Copy emails and settings to new Mac

[UKmacman]

I am currently using a MacBook Air on OS X 10.7.5. I have just ordered a new MacBooks pro retina and it seems like a good idea to start again and just manually transfer the files I want. However I would like to move all my emails and their settings as is. So the questions.

Can I move them from the version I am using straight to the new computer?

How am I best to do this? Through time machine? If so is there a guide for just doing the email and not anything else?

Many thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Weaselboy]

What email provider are you using? If it uses IMAP, all your email will be on their server and you can just enter the credentials on the new machine and the messages will be downloaded.

 

[UKmacman]

I use gmail but I have a slightly complex combination of pop and smap so that I can check emails on mobile and the ones I don't delete from the mobile download onto the desktop so that I can store them off line. Don't use the online facility for email in general.

 

[chabig]

The best way to move your stuff over is with Migration Assistant. There are other ways but that is by far the best and easiest. What "seems like a good idea" is just going to cause you more work, and maybe some grief. Keep it simple.

 

[Weaselboy]

I use gmail but I have a slightly complex combination of pop and smap so that I can check emails on mobile and the ones I don't delete from the mobile download onto the desktop so that I can store them off line. Don't use the online facility for email in general.

If that is the case, I'm with chabig to just use Migration Assistant to move everything over.

 

[UKmacman]

Can you just do email with migration assistant? Will this copy all settings and stored off line emails?

 

[Weaselboy]

Can you just do email with migration assistant? Will this copy all settings and stored off line emails?

Yes Migration Assistant will move over whatever you currently have in Mail, but it can't bring only Mail over. There are broad categories you can deselect in for migration.

You can see in this screenshot where you can deselect the Pictures folder for example.

 

[UKmacman]

Thanks for this but is there a way just to move the email settings and older emails. I really don't want anything else at the moment. There must be a way?

 

[chabig]

Thanks for this but is there a way just to move the email settings and older emails. I really don't want anything else at the moment. There must be a way?

Use migration assistant and then delete the stuff you don't want.

 

[UKmacman]

What is email classed under ? Applications? I guess in theory if it is I could simply delete all of the other applications and then do it. Would that work?

 

[Weaselboy]

What is email classed under ? Applications? I guess in theory if it is I could simply delete all of the other applications and then do it. Would that work?

No, that would just be Applications themselves. I believe if you just checked the user name (apple in my screenshot) and then settings down below that, you would be okay.

It is possible to manually move Mail messages over, but you would need to know exactly which folders to move and how, plus all the accompanying settings files (plist files).

So it can be done, but there is more to it than us just telling you to move one folder over.

 

[Fishrrman]

Just a side comment:

I've used Migration Assistant before (using a "cloned backup" as my source), with good results.

One additional feature I'd like to see in MA is the ability for the user to select -which- Applications to migrate. Granted, this might result in a relatively long list of checkboxes for the user to check/uncheck, but it would be nice to have the option there in any case...

 

[chabig]

I disagree. Migration Assistant doesn't need new features like that. It doesn't need additional complexity. Let's let it do one thing and do that one thing very well. If you don't want all of the applications, delete the ones you don't want after the migration is complete.