Ordered a Mac Mini finally

[InVision]

I have been nursing my 2020 27" iMac Intel I9 3.6Ghz 10-core for over a year now. Looking for good inexpensive 4K 32" dual monitors has been the hangup. Purchased a Mac Mini M4 Pro (12-core CPU and-16 Core GPU) from Apple with 10GHz ethernet, 48GB memory and 2 TB SSD. Ordered in two BenQ MA320U 4K monitors. Took a LONG time to to find monitors. Price target was $1000usd for both, ended up being $1200usd.

Will update when system is up and running.

Wondering what is the best way these days to copy data and programs. Last time. 5 years ago I could not get over network to work correctly when I bought the iMac I9. I now have a 5Gbs network backbone. I have a really fast USB-c external backup disk also. My iMac is Sonoma 14.7.7. Not sure what the Mini Mac will be.

Thoughts and advise would be greatly appreciated.

M

 

[M4th]

I bought my Mini M4 pro (base configuration) back in February of this year from Best Buy. It had the first version of Sequoia installed. I'm guessing (and hoping, not a fan of Tahoe) your Mini will probably have the latest version of Sequoia (15.6).

I'll let others answer in detail about copying data from your iMac although I had no problem copying files from my old Dell desktop PC over a wifi network, and so of course the apps I've added to my Mini are all fresh installs.

 

[MacCheetah3]

My iMac is Sonoma 14.7.7. Not sure what the Mini Mac will be.

macOS Sequoia

Wondering what is the best way these days to copy data and programs. Last time. 5 years ago I could not get over network to work correctly when I bought the iMac I9.

I’ve been using Migration Assistant from a Time Machine — ensure it is up-to-date, of course — during the new Mac setup process.

Transfer your information to Mac from another computer or device

Use Migration Assistant to transfer your information from a Mac, PC or disk.

support.apple.com

There is also:

How to use Migration Assistant with a Thunderbolt connection

Migration can speed up by several factors if the transfer software recognizes an active Thunderbolt connection.

www.macworld.com

 

[InVision]

Thanks Guys !!

 

[McScooby]

Switching from Intel to AS to avoid digital crust being carried across, I didn't use the Migration assistant & just backed up docs/files to an external hard drive, everything else got pulled from the cloud.

 

[InVision]

That's a thought....TY

 

[InVision]

Should I start over because I had an Intel Processor and now I have an Apple Processor? There has to be a difference in Apps right?

 

[MacCheetah3]

Should I start over because I had an Intel Processor and now I have an Apple Processor? There has to be a difference in Apps right?

Fresh installing apps and transferring only the visual media (folders) (e.g., documents, photos, etc) is typically best. However, it’s going to require significantly more time and effort.

I clean my user folder occasionally. It’s tedious and challenging, especially with Apple apparently adding more and more locations (e.g., expanding Containers and other folders in a user’s somewhat hidden Library folder). As a result, I’ve semi-recently — reluctantly — begun using AppCleaner when removing apps, which so far seems okay. If I miss a few files here and there, I’m not too worried as most leftovers are just preference/settings files that take up kilobytes.

 

[InVision]

Got a couple days before my monitors get delivered. Been watching YT vids and done some research. I am leaning toward clean install OS, programs & apps. Seems folks have had some issues when going from an intel to apple with migration assistant.

Then I will be only moving data files over that are needed. I can keep the old machine on the network and maybe just access it as an external hard drive.

If any members have any good suggestion of links to info on this subject I would appreciate if they could post them.

Thank You, This is going to be a challenge, hopefully surmountable.

M

 

[Fishrrman]

"I am leaning toward clean install OS"

There's no point in doing this.
The new Mini will come with the OS on the "Sealed System Volume". There is no "cleaner" install of the OS (itself) possible. Nothing can touch or change it (as it comes from Apple).

A new Mini will come with Sequoia -- I'm going to GUESS that it will be 15.5.x.
Just get your accounts and data files setup.
Then use Software Update to install the latest update to Sequoia (now 15.6).

BE AWARE that if you create an entirely NEW account on the new Mini, and then attempt to migrate files into that account from your OLD account on the old Mac, you're probably going to run into permissions problems. There are ways around this, but you have to take "the right steps".

Even if the accounts on the two Macs have the same username and password, the new account will still regard the old one as "alien"...

I'll offer my suggestions. It's up to you whether you wish to follow them or not.

Assuming you create a new account on the new Mac, and want to bring over "old" data from your old account...

Get an external USB drive of some kind.
Can be an SSD, HDD, USB flashdrive, etc.

Copy the stuff you want to migrate from the old Mac to the "internediary" USB drive, using the finder.

(best move would be to use either CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper to create "a clone" of the old Mac and use that, but just copying folders/files using the finder will do)

Connect the intermediary drive to the NEW Mac.
Let its icon mount on the desktop.

Click ONE time on the drive icon to select it.
Now, do a "get info" for the icon (you can just type "command-i")

At the bottom of get info, click the lock icon and then enter your NEW password (what you're using on the new Mac).
Next, put a checkmark into "ignore ownership on this volume".
Close get info.

Now you can copy things from the intermediary drive into your new account, and everything you copy will now "fall under the ownership" of your NEW account.

Final note:
You CANNOT COPY "the top level of folders" in your account.
By "top level" I mean the folders named "Music", "Movies", "Documents", "Photos", etc.
HOWEVER...
You CAN copy folders and files that are INSIDE OF these folders.
Remember that, and things will go easier.

Good luck.

 

[nathan_reilly]

Or you could subscribe to iCloud with tons of storage for a month and do it all via apple's backend. I don't do anything when I get a new mac these days besides sign in. You could do this temporarily and then cancel the big storage plan next month.

 

[InVision]

Yes I realize it will come with a new install. Sorry to confuse, I am not myself installing the OS, I was just using the one that comes with Mini Mac M4Pro. I am using the same account.

I do have the big storage iCloud. I have been reading about how I might be able to use it for this.

Thank You.

 

[haralds]

I have that mini Pro config as my second driver in my study, my first is a Studio in my office. I love the mini Pro. The Studio might be a tad faster at some tasks, but you would rarely notice.
For migration, I always use Thunderbolt SSD with a clone via Carbon Copy Cloner. It makes the process quite fast and simple.

 

[InVision]

I use to use it but now I am kind of worried about apps because mine are on an intel I9 and the new one is Apple M4pro.

 

[Fishrrman]

64-bit Intel apps mostly run fine on Apple Silicon using the Rosetta2 translator.
Rosetta is small in size, runs only when needed, and will offer to download itself if not already installed.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

I use to use it but now I am kind of worried about apps because mine are on an intel I9 and the new one is Apple M4pro.

IMO you are too worried about moving apps on "Intel i9." Reality is you are coming from a Mac to a newer Mac. Apple's engineers already figured it out for you. Just do it. This is 2025, and any app that will not run on version 4 of Apple SOC is probably something to get rid of anyway.

 

[InVision]

perhaps your correct. I have migrated when getting a new Mac eight times now. Started in late 2008 on a aluminum MacBook. Shouldn't I start new at least one time? Some of those migrations were ugly. Can any issues be passed on in a "Migration"?

PS - I still have that 2008 Aluminum MacBook BTW

 

[Hugh_Kant]

I'm interested in this. I'm finally going to upgrade from my late 2012 mini to most likely a Studio. Most all my applications are geared to recording music. I've always heard fresh installs are best in this regard involving so many plugins, software synths etc. There's also many plugins I don't use and applications I never bothered to get into that once I clean install the relative handful of ones I do use, it may not be so bad.
Only experience I have with using migration assistant was going from '07 macbook to the Mini.

 

[Fishrrman]

Again... if you're worried about applications, leave the applications box UNchecked during setup, but migrate everything else...

Reinstall fresh versions of applications later on.