New iMac coming....let’s talk migration

[dcpmark]

So, I’m updating my mom’s old 2010 iMac to a new 2017 iMac. Her old one has TONS of crap on it from YEARS of OS updates prior to 2010, transferred from computer to computer...in fact I’m almost certain she has non-functioning PowerPC apps still on there.

Her current drive is showing her 1TB HD is almost full, but other than her 450gbs in Photos I have no clue what the rest is. Thus I’m loathing to do a straight restore from her Time Capsule using the Setup Assistant....I’d love to do some sort of selective restore, or find some other way to set up her new iMac the way she had with settings and preferences without copying the old iMac verbatim.

Any ideas? TIA!

 

[mpainesyd]

I found that Migration Assistant does allow you to deselect folders and files but only if the destination drive is too small (in your case under 1Tb). I guess that won’t help you.
Otherwise manually finding and deleting unwanted folders before or after the migration seems the best option. I doubt if PowerPC apps are taking much space. More likely old, redundant photo libraries, vidoes and music.
I expect there are some Mac apps out there that assist with this process but beware of “cleaning” apps that do more than they claim.

 

[BLUEDOG314]

You can deselect things you do not want. I believe you can even tell it just to bring back system settings and a user account with nothing in it if you deselect all the info within, then you can just drag and drop what you want from there. TBH though since its been that long, I would, for both of your sanity, forget migration assistant and just do everything manual. You'll thank yourself later.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:
What you want to do is easy -- IF you take the right steps first.

FIRST, DO THIS:
1. Download CarbonCopyCloner from here:
http://www.bombich.com/download.html
(CCC is FREE to download and use for 30 days)
2. Use CCC to create a bootable cloned backup of your mom's Mac AS IT IS NOW on an external drive.

I -would not- rely on the Time Capsule. Perhaps that's just me.

NEXT, DO THIS:
1. When the new iMac comes, DON'T boot it up just yet.
2. Connect the cloned backup
3. Now, power up for the first time.
4. Begin the setup.
5. At the right moment, setup assistant will ask if you wish to migrate from another Mac or drive.
6. "Aim" setup assistant at the cloned backup
7. Select what you wish to bring over
8. Let Setup assistant "do its thing". It may take awhile.
9. Afterwards the desktop should look "just like it did before", pretty much.
10. You should probably test EVERY 3rd-party app she has installed. Some may still work, others may not. You could use the free "App Cleaner" to remove the old non-working apps. This exercise will take a little time, but when it's done, all the old stuff should be gone, and the rest will be usable.