How to back up iTunes before getting new iMac?

[Hitman1717]

I have an external hard drive where I save work files and such, but I’m nervous about making sure I get everything off of my current iMac before getting a new one.

I’m most worried about my iTunes library as I have thousands of songs on my computer. How do I make sure I get everything to the new computer?

 

[Fishrrman]

Fishrrman's "you can do it!" routine for migrating to a new Mac:

If you follow my instructions below, I guarantee a success rate of 98%:
PRINT OUT these instructions and check them off as you go along.

1. BEFORE you do anything else, run a "final" backup on your old Mac. Use an external drive for this. It can be either TM or a cloned backup using CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper. I prefer CCC.
I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO NOT USE TM AS YOUR "MIGRATION EXTERNAL DRIVE". INSTEAD, USE EITHER CCC OR SD. Things will go better this way!
2. Shut down the old Mac and disconnect the external drive
3. Take the new Mac out of the box and set it up on the table. DO NOT PRESS THE POWER ON BUTTON until step 8 (read on). You don't want to begin setup until "the right moment".
4. If you're using an external display, connect the display using the usb-c/VGA adapter/cable that you have
5. Connect the keyboard and mouse if you use them. I STRONGLY SUGGEST that you connect them DIRECTLY to the Mac.
6. If you use a hub, leave it DISCONNECTED for now
7. Connect your backup drive -- use a usb-c adapter if needed.

OK, we're ready-to-go, so let's get goin':
8. Press the power on button for the first time.
9. The new Mac may ask for help "finding" the keyboard, just follow instructions.
10. Begin setup. At the appropriate moment, setup assistant will ask if you wish to migrate from another Mac or drive. YES, you want to do this.
11. "Aim" setup assistant at the external backup. Setup assistant will need a little time to "digest it all". BE PATIENT and give setup assistant the time it needs.
12. You will now see a list of things that can be migrated, such as applications, accounts, settings and data.
13. I suggest that you select ALL of them.
14. Let setup assistant "do its thing". It's going to TAKE A WHILE to move things over. Again, be patient. If you have a lot "of stuff", it will take a lot of time!
15. When done, you should see the login screen. Go ahead and login.
16. Once logged in, things should look pretty much as they looked on your old Mac.
17. You should check all your apps. Some may not run, and may require upgrading.
18. You can set aside the old backup, or ... "repurpose it" to become the backup for the new Mac. I'd keep the old one around for a week or so, at least.

 

[Hitman1717]

Wow. Quite the list. I’m sure you’ve been asked this many times.

Three questions:

1. Can I delete old Time Machine files from an external drive to make room for new ones?

2. What if I don’t want everything from my old computer on my new computer?

3. Will your method definitely bring all of my songs over to the new computer’s iTunes?

 

[Hitman1717]

The one area where a PC is way better is for backing up files and songs. I wish Macs would let me see all the songs on my hard drive

 

[Hitman1717]

I’ve used an external hard drive as the location for Time Machine backups. Now I want to back up the external and the original hard drive to a new external hard drive.

I just ran a Time Machine back up to the new external. Will that grab everything from both the old external and the hard drive?

 

[niteflyr]

Time Machine normally excludes external drives. In Time Machine Preferences under options you can remove it from the exclude list and then it should back it up also.

 

[Hitman1717]

I believe the Time Machine backup from the hard drive worked. Hard to tell.

I just tried to copy and paste all the folders from my old external to the new one.

However, I got the error message, “The volume is in the wrong format for backup.”

 

[Hitman1717]

Can anyone offer a solution?

 

[Fishrrman]

If the migration from the tm backup "worked", there's no need to "copy folders" from the external to the new drive, because they should be already there.

Have you checked as to whether the folders you want to copy are already extant on the new Mac?

 

[Hitman1717]

If the migration from the tm backup "worked", there's no need to "copy folders" from the external to the new drive, because they should be already there.

Have you checked as to whether the folders you want to copy are already extant on the new Mac?

It looks like Time Machine backed up the hard drive from the Mac, but it didn’t back up everything on the old external hard drive. And I’m pretty sure the external is where my ITunes music is and where my photos are.