Time Machine question

[soamz]

I have a iMac 27 , 1TB HDD.

And I got a new iMac 21 , 500GB .

I want to move the time machine backup from my 27 inch machine to this new one , but how do I exclude what I dont want to copy, since my nww machine is just 500GB ?

 

[Quu]

I am confused by your description of your issue. Can you clarify something:

Is your Time Machine backup stored on your 27" iMac itself. aka you're backing up your iMac 27" to itself?

Because that is how it sounds. Do you actually mean you backup your 27" iMac to an external drive of some kind and want to use that on your new iMac?

 

[soamz]

I am confused by your description of your issue. Can you clarify something:

Is your Time Machine backup stored on your 27" iMac itself. aka you're backing up your iMac 27" to itself?

Because that is how it sounds. Do you actually mean you backup your 27" iMac to an external drive of some kind and want to use that on your new iMac?

Yes yes. I have a WD Passport 1TB attached to my 27 iMac ,24x7 , so it takes the time machine backup always.

I simply want to restore my latest backup to the new iMac.


Had it been 1TB HDD, I could have done in 20 mins easily.

 

[Quu]

I think because your Time Machine backup is so large you would have to instead use either migration assistant to your old iMac (which would require you to have both iMacs on at the same time connected directly to each other or through your home network) or you would need to add the Time Machine drive to your new iMac (It should prompt you to migrate the Backup over to your new Macs Time Machine settings) and then enact Time Machine and manually put your files back.

Really though, do not rely on that Time Machine backup to get your files across. Should something happen to that drive you could lose all your data. I would really suggest you perform an iMac to iMac migration instead so that you still have the Time Machine backup as a last resort should anything go wrong.

By the way in case you're not aware, Migration Assistant enables you to select which files you want to move such as Media, Applications etc.

 

[soamz]

I have done Time Machine restores to my 6 iMac in my office. Never had a problem.

And Time Machine also lets you choose, what you want to copy or leave , but it doesnt let you choose the folders, what you want to exclude.

 

[mchoffa]

another option:
you could remove everything you don't want any more from your old iMac (assuming if it's something you do want to keep elsewhere that you've already saved it ie. to DVD/another external drive), and then do one last time machine backup of the final smaller file system and restore from that backup

 

[soamz]

Well that is easy to but I thought there were some other way. Anyways I will handle it my way.