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User profile for user: Drohr9
Drohr9 Author
User level: Level 1
15 points

Replacing Mac for First Time

I am getting ready to replace my Mac for the first time. I have a hard drive backup using Time machine.


I see what appears to be two methods of migration of my current data to new machine. I feel safest getting new machine and doing the transfer before I erase or reset my old Mac and trade in. The other option would be erasing and trading in old Mac and trusting Time Machine backup will work with new Mac when I get it. It seems like I have some redundancy or options with waiting to turn in old Mac.


This probably comes from not being super techie and not wanting to lose anything.

iMac 21.5″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Apr 3, 2021 6:42 AM

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User profile for user: rkaufmann87
rkaufmann87
User level: Level 10
144,132 points

Posted on Apr 3, 2021 7:24 AM

When you buy a new Mac the easiest, quickest and most reliable method is to simply connect the old Mac's Time Machine External Hard Disk to the new Mac using a USB cable before you turn on the new Mac. When you start the new Mac for the first time it will startup Setup Assistant (SA), SA will get to a point where it asks if you are migrating from another computer, select Yes  and follow the on-screen prompts and it's done! It is THAT simple.

 

If you have already done SA on the new computer then simply connect the Time Machine External Hard Disk using a USB cable and launch Migration Assistant (MA) which is located in Applications - Utilities - MA. Then follow the on-screen prompts. 

 

The ONLY difference between MA and SA is MA will create a new user account that you need to log into.

 

Both SA and MA migrate applications (not 32 bit apps) , data files, settings, it does not migrate Mac OS itself. Some professional apps such as Adobe and Microsoft apps may require re-installing their apps as they will not allow them to be migrated. As long as you kept the security keys for installing their apps, it is not a big deal. 


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User profile for user: rkaufmann87
rkaufmann87
User level: Level 10
144,132 points

Apr 3, 2021 7:24 AM in response to Drohr9

When you buy a new Mac the easiest, quickest and most reliable method is to simply connect the old Mac's Time Machine External Hard Disk to the new Mac using a USB cable before you turn on the new Mac. When you start the new Mac for the first time it will startup Setup Assistant (SA), SA will get to a point where it asks if you are migrating from another computer, select Yes  and follow the on-screen prompts and it's done! It is THAT simple.

 

If you have already done SA on the new computer then simply connect the Time Machine External Hard Disk using a USB cable and launch Migration Assistant (MA) which is located in Applications - Utilities - MA. Then follow the on-screen prompts. 

 

The ONLY difference between MA and SA is MA will create a new user account that you need to log into.

 

Both SA and MA migrate applications (not 32 bit apps) , data files, settings, it does not migrate Mac OS itself. Some professional apps such as Adobe and Microsoft apps may require re-installing their apps as they will not allow them to be migrated. As long as you kept the security keys for installing their apps, it is not a big deal. 


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Replacing Mac for First Time

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