Maclcf - I recently was given a 2015 27” iMac from my brother in law who went to a Windows machine. He said the iMac was slow and wanted a faster machine. I have a 2009 21.5” iMac that is extremely slow and according to my son is in danger of dying upon any startup. My question to those who may have done this before or who know what they are doing, I don’t. Can I erase the 27” iMac and then copy the old 2009 iMac to the newer erased 2015 iMac? I did look at Apple guides but they seemed a bit vague and the terminology was unfamiliar for the most part. It is very daunting to possibly improperly erase the newer machine and somehow cobble it by my mistakes, let alone lose the older computers data by not transferring it properly. Folks that 27” iMac screen is amazing and I would hate to screw up this opportunity to get to use it even if it is only for a few years before it fails. Looking for your guidance please.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iM 4,1-14,4 Copying 2009 iMac to a newer 20015 iMac - need help with possibility and procedure
- Thread starter Maclf
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
The safest/easiest way to migrate user info is to use the Migration Assistant. It copies data (not move it), so non-destructive. No risk of anything getting lost or deleted.
Transfer to a new Mac with Migration Assistant - Apple Support
Use Migration Assistant to copy your files from another computer.
support.apple.com
Last edited:
The important bit is it is easiest to do this right after the new(er) Mac has been erased and new OS has been installed. Follow the video steps during the initial setup, and it will walk you through it.
Thank you for this information and video.The safest/easiest way to migrate user info is to use the Migration Assistant. It copies, so non-destructive. No risk of anything getting lost or deleted.
Transfer to a new Mac with Migration Assistant - Apple Support
Use Migration Assistant to copy your files from another computer.support.apple.com
Once done, log into the new(er) Mac and check everything. Once satisfied, you can boot the old Mac to recovery mode and erase it, so it can go to someone else or ewaste with no risk of data theft.
If you find the new(er) Mac is NOT to your liking (stuff missing or broken), the old Mac is still in the same state (unchanged), so you can compare and possibly move specific things manually.
Keep in mind when one moves forward several OSes, there will be some changes, and it is common that some applications will no longer work on the new(er) OS. This is the price of progress; if you have some of these, you can either find/buy newer versions of applications or find a replacement app.
If you find the new(er) Mac is NOT to your liking (stuff missing or broken), the old Mac is still in the same state (unchanged), so you can compare and possibly move specific things manually.
Keep in mind when one moves forward several OSes, there will be some changes, and it is common that some applications will no longer work on the new(er) OS. This is the price of progress; if you have some of these, you can either find/buy newer versions of applications or find a replacement app.
Thank you for your help! I was able to restore the newer iMac and then upload my older iMac to the newer one. Appreciate the guidance!