and ask for the licence to be re activated and install it on my new computer. What is the process?
 

Bear

macrumors G3
Jul 23, 2002
8,088
5
Sol III - Terra
Alright thanks. Nope, windows 8 is running under parallels not bootcamp so i assume that its part of the OS X partion thingo. So in terms of installing stuff on the new computer, how do i deactivate everything on my current computer? And then do i call up microsoft and ask for the licence to be re activated and install it on my new computer. What is the process?
Just wipe your old computer and install OS X - that will wipe everything and make sure you didn't leave anythhing behind.

As for Windows, I believe it will tell you what to do if it needs reactivation.
 

talmy

macrumors 601
Oct 26, 2009
4,725
332
Oregon
One thing nice about "virtual machines" is that they are indeed virtual machines. When you move the image to the new computer everything is identical to what it was before. Windows will detect no differences. The only gotcha would be if you tried to run two copies of the same virtual machine -- that won't work. The Migration Assistant should handle all of this automatically. If in the future you ever move a VM manually to a different system, make sure you tell Parallels (it will ask) that you have moved the VM rather than copied it. If you tell Parallels it is a copy, Parallels will assign a new MAC address and it will become a new virtual machine WRT software licenses.

Microsoft Office in your Windows VM won't see any change either. Parallels may require you reenter your license key, but you won't have to contact Parallels.
 

NbinHD

macrumors 6502
Original poster
One thing nice about "virtual machines" is that they are indeed virtual machines. When you move the image to the new computer everything is identical to what it was before. Windows will detect no differences. The only gotcha would be if you tried to run two copies of the same virtual machine -- that won't work. The Migration Assistant should handle all of this automatically. If in the future you ever move a VM manually to a different system, make sure you tell Parallels (it will ask) that you have moved the VM rather than copied it. If you tell Parallels it is a copy, Parallels will assign a new MAC address and it will become a new virtual machine WRT software licenses.

Microsoft Office in your Windows VM won't see any change either. Parallels may require you reenter your license key, but you won't have to contact Parallels.

Oh sweet, so just use migration assistant. So if thats the case, when i use migration assistant, does it automatically wipe my original macbook pro back to osx and than moves everything to my new imac. Or will i have to move everything over than manually wipe everything off the old macbook pro and reinstall mac osx? Thanks so much for the help guys.
 

talmy

macrumors 601
Oct 26, 2009
4,725
332
Oregon
So ill need to do that manually after using migration assistant to transfer everything over to my new imac. How does that work though, because wont windows and wont not see that its on two computers but should only be on one?

It won't see anything if you don't run Parallels on both machines at once, and since you will be wiping the old Mac after the migration, this won't be a problem.
 
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