Some noob questions - installing new OS & transferring files from old OS without using time machine..

[cont]

Hi everyone

A few months ago I inherited a late 2012 iMac - 13,2 with macOS Sierra 10.12.6 installed.

- 3.4 GHz Intel Core i7
- 32 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX 2048 MB

it has a 3tb fusion drive, but was split when given to me, the physical hdd was replaced by apple for some reason and not turned back into a fusion drive. the SSD sits there empty, like a storage drive. I want to install catalina which I think is the latest os i can install on this machine. As I only have a couple months of experience under my belt, I'm here asking these noob questions (apologies in advance), due to getting a spinning wheel quite a bit so I feel I need to do a fresh install:

- Can I install Catalina to the SSD whilst still having Sierra on the physical HDD?
- if the above is possible, am I able to drag files/folders from Sierra (physical HDD) into Catalina (SSD)?
- If so, can I drag iTunes (movies/music), Mail, Documents and Photos from one to the other and expect it to work? where are these folders located?
- I'm assuming that when I log into my iCloud account, my bookmarks will populate into safari on the new os install? can someone please clarify this for me?

Sorry for all of the noob questions! I have tried googling but not confident on the info I've searched up... If someone could please provide me with some advice. I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks in advance

 

[Fishrrman]

"...physical hdd was replaced by apple for some reason and not turned back into a fusion drive. the SSD sits there empty, like a storage drive. I want to install catalina which I think is the latest os i can install on this machine."

If the fusion drive was "DE-fused" (split apart into separate SSD and HDD portions), and if the OS was installed onto the HDD portion, it almost certainly runs... S...L...O...W.

You can install Catalina onto the SSD. That will run MUCH faster (because the SSD is faster).

Although... I'm not sure the online OS installer will "offer it" to you. The online internet recovery installer will usually offer the most recent OS that will run on that particular Mac.

You MIGHT have to create a bootable USB flashdrive installer with Catalina, and install it that way.
That's not hard to do.
I suggest you use either of these small, free apps to create the installer:
- Install disk creator
- DiskMaker X
You'll need a 16gb (or larger) flash drive.

Having said that...
You need to conduct an experiment, and tell us the results.

Can you boot to INTERNET recovery?
Command-OPTION-R
...at boot.

(If you're connecting via wifi, you'll need your wifi password).

The internet utilities take a while to load, so be patient.

Can you get to the internet utilities menu this way?

If so, try to run the OS installer.
What version of the OS is it offering to you?

Come back with the results.

Final note:
If you want to go with the OS that the internet recovery installer offers to you, you could try installing it onto the "empty" SSD.
BUT... you'll probably have to erase the SSD first using disk utility.
Quit the installer and open disk utility.
IF you see a "view" menu, choose "show all devices".
Now select the "line on the left" that represents the SSD.
Erase it to "APFS, GUID partition format".

Now go back to the installer and start clicking through.
IMPORTANT... when the installer asks WHERE you wish to install, choose the SSD.
Be aware the Mac will restart one or more times, and the screen may "go dark on you" for one or more minutes with no feedback. Just be patient.

If the installer is successful, you will see the initial startup screen, choose your language.
Start clicking through.
Because the SSD is small (128gb, I think), you probably should NOT try to migrate everything from the HDD (unless the amount of stuff on the HDD isn't large).
I'd migrate
apps
account (WITHOUT the folders for movies, music and pics)
settings
... and see if that "fits".

Hope this helps.

 

[cont]

Thanks for outlining the process!
I'll try this tonight and then report back.

one question that I forgot to ask.... where is the account folder, there are so many labelled account!
All I'm worried about is mail, photos and documents really. the itunes (movies) component is important too, but want to know if I can put this on an external hdd, erase then drag back onto the hdd and somehow make it so they are accessed from the physical hdd (because the sad is so small).

Is this possible?

 

[Fishrrman]

"the itunes (movies) component is important too, but want to know if I can put this on an external hdd, erase then drag back onto the hdd and somehow make it so they are accessed from the physical hdd (because the sad is so small)"

I would leave all the iTunes stuff where it is now -- on the internal HDD.

Then...
To access it (from iTunes running on the SSD), hold down the option key, and then open iTunes.
iTunes will present you with a dialog asking WHICH LIBRARY you want to use.
Choose the one on the HDD.
And off you go...