Migration and Time Machine

Hi

I have a 2008 imac with a drobo attached via FW which serves as a primary back up for my mac (2 partitions..... 1 for time machine and 1 for my media and photo catalogue etc)

When my BTO arrives in January, I'll be looking to use the migration assistant to move everything over to the new machine, but as I have new versions of photoshop and lightroom etc to go on the machine I don't want it to copy any apps other than mail with all it's contents. If I choose not to migrate apps, will mail STILL move over and set up under the migration process?

Also, with regards to time machine, I'd like to get the new machine up and running with the new software etc and make a back up of the machine on the drobo.....would I need to delete the existing time machine backup's from the old machine.....or is it smart enough to work out the latest update was from a different machine/config ?

I've not done this before as the current imac was my first, but cant take a chance on nuking a back up in case the new machine goes fubar during an automated migration.

Thanks in advance

 

Thanks for the reply, when you say the settings for mail will come over it will bring all mails from sent and inbox from all accounts too? (i have 4 mail addresses set up on this machine for work and personal stuff)

Sounds great with the time machine bit, I currently let it live in a 500gb partition on my drobo and it should over write older copies as space runs low but there's currently loads of room to start another and then manually delete the previous back up once I know everything is in order.

 

Great stuff

 

Sorry to bump this again....my new 27 is due in a few hours

If I use the migration assistant and don't allow it to transfer apps (because i want to install new versions on the clean install) will it still copy my itunes music and coverart etc in the same way all my mails will come over?

I completely forgot to ask about the itunes and don't want the new mack to wipe my phone and ipad

 

Awesome, thank you again