Setting up 2017 iMac (coming from 2015 iMac)

[lbass]

Hi everyone,

I have just received my top spec 2017 iMac. I am coming from a 2015 iMac which I sold. I have a time machine backup of the 2017 iMac.

What is the best way to setup the new iMac. I always have set Macs up as fresh but there was so much stuff on my iMac that I wanted to bring across (the main parts are my Lightroom library and my FCPX library).

How would you go about it? Should I just load the 2015's backup or is there a better soloution?

Thank you for any help!

 

[Taz Mangus]

Hi everyone,

I have just received my top spec 2017 iMac. I am coming from a 2015 iMac which I sold. I have a time machine backup of the 2017 iMac.

What is the best way to setup the new iMac. I always have set Macs up as fresh but there was so much stuff on my iMac that I wanted to bring across (the main parts are my Lightroom library and my FCPX library).

How would you go about it? Should I just load the 2015's backup or is there a better soloution?

Thank you for any help!

Leave the 2017 clean installed and use either Migration Assistant or manually copy over the user data. I would suggest not to copy over any system files from the 2015 backup to the new computer.

 

[willmtaylor]

Leave the 2017 clean installed and use either Migration Assistant or manually copy over the user data. I would suggest not to copy over any system files from the 2015 backup to the new computer.

Why not?

 

[lbass]

Leave the 2017 clean installed and use either Migration Assistant or manually copy over the user data. I would suggest not to copy over any system files from the 2015 backup to the new computer.

Thanks for the information. So using migration assistant is it obvious which files are system files (I have never done this before)? Is there a migration assistant prompt when first booting up the iMac? What will I lose by not bringing across system files?

 

[Fishrrman]

If you haven't yet booted the new iMac, you can connect your TM backup BEFORE you boot up for the first time.

Then, at the appropriate moment during the initial setup process, setup assistant will ask if you wish to migrate data from another Mac or drive.

THIS is the time to "aim" setup assistant at the TM drive, and then "pick and choose" what you wish to bring over.

You probably want to bring over your accounts (which should contain the libraries you mentioned), your data, and your settings.
You are also offered the option to bring over applications -- this is your choice.

Setup Assistant does a pretty good job (as does Migration Assistant).

The difference between them is SA runs during the initial setup.
MA is what you can use "later on".