Time machine or migration ?

[Accoladeuk]

Hi Guys,

I get my new Imac tomorrow. Im just wondering the best way to transfer my information across from my old imac to my new one.

Should I do it through a time machine restore or should I use migration assistant (never tried it)

Im basically wanting to create an exact replica of how my computer is running now.

Thanks

 

[Bear]

They'll both do the same thing if the Time Machine backup is current.

I think I would just prefer to plug the TM drive into the iMac when it asks if you want to copy date from a TM backup. This is how I've transferred from one Mac to the next with no issues.

 

[Weaselboy]

Hi Guys,

I get my new Imac tomorrow. Im just wondering the best way to transfer my information across from my old imac to my new one.

Should I do it through a time machine restore or should I use migration assistant (never tried it)

Im basically wanting to create an exact replica of how my computer is running now.

Thanks

You don't want to "restore" as that will try to put the OS from your old machine onto the new one, which may not be compatible.

What you want to do is use the Migration Assistant at the end of the new machine's setup process to import your data. You can use either the old iMac or the Time Machine backup disk as the source of the data for Migration Assistant. Both will give you the same end result.

Since they are both iMacs, I would just connect ann ethernet cable between the two and use Migration Assistant that way, cutting out the Time Machine middle man process altogether. But either source will work.