Replacing 2008 24" iMac for 2017 27" iMac

[iRabid]

So I ordered my iMac this past Sunday and i'm patiently waiting for it to come. (Apple says July 13-18 delivery date) So should I do anything to prepare for my new iMac? I've had my current iMac for 10 years, the only upgrades i've done to it is a 1TB HDD from the stock 320GB HDD and up the RAM to 4GB. I'm still running Yosemite 10.10.5. Over the years i've d/l and installed programs that might have malware (nothing major, most of those programs have been long deleted) or just old useless software. I was going through a phase d/l programs to make certain projects work but failed.

Is it better to do a fresh setup? Run Time Machine? Or Just transfer over the important data that I use daily to the new iMac?

 

[kohlson]

In my experience it's better to do a "clean install." By better, I mean for long-term stability and reliability. But it's not the easiest in terms of effort.

Take stock of everything, including Apps and Utilities. If you use iCloud to store passwords in Safari, this will be easier, but otherwise take note. Gather up any licenses and install media. Check Login Items in SysPrefs to see what's automatically installed, like Dropbox.

The easiest, in my experience is to do a complete TM backup, then a TM resort on the new machine. But there is a risk of dragging along old cruft.

 

[iRabid]

I’m leaning more towards doing a clean install and just dragging important data over

 

[mreg376]

So I ordered my iMac this past Sunday and i'm patiently waiting for it to come. (Apple says July 13-18 delivery date) So should I do anything to prepare for my new iMac? I've had my current iMac for 10 years, the only upgrades i've done to it is a 1TB HDD from the stock 320GB HDD and up the RAM to 4GB. I'm still running Yosemite 10.10.5. Over the years i've d/l and installed programs that might have malware (nothing major, most of those programs have been long deleted) or just old useless software. I was going through a phase d/l programs to make certain projects work but failed.

Is it better to do a fresh setup? Run Time Machine? Or Just transfer over the important data that I use daily to the new iMac?

I recently went through almost the same exact experience (2007-2017). This is what worked perfectly for me:

1. Make a Time Machine or other backup of your 2008.

2. Clean up your 2008 machine. Get rid of whatever you don't need. I invested in CleanMyMac3, and it got rid of tens of gigabytes of garbage.

3. Make sure your 2008 is fully updated, which I think for you would be El Capitan (10.11.5), and all apps.

4. Make another backup.

5. Connect both your 2008 and your 2017 to the same network by ethernet (you can use wifi if you have to, but ethernet is of course more reliable).

6. Use the included Migration Assistant. Start with the 2017, and simply follow the instructions for what to do on both machines. Choose to migrate everything.

You may have to reactivate some software, like Microsoft Office if you have it, but that's about it. My 2017 was then ready to go!

 

[iRabid]

I recently went through almost the same exact experience (2007-2017). This is what worked perfectly for me:

1. Make a Time Machine or other backup of your 2008.

2. Clean up your 2008 machine. Get rid of whatever you don't need. I invested in CleanMyMac3, and it got rid of tens of gigabytes of garbage.

3. Make sure your 2008 is fully updated, which I think for you would be El Capitan (10.11.5), and all apps.

4. Make another backup.

5. Connect both your 2008 and your 2017 to the same network by ethernet (you can use wifi if you have to, but ethernet is of course more reliable).

6. Use the included Migration Assistant. Start with the 2017, and simply follow the instructions for what to do on both machines. Choose to migrate everything.

You may have to reactivate some software, like Microsoft Office if you have it, but that's about it. My 2017 was then ready to go!

I decided to just do a fresh install and copy over the important files and programs. For now I have my 2008 iMac setup right next to my 20i7 iMac.

 

[mreg376]

I decided to just do a fresh install and copy over the important files and programs. For now I have my 2008 iMac setup right next to my 20i7 iMac.

The screen quality difference must be obvious!

 

[iRabid]

The screen quality difference must be obvious!

Oh yeah, it's like night and day. I also noticed that my 2008 had a warm tint to it compared to my 20i7 iMac. So I've been editing pics with a screen that has a warm tint to it! Well I'm glad that I got the 20i7 iMac!!

 

[Fishrrman]

I'd suggest you leave them both set up next to each other for at least a week or so, until you have everything "migrated" that you wish to have migrated...