Time Machine Backup to a new machine

[Halcyon]

Ok, here's the setup.

I've sold my white 17" iMac and bought another alum 20" iMac. I've been backing up the 17" iMac to an external HD using Time Machine. On the new 20" iMac I want to fresh install all my applications and some other assorted items (so I won't be using Time Machine backup for these), but some other things I would like to restore from the external HD Time Machine backups - things like my e-mails, certain documents, photo database from Lightroom, etc.

Will the Time Machine backups on the external HD be recognized by the new machine? Any special procedure to have this work right?

I want to make this as painless as possible as I'm swamped with design work and thus not have much time to spare...so any ideas/suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

TIA

 

[RevK]

Ok, here's the setup.

I've sold my white 17" iMac and bought another alum 20" iMac. I've been backing up the 17" iMac to an external HD using Time Machine. On the new 20" iMac I want to fresh install all my applications and some other assorted items (so I won't be using Time Machine backup for these), but some other things I would like to restore from the external HD Time Machine backups - things like my e-mails, certain documents, photo database from Lightroom, etc.

Will the Time Machine backups on the external HD be recognized by the new machine? Any special procedure to have this work right?

I want to make this as painless as possible as I'm swamped with design work and thus not have much time to spare...so any ideas/suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

TIA

Hello Halcyon,

On your new iMac, you can plug in the time machine drive and right click the Time Machine app in the dock and select "Browse other Time Machine disks....". You can then restore your files like "certain documents, photo database from Lightroom, etc."

If you need anything, just post back.

RevK

 

[Halcyon]

Thanks RevK!

That's exactly what I needed...and the reassurance it could be done

Thanks again.