Giving away Mac Mini how to save all my files?

[xxRONNIExx]

I asked this question awhile back and Im still somewhat confused. Im giving my mac mini away. I plan to buy a new iMac once they come out. Whats the best way for me to save all my informations from the Mac mini and have it transferred to and external HD and saved until my new imac I gets it?
I know I can use carbon copy or superduper but is it just a matter of transferring files from my Mac mini HD to an external HD then onto my new Imac? or do I have to do some kind of formatting the external HD.
My main concern is not losing all of my iTunes music...

 

[simsaladimbamba]

To use an external HDD in conjunction with CCC or SD, you have to format the external HDD in "Mac OS Extended" via Disk Utility.

Format Your Hard Drive Using Disk Utility
Partition Your Hard Drive With Disk Utility

Using Disk Utility - Formatting, Partitioning, Verifying, and Repairing Disks
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FAT32 (File Allocation Table)

• Read/Write FAT32 from both native Windows and native Mac OS X.
• Maximum file size: 4GB.
• Maximum volume size: 2TB

NTFS (Windows NT File System)

• Read/Write NTFS from native Windows.
• Read only NTFS from native Mac OS X
• To Read/Write/Format NTFS from Mac OS X: Install NTFS-3G for Mac OS X (free)
• Some have reported problems using Tuxera (approx 33USD).
• Native NTFS support can be enabled in Snow Leopard, but is not advisable, due to instability.
• AirPort Extreme (802.11n) and Time Capsule do not support NTFS
• Maximum file size: 16 TB
• Maximum volume size: 256TB

HFS+ (Hierarchical File System, a.k.a. Mac OS Extended)

• Read/Write HFS+ from native Mac OS X
• Required for Time Machine or Carbon Copy Cloner backups of Mac internal hard drive.
• To Read/Write HFS+ from Windows, Install MacDrive
• To Read HFS+ (but not Write) from Windows, Install HFSExplorer
• Maximum file size: 8EiB
• Maximum volume size: 8EiB

exFAT (FAT64)

• Supported in Mac OS X only in 10.6.5 or later.
• exFAT partitions created with OS X 10.6.5 are inaccessible from Windows 7
• Not all Windows versions support exFAT. See disadvantages.
• exFAT (Extended File Allocation Table)
• AirPort Extreme (802.11n) and Time Capsule do not support exFAT
• Maximum file size: 16 EiB
• Maximum volume size: 64 ZiB

 

[xxRONNIExx]

Okay so once my HD is formatted correctly is it just a matter of transferring everything from my external to my new iMac? Apps, movies, music (iTunes), should be on my new iMac?

 

[Dave Braine]

Make a clone of your Mini on the external drive, using Carbon Copy Cloner or Super Duper, and then, when you get your iMac, you can use Migration Assistant to transfer all your account settings and files from the external drive to the new Mac.

 

[YanniDepp]

I've used this whenever I've bought a new Mac or upgraded a hard drive and it's never let me down.

http://grapefruit.ch/iBackup/index.html