Failure: Setup/Migration Assistant Cannot Find Volume

Question

I first posted this problem in an e-list. The only replies were manual work-arounds.
I want to move files, applications, user accounts, and settings from my desktop machine to an iBook. I know how to move most of these things the old, manual way by dragging, but it would be neat to use the Assistant.
On my iBook G4/1.33GHz which came with OS X 10.4.2, I reinstalled the OS (Erase and Install). The initial Setup Assistant did not see the "Main Drive" on my QuickSilver G4/733MHz running the retail version of Panther updated to 10.3.9. "Main Drive" is the only volume on an add-on internal Seagate hard drive, and it is the one I want to use for transferring files to the iBook. Setup Assistant saw all three volumes on the original IBM hard drive.
Migration Assistant is no better. I noticed in repeated attempts, that the three IBM volumes show up in the iBook's Finder, but Migration Assistant offers only one of them for selection to use, and not always the same volume each time. Would that be normal?
The iBook's Disk Utility does not see "Main Drive," but it sees the IBM volumes. On the QuickSilver, the Disk Utility in one of the IBM's volumes sees "Main Drive."
With searches using "Setup Assistant" and "Migration Assistant," I can find nothing relevant in scanning over 200 of Apple's support pages. I went through Apple's "Mac OS X 10.3, 10.4: Transferring data with Setup Assistant / Migration Assistant FAQ" at:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=25773. The QS is not a server, for the purposes of volume naming conventions at:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107316
FIRST: How can I get Migration Assistant to see "Main Drive"?
OK, if there is no easy way to make "Main Drive" reveal itself, I can move files from Home>Documents and I can pick and choose from Applications and Applications Support.
For e-mail, would I move the entire folder at Home>Library>Mail?
What else would I need to move for user accounts and network settings?
iBook G4, QuickSilver G4, PB G3 Lombard   Mac OS X (10.4.2)   QuickSilver has 10.3.9, Lombard has 9.2.1

Answer 1

I assume that "Main Drive" has a bootable OS on it.
If not, then the Migration Assistant won't see it.
Also, how is the "Main Drive" hooked up? IIRC, it's
through a 3rd party card, it may not work. Does it
show up on the desktop when you mount the QS to the
iBook in target disk mode?
"Main Drive" is bootable in 10.3.9. It is on the same ATA-4 bus as the IBM drive. But it does not show up on the iBook desktop in TDM.
If it has a bootable OS installed and shows up on the
iBook when hooked up in target disk mode, the first
thing to do is boot the QS with the Panther install
disk, launch Disk Utility, and repair permissions and
repair the "Main Drive." If that passes the repair
cycle, then hook it up to the iBook in TDM, and try
the Migration Assistant again.
Having just run Disk Utility Repair Disk Permissions from "Main Drive" after installing the Security Update 2006-004 on it, I tried TDM again from the iBook. There was no change.
I always run Repair Disk Permissions from the Disk Utility on the booted hard drive as advised elsewhere so that it is aware of all the Apple updates and third party applications.
Should I still run Repair Disk Permissions from the Panther Install CD? This is safe to do?
Thanks.
iBook G4, QuickSilver G4, PB G3 Lombard   Mac OS X (10.4.2)   QuickSilver has 10.3.9, Lombard has 9.2.1