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Giving iMac to grandson, buying new one for me

C

capecod5947

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 6, 2013
41
0
Cape cod
I am giving my 27 inch iMac to my grandson for his 13th birthday next week. Ive never done this before, I always put a computer back to factory specs and erase the hard drive before giving one away.
But this time, I want to give my grandson the big iMac, but to keep on the older versions of PS and a lot of 3rd party software which he wants to use and will want later.

I need to get rid of all my tax, bank, old email, iTunes music, iPhoto, and stuff like that.

And I will be buying a new 27 inch iMac next week to replace it.

I read that I should make a clone of that mac with either Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper. Then I should use Migration Assistant to move my stuff from the old iMac to the new one, then if it looks OK, then to go ahead and delete my user account.

Also will all my programs such as Photoshop and all the third party software come over as well? Probably have to enter all the serial #s. Hope not. I know I will have to deactivate some of my new Adobe programs, and give my grandson the older ones.

This whole process is new to me, and I sure dont want to make a mess of it and lose my stuff.
So glad I found your forum, been reading here and learned a lot already, and chose to start a new thread for this question.
Thank you!!!
Jane
 
I just did something similar.

I've created a full back up of the old machine on an external drive. Next, I did a clean install of the OS on the old machine and created a new user name for my niece. I then used the back up to restore the Applications only (using Migration Assistant). One application gave me trouble, but was easily fixed by restoring the appropriate support folder using Time Machine (select, "browse other" in the time machine options). All other applications came over and work fine.

On the new machine, I just restored from backup. Done.

I'm not sure this is the best way to do it, but it worked for me. I'm sure others will offer additional suggestions. There is probably a way to do it without a clean instal, but I'm a little OCD and felt more comfortable this way.

Good luck and enjoy the new machine!
 
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This sounds exactly what I want to do!
Im off to a Mac class, but when back home, I will start to study the process.
Thanks,
Jane
 
capecod5947 said:
I am giving my 27 inch iMac to my grandson for his 13th birthday next week. Ive never done this before, I always put a computer back to factory specs and erase the hard drive before giving one away.
But this time, I want to give my grandson the big iMac, but to keep on the older versions of PS and a lot of 3rd party software which he wants to use and will want later.

I need to get rid of all my tax, bank, old email, iTunes music, iPhoto, and stuff like that.

And I will be buying a new 27 inch iMac next week to replace it.

I read that I should make a clone of that mac with either Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper. Then I should use Migration Assistant to move my stuff from the old iMac to the new one, then if it looks OK, then to go ahead and delete my user account.

Also will all my programs such as Photoshop and all the third party software come over as well? Probably have to enter all the serial #s. Hope not. I know I will have to deactivate some of my new Adobe programs, and give my grandson the older ones.

This whole process is new to me, and I sure dont want to make a mess of it and lose my stuff.
So glad I found your forum, been reading here and learned a lot already, and chose to start a new thread for this question.
Thank you!!!
Jane
Click to expand...

Very generous! Can I be your grandson too? :)

Seriously, that's a very nice gesture and I think Mike's plan would work for you.
 
If you want to just wipe the drive and do a clean install, see my post (it's #3) in this thread that I wrote earlier. It's what I just did with my sister buying my old MBP (and about to do the same with my iMac, after I get my new one). And it worked really well, and was pretty easy.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1667925/
 
capecod5947 said:
I am giving my 27 inch iMac to my grandson for his 13th birthday next week. Ive never done this before, I always put a computer back to factory specs and erase the hard drive before giving one away.
But this time, I want to give my grandson the big iMac, but to keep on the older versions of PS and a lot of 3rd party software which he wants to use and will want later.

I need to get rid of all my tax, bank, old email, iTunes music, iPhoto, and stuff like that.

And I will be buying a new 27 inch iMac next week to replace it.

I read that I should make a clone of that mac with either Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper. Then I should use Migration Assistant to move my stuff from the old iMac to the new one, then if it looks OK, then to go ahead and delete my user account.

Also will all my programs such as Photoshop and all the third party software come over as well? Probably have to enter all the serial #s. Hope not. I know I will have to deactivate some of my new Adobe programs, and give my grandson the older ones.

This whole process is new to me, and I sure dont want to make a mess of it and lose my stuff.
So glad I found your forum, been reading here and learned a lot already, and chose to start a new thread for this question.
Thank you!!!
Jane
Click to expand...

In your case, I suggest you first create a new user account for your grandson (as an admin, before you deliver it to him). Then, use Migration Assistant to transfer everything to your new iMac. After that, delete your current user account. This will wipe off all your personal data from the hard drive, while keeping the apps available for your grandson's user account. The trick here is to create your grandson's user account before wiping off your own.

Can I be your grandson too? :D
 
Good stuff. I'm going to be doing the same with my 24" iMac and giving it to my niece. She's a junior in college and it will supplement her Macbook Pro.

I think I'm going to do what MikeChicago stated above, but I'd like to give her Mavericks instead of Leopard, which is what came with my iMac.

I have my Snow Leopard DVD, but can I do a fresh install with this DVD after doing a wipe? Or, do I have to use the USB dongle that came with my iMac, boot from that and then install Leopard, and then upgrade?

Thanks for any help.
 
yjchua95 said:
In your case, I suggest you first create a new user account for your grandson (as an admin, before you deliver it to him). Then, use Migration Assistant to transfer everything to your new iMac. After that, delete your current user account. This will wipe off all your personal data from the hard drive, while keeping the apps available for your grandson's user account. The trick here is to create your grandson's user account before wiping off your own.

Can I be your grandson too? :D
Click to expand...

I don't think this will actually "wipe" your data, it will just remove it from visibility via OS X. If someone were so inclined, they could recover your data which is still present on the disk (not to say the grandson would be so inclined here :) ). I would delete anything unwanted first, then empty the trash,and then using DiskUtility, secure ERASE FREE SPACE to totally overwrite the tracks which contained any data.
 
hfg said:
I don't think this will actually "wipe" your data, it will just remove it from visibility via OS X. If someone were so inclined, they could recover your data which is still present on the disk (not to say the grandson would be so inclined here :) ). I would delete anything unwanted first, then empty the trash,and then using DiskUtility, secure ERASE FREE SPACE to totally overwrite the tracks which contained any data.
Click to expand...

I know that. With a utility like Data Rescue 3, you still can recover it. What I mean wipe is like when you delete the existing user, OS X will come up with a prompt on whether to keep all the user's files in a disk image or erase it.

But I don't think the grandson will take the hassle to recover the data using Data Rescue 3.

Any file that you delete actually does remain on the drive, but for the average user, it's deleted. But for advanced users, it's not deleted until you overwrite it 30 times with zeros.
 
Here's an example of deleting your user account with all its data:
 

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YMark said:
Good stuff. I'm going to be doing the same with my 24" iMac and giving it to my niece. She's a junior in college and it will supplement her Macbook Pro.

I think I'm going to do what MikeChicago stated above, but I'd like to give her Mavericks instead of Leopard, which is what came with my iMac.

I have my Snow Leopard DVD, but can I do a fresh install with this DVD after doing a wipe? Or, do I have to use the USB dongle that came with my iMac, boot from that and then install Leopard, and then upgrade?

Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...

This is the article I followed to completely wipe my drive and load Mavericks. You can choose how securely you want to wipe it.

http://mashable.com/2013/10/23/clean-install-os-x-mavericks/
 
Great links and great advice!

Great info, thank you all!!!
There actually isnt any sensitive date on the Mac besides some income tax returns Ive done for us and friends.
Just getting rid of my user account would be fine.

I dont think I will bother to upgrade to Mavericks, as he really doesnt need the new stuff. I went to a Mavericks intro class yesterday, and it wont make any difference to his homework or Minecraft. Maybe later on.

Will need Keynote for his homework, and it will convert to Powerpoint from what I hear, and back too.

In Users & Groups, thanks for the screenshot, I will follow it exactly. "Delete the home folder" "Delete User"

I did buy a Seagate ext. HD, so will make a clone of the Mac today. Then when I get the new one(did customize it with more RAM on the order), I then will do the Migration Assistant to get my stuff from the old to the new. USB cable OK? Or my wi fi which is fast?

Then will delete my user account after all that is done.

Thanks again!!!
Jane

My grandson is a really good kid, and he will be thrilled to see the box sitting in the living room on his birthday!
 
capecod5947 said:
Great info, thank you all!!!
There actually isnt any sensitive date on the Mac besides some income tax returns Ive done for us and friends.
Just getting rid of my user account would be fine.

I dont think I will bother to upgrade to Mavericks, as he really doesnt need the new stuff. I went to a Mavericks intro class yesterday, and it wont make any difference to his homework or Minecraft. Maybe later on.

Will need Keynote for his homework, and it will convert to Powerpoint from what I hear, and back too.

In Users & Groups, thanks for the screenshot, I will follow it exactly. "Delete the home folder" "Delete User"

I did buy a Seagate ext. HD, so will make a clone of the Mac today. Then when I get the new one(did customize it with more RAM on the order), I then will do the Migration Assistant to get my stuff from the old to the new. USB cable OK? Or my wi fi which is fast?

Then will delete my user account after all that is done.

Thanks again!!!
Jane

My grandson is a really good kid, and he will be thrilled to see the box sitting in the living room on his birthday!
Click to expand...

Talking about Mavericks, I think you're going to need it. The new iWork in the App Store doesn't work on anything else other than Mavericks.

I suggest you use Migration Assistant over a gigabit Ethernet interface. Much faster than either USB or Wi-fi.
 
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OK, I will upgrade it to Mavericks, then he would have access to all the new good stuff. Glad you told me.

When I use Migration Asst. do you mean that I can leave my ethernet cables plugged into my router, and do it this way? Or plug the clone that I will put on my new external HD into the new Mac and do it that way?
In other words, use the clone to accomplish this?

Never done Migration asst before, its the connections that I guess I dont understand how to do.
I came across this, what do you think of it?
http://pondini.org/OSX/Migrate.html

Thanks again,
Jane
 
capecod5947 said:
OK, I will upgrade it to Mavericks, then he would have access to all the new good stuff. Glad you told me.

When I use Migration Asst. do you mean that I can leave my ethernet cables plugged into my router, and do it this way? Or plug the clone that I will put on my new external HD into the new Mac and do it that way?
In other words, use the clone to accomplish this?

Never done Migration asst before, its the connections that I guess I dont understand how to do.
I came across this, what do you think of it?
http://pondini.org/OSX/Migrate.html

Thanks again,
Jane
Click to expand...

I actually ended up doing both on two different Macs (old and new).
For new, I did a direct transfer between old and new computers using Migration Assistant with an ethernet cable directly connected between both. No routers or anything involved.

I then needed to get some apps back onto the old Mac after it had been wiped and upgraded to Mavericks, and for that i used a clone of the old Macs hard disk connected via USB, and then used Migration Assistant for that also.

Finally yes I came across that article and read it but the process is pretty simple, (leaving aside the issue I initially had with a mysteriously corrupted Time Machine backup which was my first plan to migrate). Moral of the story, back everything up as many times as you can and dont wipe anything from the original until you are really sure its on the new, and its backed up and you checked the backup is OK.

Possibly being paranoid :eek: but I had a clone on one disk, a TM backup on another, a backup of iTunes and iphoto and Documents (eg all my key user data) on yet another disk, and an offsite backup of all those, plus the data on the original Mac as well :D
 
I am backing up the old 27 using Time Machine right now, its going OK.
Then I will get the new 27 and do just exactly what you say, get the ethernet cable directly connected between the 2. I needed to know that, as somebody local said I could go thru the router, I was leery of that.

So I sure will take your advice, and back up probably twice. I really need my family pictures, my iTunes music is on another Mac and on my iPod, so I dont worry about that.
Its the pictures and the web page making stuff, and some documents that I need to save. Tax stuff and things like that.

Then when the new 27 arrives, Should I hook it right up with the ethernet cable and go ahead with Migration Asst..?

My user account, Im assuming is all on the backup?
Do I have to do anything with that separately?

Thank you for this clear explanation!
Once I finish moving my stuff to the new Mac, then I can delete my user account from the old one, and finish setting up his user account, and make him admin.

He was here after school wondering why I didn't let him use the computer,,,,,said I was working with my brother's South Pacific pictures,,,,,,so he wouldn't see what was going on.
 
capecod5947 said:
OK, I will upgrade it to Mavericks, then he would have access to all the new good stuff. Glad you told me.

When I use Migration Asst. do you mean that I can leave my ethernet cables plugged into my router, and do it this way? Or plug the clone that I will put on my new external HD into the new Mac and do it that way?
In other words, use the clone to accomplish this?

Never done Migration asst before, its the connections that I guess I dont understand how to do.
I came across this, what do you think of it?
http://pondini.org/OSX/Migrate.html

Thanks again,
Jane
Click to expand...

If you plug it through a router, the router must be able to support Gigabit first.

If you plug the Ethernet cable between both Macs directly, make sure the cable is also Gigabit capable.

----------
capecod5947 said:
I am backing up the old 27 using Time Machine right now, its going OK.
Then I will get the new 27 and do just exactly what you say, get the ethernet cable directly connected between the 2. I needed to know that, as somebody local said I could go thru the router, I was leery of that.

So I sure will take your advice, and back up probably twice. I really need my family pictures, my iTunes music is on another Mac and on my iPod, so I dont worry about that.
Its the pictures and the web page making stuff, and some documents that I need to save. Tax stuff and things like that.

Then when the new 27 arrives, Should I hook it right up with the ethernet cable and go ahead with Migration Asst..?

My user account, Im assuming is all on the backup?
Do I have to do anything with that separately?

Thank you for this clear explanation!
Once I finish moving my stuff to the new Mac, then I can delete my user account from the old one, and finish setting up his user account, and make him admin.

He was here after school wondering why I didn't let him use the computer,,,,,said I was working with my brother's South Pacific pictures,,,,,,so he wouldn't see what was going on.
Click to expand...

When it arrives, just hook the two Macs together up and start Migration Assistant.

I haven't used it before, because I have several different Macs in my house, all for different purposes, so I don't keep them in sync (although they're all connected to a network attached storage).

From what I know, everything in your home directory will be migrated to the new Mac. But no harm in doing a second backup anyway.
 
capecod5947 said:
Then when the new 27 arrives, Should I hook it right up with the ethernet cable and go ahead with Migration Asst..?
Click to expand...

Either that, or the TM disk, either should work the same. I had an unusual problem so the TM transfer didn't work and that's why I did a direct transfer, but they both operate the same way.

Once you have done it everything should be transferred.User accounts, data, apps, settings, everything.

I had a couple of minor glitches of a few settings that didnt xfer, and Photoshop Elements didnt get across or at least it did but it fails on start up, I'd reinstall it but I'm thinking of getting something else or a newer version anyway so probably wont bother.
 
This is good news, I have 2 options. And will be able to save PSE and move it over later on. I know I have to disable/think the word is Deactivate, PS and a couple more Adobe programs, as they only will be active on 2 computers. So I will leave PS6 for me and give him older versions of PSE. Then re-activate the newest versions of PS and PSE on my new Mac.

I have so many versions of PSE and PS, that I will be OK with it. (Even the really old versions which let you use paper currency for my webpage background images.)

I need to know if my ethernet cables are Gigabite? But how would I tell, just pull them out of the router and put one between both Macs and fire them up and hope for the best.

Actually Time Machine backed up everything in only 3 hours.
 
capecod5947 said:
This is good news, I have 2 options. And will be able to save PSE and move it over later on. I know I have to disable/think the word is Deactivate, PS and a couple more Adobe programs, as they only will be active on 2 computers. So I will leave PS6 for me and give him older versions of PSE. Then re-activate the newest versions of PS and PSE on my new Mac.

I have so many versions of PSE and PS, that I will be OK with it. (Even the really old versions which let you use paper currency for my webpage background images.)

I need to know if my ethernet cables are Gigabite? But how would I tell, just pull them out of the router and put one between both Macs and fire them up and hope for the best.

Actually Time Machine backed up everything in only 3 hours.
Click to expand...

For me, before I buy Ethernet cables, I ask my vendor first.

To test, I also just plug it between two Macs and do a file transfer test, monitoring the speed through the Network tab of Activity Monitor.
 
Thats great advice, I do have a lot of ethernet cables, most are used by my router, but I have more also. Some new within the last few years.

Will try that file transfer.

I also do network the Macs together, I go to Go/Network, and then I just bring the hard drive of one or the other Mac up on the other's desktop, and I can look at it or transfer files easily. I dont know if thats the way its supposed to be done, but its the way I do it anyway. Being mostly self taught, I admit I have very odd workarounds. But I can see and use both hard drives on both on either desktop.
Screenshot,,,,,
 

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capecod5947 said:
Thats great advice, I do have a lot of ethernet cables, most are used by my router, but I have more also. Some new within the last few years.

Will try that file transfer.

I also do network the Macs together, I go to Go/Network, and then I just bring the hard drive of one or the other Mac up on the other's desktop, and I can look at it or transfer files easily. I dont know if thats the way its supposed to be done, but its the way I do it anyway. Being mostly self taught, I admit I have very odd workarounds. But I can see and use both hard drives on both on either desktop.
Screenshot,,,,,
Click to expand...

I do more or less the same way. I just connect my Macs together, and then open up a new Finder window, connect to the other Mac, and then move the files from one Mac to the other.

How about this. If you have a FireWire 800 cable, you could transfer data using Target Disk mode.

EDIT: If the older Mac is also Thunderbolt capable and you have a Thunderbolt cable with you, hook both Macs up via Thunderbolt and use Target Disk mode. I can't elaborate about it at this moment because I'm preparing for my Cambridge exams tomorrow, so I'm just giving it in broad strokes. Hope it helps :) http://support.apple.com/kb/PH10725 Here's the target disk mode support article.
 
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