Moving to a new machine questions.

[Shivetya]

First, i know that I can use Migration Assistant, however I have some questions about other choices.

If I choose Migration Assistant I will simply cable both iMac machines together to complete it. While I have time machine I do have some directories excluded and I don't want to hunt down what is and what is not available.

I really only want documents, pictures, music, some apps, and my bookmarks. There is a lot of "crap" that has built up in other directories not normally accessible (except via GO TO) that I would like to leave behind. Is there any way to pick and choose at that level?






https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204350

 

[Fishrrman]

Do you have an external drive?
If so, here's what I'd suggest for a "trimmed-down" migration.

1. Connect your external drive and erase it to Mac OS extended with journaling enabled, GUID partition format.
2. Download CarbonCopyCloner from:
http://www.bombich.com/download.html
CCC is FREE to download and use for 30 days (wait until you need it before you download it)
3. CCC allows you to clone "some files" during the backup. What this means is that there is "a list of everything", and you can go into that list a DE-SELECT the stuff that you DON'T want copied.
4. By doing this, you create a "custom, slimmed-down" backup, that has "the stuff you want to keep" on it, and not much more. There is A LOT OF STUFF TO SELECT, so it's going to take a while to work your way through it. Don't worry about the OS files, they get "left behind" in a migration, anyway.
5. Before you connect to the new Mac, you can browse around this backup using the finder, and further "cull out" stuff you don't want on it.

6. When the new Mac comes, DO NOT press the power on button until you have the backup connected.
7. Press the power-on button and begin setup.
8. Setup assistant will ask if you want to migrate from another drive. YES, you want to do this.
9. Since you've already "trimmed out" the stuff you don't want, you can just select "everything" with setup assistant, and it will bring over the stuff you wanted to be there.

That ought to do it. Some "fine tuning" may be needed after the migration has finished.