Does Setup Assistant preserve UIDs from an old Mac?

I'm hoping to get an explicit answer to this question. I'm going to be setting up a new Mac Pro (Mac OS 10.8) next week, and I want to transfer over all the user information from an older running Mac OS 10.6, and I want to be clear on this point since the machine will read and write to NSF partitions on a Linux server, and thus I want to have all the UID (Mac calls them UniqueIDs?, unix, just User IDs) match the existing system.
I'm imagining that Setup Assistant will offer to copy the user accounts from the source machine (the old Mac Pro) with all the prefs and permissions intact, including UID. This is what I want.
But some howto's I've seen on the web say Setup Assistant first asks the user to create a new account -- which of course would mess everything up, since I'd end up with two UIDs of 501.
Once the users are set, then I imagine that Setup Assistant will copy over Applications.
Many thanks

I think you get the option to transfer first, then set up a new account.
Setup Assistant
Set up a New Mac

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Does Setup Assistant transfer files from unused deleted apps to the new HD?

I just purchased a new Macbook pro and want to use setup assistant to transfer the data from my older Macbook Pro. Does setup assistant copy ALL files on the old hard drive? Specifically old hidden files from programs I have deleted.

Pardon me? I think your comment is messing up. First, you have any important tip to try to help G540516? This is not a forum for argue between collaborating people. CleanMyMac it's an awarded app with 5 stars by MacWorld among other, it's an excellent app for cleaning your mac, specially with 3rd party apps without propper uninstallers.
Also the recommendation of this app was because G540516 have leftovers in the old machine, which he don't want to transfer. So I give an advice of how can use an app to avoid those leftovers.
I've 20+ years using Mac OS, I will never recommend some crappy soft. Anyway it was a recommendation. You are not pointing anything concrete, just your opinion. Please form now on try respect the people who help others.

Does Setup Assistant delete files on the new mac?

I just got a new Macbook Pro, and I'm trying to decide how to transfer all of my files from my old computer to my new one. The problem is that I'm a little paranoid about losing any files on the new computer. I once accidentally wiped my entire system on the old one after an incorrect restore and lost several important folders required for certain applications because they weren't included on the OS reinstallation CD. I don't want that to happen again. I've been reading about Migration Assistant and Setup Assistant, and it seems like they do pretty much the same thing, but I want to make sure that any files currently on the new Mac aren't deleted if I use Setup Assistant to transfer my old files.
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Paranoia is understandable; however, misplaced. Just follow the steps in Pondini's Setup New Mac guide.

After setting up a new user on my Air, can I still access Setup Assistant to transfer files from my old Mac?

Only after setting up my user account on my new Air do I find out about Setup Assistant vs Migration Assistant. Since, I have tried Migration Assistant - via wireless - twice, to no avail. Both computers (new Mac and old) just stay busy looking for another computer on my network. All I really want to do is move/copy everything from my old Mac to the new Air. Suggestions? Miracles? Thanks!
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You can do it wirelessly, but that will take some time... you could also purchase a Thunderbolt to Ethernet adapter or a Thunderbolt to FireWire adapter. That would certainly be faster. You should be able to purchase either adapter at your local Apple Store or at the online Apple Store.
Good luck,
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Migration of data, does it erase it from the old Mac?

When using the Migration Assistant does it actually transfer data to a new Mac, erasing it from the old Mac or does it copy the data from one Mac to another leaving the information on both machines?
Thanks.

Thanks for the feedback and reward. Good computing.

When I migrate from my old mac to a new mac does the data remain on the old mac

when I migrate from my old mac to a new mac does the data remain on my old mac

Yes. You are only Copying the Data not moving it.

I have a new macbook pro and want to transfer my Mail autofill from my old mac. Never used Time Machine or Migration Assistant -- looks complicated. Any easy way to do this?

I have a new macbook pro and want to transfer my Mail autofill from my old mac. Never used Time Machine or Migration Assistant -- looks complicated. Any easy way to do this?

caitlinfromcambridge wrote:
Thanks -- I would like to try this. I do not know how to reach hard drive from old mac to new. Can you help me with this?
There are two ways - you can boot your old Mac in Target Mode (reboot your Mac, and as soon as you hear the startup chime hold down the T key on the keyboard until you see the yellow/orange Firewire logo on screen). You can then use a FireWire cable to connect your new mac to your old one. The old Mac hard drive will appear on your new Mac as if it is an external hard drive.
Details on Target Disk Mode: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1661
If you don't have a firewire cable but you do have a home network (i.e. both computers can access the Internet at the same time), you can share the hard drive on your old Mac and then connect to it on your new Mac.
Good article on sharing your hard drive: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1549
Finally, if the above doesn't thrill you, you can hook an external drive to your old Mac, copy the mail folder over to it, then connect the external drive to your new Mac and copy it over. It's two steps, but if you don't have a firewire cable and aren't comfortable with sharing over a network it will work just as well - you just have to wait for the mail folder to copy twice instead of once.
If you get stuck post back!

Ive migrated my apps from an old mac to my new mac. When i try to open my CS5 programs it get a pop up that says i need to install the legacy java SE 6. Ive done that and it still does not open?

Ive migrated my apps from an old mac to my new mac. When i try to open my CS5 programs it get a pop up that says i need to install the legacy java SE 6. Ive done that and it still does not open?

I'm having a similar problem...but mine results from an OS upgrade from 10.6.4 to 10.8.5.
Where did you access a clean copy of Java SE 6? The link at adobe for archicval plug-ins is a dead download (and it doesn't appear to contain Java SE 6.).
Jerry

I bought a new computer running Lion 10.7.3 and transferred my applications and files from my old Mac using migration assistant but I can't find/transfer my photos from iPhoto and I can't find my old documents such as previous tax returns.

I bought a new computer running Lion 10.7.3 and transferred my applications and files from my old Mac using migration assistant but I can't find/transfer my photos from iPhoto and I can't find my old documents such as previous tax returns.

Look for them on your old computer, when found copy the files to a USB drive and move them to the new computer.

Why does it take me so long time to migrate from my old Mac

Why does it take me so long time to migrate from my old Mac?
I just bought a new MacBook Air and using an ethernet cable to migrate all material from my old MacBook Pro, it has now taken med 4 days
and still not done? What am I doing wrong?

Thanks for that gbrenik.
Don't really wanna start reloading all of Lion, but read somewhere that I should start the migration by restarting my source Mac by holding down T during startup, that would do the trick. Is this what I have done wrong?

I am trying to transfer my itunes library from my old Mac to my new Mac; however, all that transfers is the music I downloaded from itunes. It does not transfer the music I downloaded from my cd's.

How do I transfer my itunes library from my old Mac to my new Mac? When I try all that transfers is what I downloaded from Itunes. It does not transfer the music I downloaded from my cd's/.

iTunes: How to move [or copy] your music [library] to a new computer [or another drive] - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4527 - a somewhat bewildering and not always easily understandable set of options.
Quick answer if you use iTunes' default preferences settings: Copy the entire iTunes folder (and in doing so all its subfolders and files) intact to the other drive. Open iTunes and immediately hold down the Option (alt) key (shift on Windows), then guide it to the iTunes Library.itl file in the moved iTunes folder.
For the record there's this reference for iTunes 11 but it really doesn't strike me as having the specifics you need. iTunes 11 for Mac: Move your library to another computer - http://support.apple.com/kb/PH12168
Windows users see tip at: https://discussions.apple.com/message/18879381
2011 Transferring your iTunes library - http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/articles/comments/moving-your-itunes-library-to -a-new-hard-drive/ - An article with good background information, particularly if you are not sure your media files are all grouped for quick solution above. Unfortunately it uses the single term "transferring library" for two very different moves; relocating just your media (not recommended unless you really need this configuration) and relocating media+database (really your whole "library"). Make sure you understand the difference before electing to move only media.
If you put it in the default location of Macintosh HD > Users > *User Name* > Music then you don't even need to start with the option key held down, iTunes will automatically look for it there. (Make sure there isn't anything already in the iTunes folder there that you want to keep since you will be replacing it with the one you are moving.)

Can I just transfer iPhoto pictures from an old mac to a new one without transferring anything else?

I bought a new iMac back in September and finally got around to setting it up. Unfortunately, I am having loads of trouble transferring stuff from my older iMac to the new one. It probably has something to do with the reason why we've replaced it...video RAM failure. I really don't care about settings and applications and most other stuff on the old computer, but I really do want my photo library and if possible, all my saved emails. Any help would be greatly appreciated. We've tried transferring info from first set-up of the new computer and the old computer would just freeze and have to be shut down half way through the process. We tried this for HOURS yesterday and just wouldn't work. Both computers were connected via FireWire, but it didn't help. I got so fed up with it that I just manually set up the new computer, but it's a blank canvas. I can get my new e-mail, but don't have my saved emails or my contact list. We tried transferring again after setting up the new computer but that failed as well...the old one froze half way through. Can I just transfer bits and pieces without having to transfer the whole user account and settings?

I stated that I did try to do all of this when I first set up the new computer...I did do the Setup Assistant numerous times but my old computer kept freezing half way through. Even if I did it when I first got the new computer back in Septemeber, I would have had the same issue b/c my old computer has been 'broken' for a while. My old computer can't handle doing too much at once and I think the setup and then migration functions I tried were too much. That's why I was hoping I could use the migration function piecemeal. I wish I could just check off the exact files and folders I want vs. having to choose it at the 'user' level...that's too much for my old computer to have to transfer.

HT201250 I have done my back up using time machine, now I have a new mac and I need to access the files that I had saved from my old mac. How can I do that?

I have done my back up using time machine, now I have a new mac and I need to access the files that I had saved from my old mac. How can I do that?

Use Migration Assistant on your new Mac:
Click Continue:
On the next screen, choose your Time Machine backup disk.
Don't bother to migrate Applications unless you know they will work on your new Mac. For example, PowerPC applications won't work. Just migrate your user account which will copy all your photos, music, movies, and other documents.
Note: you will not be able to migrate the information to same account in which you are already logged in. Migration Assistant will tell you that and recommend what to do. It can migrate the information to a new account, but you will have to give it a name you might want to change later. One way around this is to create a temporary account, log in to it, and run Migration Assistant which will replace your normal account. Then, log out of the temporary account, log in to your usual one, verify everyting works as you expect, and delete the temporary one.
All this can be avoided when you set up a brand new Mac by running Setup Assistant which essentially does the same thing to create your new account, but most people are too excited to do that and elect to migrate later.

How do I copy files from my old mac to my new mac?

How do I copy files from my old mac to my new mac?

Use the Migration Assistant, or the Setup Assistant, or use a network, Target Disk mode, or an external drive to move them manually.
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How do I transfer my info from my old Mac Mini to my new one?

I have two Mac Mini's. The old one is a Power Mac 10.5.8 (no Intel) and the new one is a dual system running Snow Leopard 10.6.7. I only have one monitor and a wireless connection. How do I transfer my older files and applications from my old Mac to the new one? I bought a 40/80 Firewire cable and connected it to the proper ports, and changed the monitor setting to shared...held down the T and restarted the old Mac...still nothing. (These were tips I got from forums.) Anyone have other ideas?
Baring that, I also tried to save my files to a dvd and put them in a burn folder, clicked burn, but it wouldn't burn. I never used it before...am I doing something wrong?
Thanks,
Anna

Apple provides setup and migration services at your local Apple Store. The do all the work and help with any questions on use, configuration etc.

Does Setup Assistant preserve UIDs from an old Mac?

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