New iMac with Time Machine Backup

[Cookie18]

My new iMac just arrived and I got a T5 SSD to run it off, I want it to essentially be the main drive of the machine.

My question is; How do I run the iMac off the SSD while also installing the time machine back up from my MacBook?

 

[cwanja]

Just for my understanding, is the T5 SSD external to the iMac? If so, you would need a sled to connect it to the iMac. From there, you would just have to have it formatted, install macOS on it, and then set it as the boot drive from settings.

 

[Cookie18]

Just for my understanding, is the T5 SSD external to the iMac? If so, you would need a sled to connect it to the iMac. From there, you would just have to have it formatted, install macOS on it, and then set it as the boot drive from settings.

Yes, it will boot from the T5, always connected via USB C.

A sled?

Can it be set as a boot drive with the time machine back up or does the time machine backup have to be installed first?

 

[cwanja]

The connection via USB-C is my "sled" speak - so that issue is resolved.

Time Machine backups are not bootable (as far as I am aware of). You would need to install macOS, restore the Time Machine backup (missed that step earlier, sorry) and then boot into it.

 

[Cookie18]

The connection via USB-C is my "sled" speak - so that issue is resolved.

Time Machine backups are not bootable (as far as I am aware of). You would need to install macOS, restore the Time Machine backup (missed that step earlier, sorry) and then boot into it.

Ok, that’s perfect. Thanks, I’ll back up to a different hard drive and save the ssd for booting only.