Migration assistant problem: Did Yosemite spoil my Mavericks TM backup?

[sandrokan]

Hi,
I have a issue with my iMac 27, it was very slow, long story short: I had to format and reinstall Mavericks.
The problem is when I come to migration assistant: it does not allow me to migrate from the last mavericks backup.
It says "the selected backup cannot be used for migration".
In fact, I think the problems is that I tried yosemite for a couple of days and there is a Yosemite backup also on that TM hard disk. So Migration Assistant sees that Backup as a too recent OS, and refuses to migrate, regardless there are tons of Mavericks backups to use.
I can't figure out how to tell migration assistant to discard the Yosemite backups. Should I just delete them?

Thank you in advance
Alex

EDIT: I can't reinstall directly from the backup, as, in that way, the problem of being slow also "reinstalls".

 

[sharon22]

Okay okay here's what I would do. (But don't do what I do, because I usually royally scr*w things up LOL)

ERASE disk, than do a CLEAN install of Mavericks. (Because Yosemite mucks with your Recovery Partition, and sticks Yosemite in there, so WIPE IT CLEAN then install Mavericks).

Then, do a Google search on how to MANUALLY import a User's HOME DIRECTORY.

Take an afternoon off, in order to do research how to do this. Read, study, memorize, until you can do it all in your head.

Start here: http://www.cnet.com/news/how-to-move-a-home-folder-in-os-x/

Then, google OTHER articles using search terms:
osx transfer home directory
osx move home directory
etc., etc.

Then, when you think you got it down pat, Move your home directory into your new, fresh install of Mavericks.

Voila, you're done.

That's what I would do.

That way, you've got a clean smooth-running (not all mucked up and slow like you have it) Operating System, and you have all your own Home Directory personalizations.

When you're all done, then go back and double check all your Apps are there, too. If not, just cherry pick them the best you can.

 

[Weaselboy]

Hi,
I have a issue with my iMac 27, it was very slow, long story short: I had to format and reinstall Mavericks.
The problem is when I come to migration assistant: it does not allow me to migrate from the last mavericks backup.
It says "the selected backup cannot be used for migration".
In fact, I think the problems is that I tried yosemite for a couple of days and there is a Yosemite backup also on that TM hard disk. So Migration Assistant sees that Backup as a too recent OS, and refuses to migrate, regardless there are tons of Mavericks backups to use.
I can't figure out how to tell migration assistant to discard the Yosemite backups. Should I just delete them?

Thank you in advance
Alex

EDIT: I can't reinstall directly from the backup, as, in that way, the problem of being slow also "reinstalls".

Just restore Mavericks from the TM backup disk. Attach the disk and option key boot to that drive. That will get you to a recovery screen. Use Disk Util to erase the entire disk to Mac ODS Extended (Journaled). Then quit Disk Util and clock restore. Follow the prompts and you will get to a screen where it asks what date/OS version you want to restore from. Just pick a date from when you had Mavericks and restore.

 

[sharon22]

Just restore Mavericks from the TM backup disk.

No. Remember the OP said he did not want to restore from his Backup, because then all the problems/slowness would be re-installed, too.

Hey OP, did you try my solution yet?

When you do, let me know how it went!

 

[bradl]

What I did, although it was skipping Mavericks altogether, was to perform a CLEAN install of Yosemite, and during the install process, start Migration Assistant. Select the TM backup that you have from Mavericks, and drill down the directory tree it displays. You can select just your home directory there. I was even able to tell it to take everything except my Pictures folder (which contained all the pictures from iPhoto).

Once you pick and choose what you need from there, let the install continue, and you should be up and running on Yosemite with just the files you need from your home directory (assuming that you import the user from the TM backup, and DO NOT manually create the user in Yosemite).

BL.

 

[Weaselboy]

No. Remember the OP said he did not want to restore from his Backup, because then all the problems/slowness would be re-installed, too.

Hey OP, did you try my solution yet?

When you do, let me know how it went!

It appears OPs issue is related to Yosemite and he wants to get back to what he had with Mavericks, and what I suggested will do exactly that. I believe he is unaware you can restore to the previous OS like I mentioned and hence his comment about not wanting to use the backup.