I’ve been using Migration Assistant for some time now and it always creates an exact duplicate of the computer it came from on the new computer. What that does however is create a computer with the same name as the old one and same user account name as the old one. For instance, the user on my M1 Studio Ultra is named MacBook Pro. Is there some way during the setup process to use Migration Assistant and change the name of the Computer/User? If not, is there a way to setup the computer manually and then use Migration Assistant afterwards to bring over the Apps & Data? Thanks.
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Migration assistant - All or nothing?
- Thread starter Daverich4
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Yes. You can go through set up and create an admin user. Once booted, you can launch Migration Assistant and migrate applications and some data after. If you create an account on the new Mac with same name as the account on the old Mac, MA will ask if you want to replace the same named account on the new Mac or transfer the old account but rename it.
Transfer to a new Mac with Migration Assistant - Apple Support
Use Migration Assistant to copy your files from another computer.
" If not, is there a way to setup the computer manually and then use Migration Assistant afterwards to bring over the Apps & Data?"
Yes.
I've done exactly that.
What you need to do the job right is:
- an external drive (can be SSD or HDD)
- cloning software (such as CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper)
The idea here is to:
1. create a cloned backup of the old Mac with the old account
2. set up the NEW Mac with a NEW account (and nothing else)
3. connect the cloned backup and migrate things over "by hand" (you need to take care of permissions problems)
I recommend SuperDuper for the cloning job because
- it's free to download and use for this job
and
- it's about the easiest-to-use app you'll find out there
When the new Mac arrives:
Before you take it out of the box, run the cloning job on the old Mac.
Now unbox the NEW Mac and put it on the table.
Connect the cloned backup
Begin setup
Create your NEW account -- just a username and password for now (worry about the other stuff, like your Apple account, later)
Now it's time for a decision:
Do you want to migrate the apps on the backup, or not?
Reason why you should give this thought:
If the Mac you're migrating FROM is pretty old, the apps may be, too.
You could migrate them, and then discover that they either need upgrades or replacements.
It's up to you.
Now, for the "other stuff"...
Before you do anything with the backup, you need to do this to over-ride possible permissions problems:
Click on the icon of the backup ONE time to select it
Bring up the get info box for it (type "command-i")
At the bottom of get info, click the lock and enter the password you're using on the NEW Mac account
Put a check into "ignore ownership on this volume" (sharing and permissions)
Close get info
Now you can copy from the backup to the new account, and all that you copy will assume "ownership" under the NEW account.
Now it's time to get a piece of paper and pencil. You're going to need to keep notes.
BE AWARE that you CANNOT copy the "top level" of folders in your old account to the new one. By this I mean the folders named documents, music, library, photos, movies, etc.
HOWEVER -- you CAN copy [almost?] all of the files and folders that are INSIDE OF these folders. That includes things like preferences, etc.
This is why you need to keep some jotted-down notes, to "know where you are".
As I said, I've done this before.
It -IS- "a job".
But it can be done.
One just has to do it step-by-step, in the right order...
Final thought:
Is the "new account name" really that important to you?
Yes.
I've done exactly that.
What you need to do the job right is:
- an external drive (can be SSD or HDD)
- cloning software (such as CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper)
The idea here is to:
1. create a cloned backup of the old Mac with the old account
2. set up the NEW Mac with a NEW account (and nothing else)
3. connect the cloned backup and migrate things over "by hand" (you need to take care of permissions problems)
I recommend SuperDuper for the cloning job because
- it's free to download and use for this job
and
- it's about the easiest-to-use app you'll find out there
When the new Mac arrives:
Before you take it out of the box, run the cloning job on the old Mac.
Now unbox the NEW Mac and put it on the table.
Connect the cloned backup
Begin setup
Create your NEW account -- just a username and password for now (worry about the other stuff, like your Apple account, later)
Now it's time for a decision:
Do you want to migrate the apps on the backup, or not?
Reason why you should give this thought:
If the Mac you're migrating FROM is pretty old, the apps may be, too.
You could migrate them, and then discover that they either need upgrades or replacements.
It's up to you.
Now, for the "other stuff"...
Before you do anything with the backup, you need to do this to over-ride possible permissions problems:
Click on the icon of the backup ONE time to select it
Bring up the get info box for it (type "command-i")
At the bottom of get info, click the lock and enter the password you're using on the NEW Mac account
Put a check into "ignore ownership on this volume" (sharing and permissions)
Close get info
Now you can copy from the backup to the new account, and all that you copy will assume "ownership" under the NEW account.
Now it's time to get a piece of paper and pencil. You're going to need to keep notes.
BE AWARE that you CANNOT copy the "top level" of folders in your old account to the new one. By this I mean the folders named documents, music, library, photos, movies, etc.
HOWEVER -- you CAN copy [almost?] all of the files and folders that are INSIDE OF these folders. That includes things like preferences, etc.
This is why you need to keep some jotted-down notes, to "know where you are".
As I said, I've done this before.
It -IS- "a job".
But it can be done.
One just has to do it step-by-step, in the right order...
Final thought:
Is the "new account name" really that important to you?
Thanks for getting back to me. After reviewing the link you posted it's not clear to me that I'll get the option to rename the user unless there's already a user by that name on the new computer. Do you know if I'll get that choice whether there's an existing user or not? And the article doesn't mention renaming the computer at all. Currently my Studio Ultra is named Main Mac Mini because that's where the Migration came from. There are other computers on the network named Main Mac Mini (2) & Main Mac Mini (3). I'd like to get away from that if I can. Thanks again.Yes. You can go through set up and create an admin user. Once booted, you can launch Migration Assistant and migrate applications and some data after. If you create an account on the new Mac with same name as the account on the old Mac, MA will ask if you want to replace the same named account on the new Mac or transfer the old account but rename it.
Transfer to a new Mac with Migration Assistant - Apple Support
Use Migration Assistant to copy your files from another computer.support.apple.com
" If not, is there a way to setup the computer manually and then use Migration Assistant afterwards to bring over the Apps & Data?"
Yes.
I've done exactly that.
What you need to do the job right is:
- an external drive (can be SSD or HDD)
- cloning software (such as CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper)
The idea here is to:
1. create a cloned backup of the old Mac with the old account
2. set up the NEW Mac with a NEW account (and nothing else)
3. connect the cloned backup and migrate things over "by hand" (you need to take care of permissions problems)
Final thought:
Is the "new account name" really that important to you?
My impression is your process doesn't use Migration Assistant at all? I have multiple Time Machine backups as well as Carbon Copy Cloner but would prefer to do as little "by hand" transferring as possible. Thanks.
Yes
You would have to have a user with the same name already on the new Mac in order to be prompted to rename the to-be-migrated user from the old Mac.
You can change the computer name in Settings > General > Sharing.
The device/Mac name is an easy fix:
Change your computer’s name or local hostname on Mac
The computer name and local hostname of your Mac are displayed on your local network so others on the network can connect to your Mac.
As for the account situation… @Bigwaff suggestion should work:
Can You Use Migration Assistant After Setup? (The Lowdown)
mactakeawaydata.com
Admittedly, it has been a while since I performed the migration post-setup.
Thanks for your help.The device/Mac name is an easy fix:
Change your computer’s name or local hostname on Mac
The computer name and local hostname of your Mac are displayed on your local network so others on the network can connect to your Mac.
As for the account situation… @Bigwaff suggestion should work:
Can You Use Migration Assistant After Setup? (The Lowdown)
Admittedly, it has been a while since I performed the migration post-setup.