Migration Assistant issues (x3)

[cuencap]

I've searched google and this forum pretty extensively without finding any solutions. I'm on my third attempt of trying to migrate 240GB of files to my new iMac from my 2006 iMac (latest version of 10.7.x). Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Attempt 1-migration assistant over wifi. Stopped after realizing it was going to take 81 hours
Attempt 2-migration assistant from time machine. My accounts all came over, but no music or photos. Should I have manually imported these?
Attempt 3-migration assistant via Ethernet (direct connection). It asked me if I want to overwrite the accounts, etc and I said yes. Time started at 31 hours and has increased to 80 hours over the last few hours.

What was the issue with attempt 2 and what is the best way to do this migration?? I like to consider myself a savvy Mac user, but man, this is making me feel like a fool! Yes, I selected all files and all users for each of these attempts...

Thanks!

 

[Mobster1983]

I transferred my files from my 2011 MBA to my new iMac using thunderbolt. It took over 3 hours for 18 GBs. Since your computer is pretty old, don't be surprised if it takes a while.

I tried to migrate from time machine, but it wouldn't read the HD.

 

[Bear]

I've successfully migrated from Time Machine backups multiple times using an external USB drive. Including From 10.7 to 10.8.

 

[cuencap]

4th attempt failed. Erased the new Mac and reloaded mountain lion from scratch. Then tried using migration assistant from time machine (which has everything I own...pictures, videos, music). Accounts, documents, and applications loaded, but no music or photos (a bulk of what I own). Why wouldn't those come across? I even waited to calculate all of the folders I wanted to migrate. Came to 220GB! At first, the transfer said it would take 3hrs, but when I came back 2 hrs later it was finished.

Please help! I don't want to be that guy in the apple store with two iMacs side by side going through migration assistant for 3 hours...!!

 

[MacOG728893]

4th attempt failed. Erased the new Mac and reloaded mountain lion from scratch. Then tried using migration assistant from time machine (which has everything I own...pictures, videos, music). Accounts, documents, and applications loaded, but no music or photos (a bulk of what I own). Why wouldn't those come across? I even waited to calculate all of the folders I wanted to migrate. Came to 220GB! At first, the transfer said it would take 3hrs, but when I came back 2 hrs later it was finished.

Please help! I don't want to be that guy in the apple store with two iMacs side by side going through migration assistant for 3 hours...!!

I don't have the right answer for you, but I can say that I've had nothing but problems with migration assitant. Ive chosen to either go with a clone if it's the same computer or start from scratch it's a new one. Meaning I have all my photos and music backed up on a separate external other than my time machine, then transfer them back over to my new machine after it's been setup.

Not sure of the cause of this though :/

 

[jg321]

You can of course just pull the photos and videos from the TM backup manually, without using migration assistant. Just browse to the Backups.backupdb (or similar - think it's called this!), then follow the path, and copy from there.

 

[cuencap]

My verbage above was incorrect. I've been using the Setup Assistant (very first screen when setting up brand new iMac). Everything but pictures and music comes over...quite annoying! Now Time Machine is asking me if I want to inherit my new Mac as a backup, which will prevent my old computer from backing up to the Time Machine.

 

[Weaselboy]

My verbage above was incorrect. I've been using the Setup Assistant (very first screen when setting up brand new iMac). Everything but pictures and music comes over...quite annoying! Now Time Machine is asking me if I want to inherit my new Mac as a backup, which will prevent my old computer from backing up to the Time Machine.

Answer no to that question and it should make you a new TM backup.

When you go through that process during the setup assistant it is just launching Migration Assistant, so that part of the process is the same.

When you get to this part are you sure you are checking all the boxes and not missing pictures or music?

If you manually look in the TM backup can you see the pictures and music folders and do they contain your data?

Confirm this is all in just one user account?

This is an odd problem I have not seen before with Migration Assistant.

 

[cuencap]

Answer no to that question and it should make you a new TM backup.

When you go through that process during the setup assistant it is just launching Migration Assistant, so that part of the process is the same.

When you get to this part are you sure you are checking all the boxes and not missing pictures or music?

If you manually look in the TM backup can you see the pictures and music folders and do they contain your data?

Confirm this is all in just one user account?

This is an odd problem I have not seen before with Migration Assistant.

Yes to all of your questions:
-The boxes are checked (shows many GBs of data too)
-All under one account
-Folders contain my files

Calling Apple Support this afternoon...this should be fun...

 

[cuencap]

One more thing...when I try to copy the iTunes folder from time machine to my empty music folder, an error eventually pops up telling me it the files can not be copied because two of the folders have the same wording, but one has caps and one does not. Says something about not being able to distinguish between the two...

AppleCare has me redoing migration assistant (which is creating a new user account). 41 hours listed for 140GB over Ethernet. Sounds likes a lot of time to me!

 

[fhopper]

It took 90 minutes to transfer 250GB from an '07 to my new '13. Using migration assistant on my new computer I chose from a network computer. I did have a regular ethernet cable between the 2 but it was not a reverse cable so I doubt it used that, I think it just went over wifi.

 

[eladnova]

Hi cuencap

Hope you got it fixed at this stage. Any updates for someone who may be in the same boat shortly? IE a 1TB transfer of data.

 

[cuencap]

Hi cuencap

Hope you got it fixed at this stage. Any updates for someone who may be in the same boat shortly? IE a 1TB transfer of data.

AppleCare has been of no help at all. Tech #1 had me use migration assistant for only my music, photos, and movies. After four hours of transferring over Ethernet, the time said 65 hours. Technician #2 told me to quit it and manually drag and drop folders. When I told him about my upper case and lower case file name issue, he simply told me to use home sharing! When I asked either of the two AppleCare reps additional questions, they both said they didn't know the answer.

I'm deeply frustrated because a) as cliche as it sounds, moving from iMac to iMac is supposed to just work, b) AppleCare is of no help and c) after googling this issue, nobody has a solution!!

 

[Weaselboy]

One more thing...when I try to copy the iTunes folder from time machine to my empty music folder, an error eventually pops up telling me it the files can not be copied because two of the folders have the same wording, but one has caps and one does not. Says something about not being able to distinguish between the two...

If you cannot manually move over the folder contents, then I suspect MA can't either. This "case sensitive" issue is your problem. I bet if you check in Disk Util you have formatted the drive on the old machine as case sensitive and that is the problem. Formatting in case sensitive is a bad idea and often causes problems like this.

Give this thread a look. It is another user having the exact problem you are. More discussion in this thread.

How much free space do you have on the internal drive on the old machine? Can you add a non-case sensitive partition there and move the data there, then try moving it from there maybe over a network share to the new machine.

You may need to manually ID these files and change them like described in the two threads I linked.

At least I think we know the problem now. Please confirm my suspicions, because now I am curious.

 

[cuencap]

If you cannot manually move over the folder contents, then I suspect MA can't either. This "case sensitive" issue is your problem. I bet if you check in Disk Util you have formatted the drive on the old machine as case sensitive and that is the problem. Formatting in case sensitive is a bad idea and often causes problems like this.

Give this thread a look. It is another user having the exact problem you are. More discussion in this thread.

How much free space do you have on the internal drive on the old machine? Can you add a non-case sensitive partition there and move the data there, then try moving it from there maybe over a network share to the new machine.

You may need to manually ID these files and change them like described in the two threads I linked.

At least I think we know the problem now. Please confirm my suspicions, because now I am curious.

This potential solution is the best idea I've come across! Thanks a lot...I'll check it out tonight and let you know. A while back I had to reformat my old iMac; I'm wondering if I reformatted as case-sensitive. Again, I'll let you know tonight.

 

[cuencap]

If you cannot manually move over the folder contents, then I suspect MA can't either. This "case sensitive" issue is your problem. I bet if you check in Disk Util you have formatted the drive on the old machine as case sensitive and that is the problem. Formatting in case sensitive is a bad idea and often causes problems like this.

Give this thread a look. It is another user having the exact problem you are. More discussion in this thread.

How much free space do you have on the internal drive on the old machine? Can you add a non-case sensitive partition there and move the data there, then try moving it from there maybe over a network share to the new machine.

You may need to manually ID these files and change them like described in the two threads I linked.

At least I think we know the problem now. Please confirm my suspicions, because now I am curious.

Well...long ago, I somehow managed to reformat my hard drive as case sensitive. Now I just need to find the most painless solution! I'm assuming this is the case for ALL of my files and now just my music, movie and photo files? At least I know the issue now and can search for the most painless way! Thanks a TON Weaselboy!

 

[fhopper]

Word! props to Weasel