Getting New MBP tomorrow - best way to get files from old iMac?

Hi
I'm getting a new 15" MacBook Pro tomorrow...can't wait.
Anyways, I currently have a 20" iMac (Intel Core 2 Dual) and want to transfer everything (music, photos, emails, EVERYTHING) from this iMac to my new MBP.
What's the best way to do this? Will it ask me if I want to transfer files from another mac when I first start up my new MBP?
Thanks very much!

Yes, the Migration Assistant will ask you if you want to transfer your personal data and programs, and it will guide you through this. It should work with most recent Macs. If your iMac is too old it might not work.
You are not limited to FireWire. Newer versions of Migration Assistant let you do it using other protocols such as Ethernet, since some new Macs don't have FireWire anymore. If your iMac has Gigabit Ethernet that can potentially be faster than FireWire but I haven't tried it that way.

Similar Messages

Best way to transfer files from old Macbook Pro to new one?

I just got a new Macbook Pro from Apple...YEEEEAAAHHHH!
So....
What's the best way to transfer files from old Macbook Pro to new one? I know Migration assistant, but is there a recommended way? I don't want to put do a system restore or transfer everything from the old laptop, but I do want to move important things like photos, music, documents and such over. Any suggestions on best way to do this?
Another question, perhaps subquestion. If I have, say, an older version of iPhoto but a newer version of one on my new Macbook Pro, will it still transfer photos no problem?
Just looking for hints from the experts so this puppy is set up in the best way possible.

Just one comment on this:
‘If I have, say, an older version of iPhoto but a newer version of one on my new Macbook Pro, will it still transfer photos no problem?’
the problems are ALWAYS in the reverse way, when you have the newest (or a newer) version of a given app, and wish to transfer its library to an older version.
Otherwise, see the link to Pondini.
I have been using Martin Jahn’s iBackup, with which I have become accustomed and works fine. It also makes daily backups. Its advantage over other apps is that you may add whatever you wish to save, beside its default settings (which you may delete or cancel, of course, even if not recommended); it also has a friendly interface and easily customizable. Of course, this is a personal view, you may try other methods as well, or other backup apps. All are good if you are satisfied and correspond to your needs.

Best way to transfer files from old HD to new?

Apple recently replaced my dying HD with a new one and I have an account on it with basic files and apps running. I have been able to drag and copy home, Applications, net, System, Library, and my user & shared folders to the new desktop from the old HD. (Fun fact: old HD was apparently dying from overheating: wasn't working well in the enclosure I bought until I parked it on top of a freezer pack. Worked flawlessly after that.)
So...now I have the old bootable HD in an enclosure, critical folders of files and apps on my desktop, and time machine busily making archives of said folders. How to best rebuild my new account with all the old stuff: migration assistant, setup assistant, or judicious dragging and dropping? I also have DiskWarrior.
Old and new HD were standard 250 GB, with the old HD about 15% full; time machine is a firewire 500 GB solid-state drive (SSD?)

It depends on the size and type of HD you have: each has it's own "standard" enclosure. The iMac 250 GB drive is a 3.5" SATA HD; I bought an Inland model 8419 USB 2.0 enclosure, good for either 2.5" or 3.5" HDs. I found my model by searching online for "3.5 SATA HD enclosures": there were several brands that had good recommendations. I'm withholding recommending mine until I have completed recovering my old HD, and get some more operating instructions from inlandus.com. But I will say that the enclosure fit perfectly, with no screws loose.
What was the defunct computer, and what are the specs on the HD? It is also possible to get enclosure-less hookups: you can try http://eshop.macsales.com/search/universal+drive+adapter (thanks to Eric Ross)
-John

Got a new external hard drive. Transferred all files from old hard drive to new hard drive. Connected hard drive to macbook. How do I get all my files to be recognized by iTunes and my already made playlists??

Got a new external hard drive. Transferred all files from old hard drive to new hard drive. Connected hard drive to macbook. How do I get all my files to be recognized by iTunes and my already made playlists??

Trying to download photos from IPHONE, IPAD to IPHOTO in IMAC after installing new hard drive.
How did you import the photos to iPad and iPhone?
If the photos have been synced to the iPhone and iPad using iTunes, you cannot sync them back.
See this document: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4236
You can't reimport pictures synced from your computer to your device back to your computer. You can only import pictures in the Camera Roll or Saved Photos from your device to your computer. If you need to retrieve synced photos from your device:
If your photos are not in the Camera Roll on your devices, save them to the Camera Roll, share them to the Photo Stream, mail the photos, or, if you have iPhoto on the devices, use iTunes Photo Sharing.
http://help.apple.com/iphoto/iphone/2.0/?handbuch#blnkee26bc1
Save photos to your computer using iTunes
Connect your iOS device to your computer.
Tap a photo, album, event, web journal, or slideshow and tap Share> iTunes.
Tap Selected, or change the photos you want to save (if you are saving a slideshow skip to step 4):
Select different photos: Tap Choose Photos, tap one or more photos, and tap Next.
Select a range of photos: Tap Choose Photos, tap Range, tap the first and last photos in the range, and tap Next.
Select all the photos in an album or event: Tap All.
In iTunes, click the button for your device and click Apps at the top of the window.
Below File Sharing, select iPhoto (in Apps).
Select the Shared Photos folder under iPhoto Documents.
Click Save To and select the location on your computer where you want to save the items.
To view your photos, go to the Finder and look in the location you selected above.

What is the best way to transfer photos from old laptop to new laptop?

What is the best way to transfer photos from old Macbook Pro to new Macbook Pro?

If you only need to transfer photos, connect the two Macs to the same network. Enable file sharing on both, and copy the iPhoto folder from your old Mac to the new one. Put it in your Pictures folder. This assumes you have no photos on your new MacBook Pro you wish to keep. If you do then let me know.
The first time you launch the new version of iPhoto with a Library created by an older version, it will most likely want to "upgrade your iPhoto Library". This is normal.

What is the best way to transfer files from a Power PC G4 that has NO power? Thanks.

What is the best way to transfer files from a Power PC G4 that has NO power? I have a newer iMac. Thanks.

Remove the hard drive and get one of these USB hard drive adapters. http://tinyurl.com/a5l2htj Then plug the adapter into your iMac to see/retrieve the files.
 Cheers, Tom

How do I quickly move files from old iMac to new one?

how do I quickly move files from old iMac to a new one?

How many files, and what total size?
To move ALL your files from an old Mac, you would use Migration Assistant, using either an Ethernet or Firewire connection. It's not quick, though.
To move just a few, you COULD put the old Mac into target mode (reboot it while holding T, and connect a Firewire cable, with Thunderbolt adaptor on the new end if need be). Or you could just copy them via an external (probably USB, for compatibility) drive or flash drive, formatted Mac Extended.
Matt

What is best way to transfer files from an older imac to a new one?

I have time machine on old intel imac. I have 700gb used on old and don't want to transfer everything (trying to use this "set up" process to also keep old unused stuff from transferring to the new imac). I can use firewire to transfer. I have read the Apple support article on migration but I'm not clear on the ability to drag and drop only what I want to transfer. Thanks

Thanks. Wonder if you can advise further:
As I noted, when I get around to starting this transfer next week, I want to carefully move files to the new imac almost "one at a time" or groups of files at a time (not literally.) Reason: 1. in order not to move some old files that I don't want on the new mac, but I'm reluctant to delete from old mac yet. And 2. I'm fairly certain there is a corrupted file somewhere in the old mac. This is Apple Store Genius bar tech's conclusion after several visits and attempte over the last 6 months to do iphone 4 OS updates on this old mac which resulted in failure to update - received error "device not eligible for rebuild." I was eventually able to perform the updates on my iphone 4 using my wife's newer Macbook, which she and my son use for their iphone 4s and with which they never encountered the same failure. And yes, the latest ios5 update also failed on the old imac(again did the update using the macbook.
(BTW, I did the update using the macbook, then return to the old imac to restore my iphone using the itunes on it.)
Also, FYI - this old imac is not a core 2 duo so it won't accept Lion.
So that was a long way of saying I don't want to chance moving a corrupted file to the new imac.
Therefore, can you direct me to instructions that would direct me to, as example, move this first, then this, then this, and so on.
I have several users on this old mac, although my user has the most files, many iphoto and imovie files and it is critical that my user files are moved successfully.
Also, I use time machine to back up on an external HD, and I use Carbonite too.
Any advise appreciated.

What's the best way to move files from my 2012 iMac to my 2014 MBP?

What’s a good way to move files from my 2012 iMac to my MBP?
I prefer to do graphic work on my 21-inch iMac (2012 version). But when I travel I need to copy files to my 2014 MBP. I learned that my 2012 iMac is too old for use of AirDrop, so I’m copying and moving files with a flash drive. That seems slow and clumsy. Is there a better way?

Target Disk Mode would provide a direct connection between the two Macs:
http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT1661
Nothing simpler than that is available.
Ciao.

Best way to transfer files from a MacBook Pro with 10.9, to an iMac with 10.8, Best way to transfer files from a MacBook Pro with 10.9, to an iMac with 10.8, Best way to transfer files from a MacBook Pro with 10.9, to an iMac with 10.8

I have recently upgraded my MacBook Pro to 10.9.
I also used it to save a copy of files from my iMac that was being serviced (sytem reinstall).
I now want to transfer files back from my Macbook(10.9) to my iMac which was loaded with 10.8.5.
But they do not recognise each othert in the Mirgation Assistant program when they get to the looking for another computer segment.
Is there a simple workaround?
Or am I missing or misunderstanding something?

Reverse migration of data (from a newer system to an older one) isn't supported. You'll have to copy the files manually, and some, such as your Mail database, may be incompatible.

Best way to transfer files from PC to Mac

Hello there,
I am FINALLY able to buy a Mac and am looking at an iBook. I have a PC laptop and would like to learn more about the quickest and easiest way to move files from the PC to Mac. Any ideas? Thanks!

You would probably find this page helpful:
http://www.apple.com/switch/howto/

How to transfer files from old iMac to new iMac

What is the easiest way to transfer files from my current iMac (intel) to my new iMac..which be arriving this week?
Thanks

Get a Firewire cable to run between your old iMac and the new one. Boot the old iMac into Target Disk Mode. Boot the new computer for the first time. You will find yourself in the Setup Assistant. You will have an option to transfer files from another drive or Mac. Choose that option to transfer your Home folder, third-party applications and support files, and network preferences. You will opt to transfer from your old iMac's hard drive which should appear as an alternative source.

Get files from old MBP to new MBP when the old one has suffered a Logic Board failure

Recently, my 2009 unibody MacBook Pro died. Logic board failure, I am told. It is out of warranty, and replacing the Logic Board would cost a grand. It had some other issues too, so I figured upgrading to a brand new system would be the best idea. So, I am going to purchase a brand new one within the next few days. My question is this: How to I get the files from my old MBP (I NEED them, plain and simple) to the new one once I get it? Should I take out the harddrive from the old one and connect it via a SATA>USB cable and connect it to the new one? Can anyone shed any light on this? It will be much appreciated. Thanks.
Roku

AvatarRoku wrote:
Should I take out the harddrive from the old one and connect it via a SATA>USB cable and connect it to the new one?
Yep, all you need is a IDE/SATA to USB adapter for about $20 online at OtherWorld Computing, NewEgg and other online computer sites like Amazon etc.
You can find the screwdriver or other torx driver at iFixit or OtherWorld, just look for your Mac model or just be rough with it and drill out the screws.
You can choose to get a enclosue and use the drive as a external drive, it will cost more naturally, but for a few bucks more though you can get a brand new external drive and likely twice the capacity.
Some external drives can't be Carbon Copy Cloner and option booted from, so perhaps a adapter is best. (don't clone a OS from another Mac to your new Mac)
Setup:
When you set up the new Lion Mac, name the hard drive the same name as the external drive, also setup the same user name as the old Mac had. Software Update.
Install all your known third party programs from fresh sources as many as possible.
The last thing you do is connect the old Mac drive, transfer all the files from the user folders right back into their respective folders on the new drive (Music, Pictures, Documents etc) Not User/Library.
Open all your programs like iTunes and iPhoto and it will update for your files, then go through the folders and delete what you don't want.
Don't use migration or setup assitant, it's a blind copy, includes programs you can't use anymore and other headaches.
If you do things in the order I specify, your drive will be optimized and run fast for a decent amount of time.
If Lion act's glitchy, Carbon Copy Cloner to a new HFS+ Journaled (Disk Utility) and then hold Command R to get into Lion Recovery, Zero Erase the OS X Lion partition and then option boot from the Lion clone and reverse clone onto the OS X Lion partition on the internal.
You can also reinstall Lion on top of the factory Lion from the Recovery Partition.
search "apple support Lion Recovery" for details.

Setting up Brand New iPad 2 - iTunes Sharing and Getting Files from old iTunes Account

Greetings. I recently purchased an iPad 2 (convert after 20 years of PC use) and have been waiting to set it up until I knew the proper way to proceed. I have multiple questions and am hoping those of you with more Apple experience can help out a convert .
I would like to set it up with a new iTunes account so when my wife gets her iPad 2 next year we can share apps and movies we buy on iTunes. Do you always have to sync your iPad to your PC to get your latest purchases or can you do that via the wireless connection directly on the iPad after the initial set-up?
That said, if one of us buys an app/movie, will we both have to carry it on our iPads or will they store remotely on iTunes or on our PCs? I'm just concerned about maxing out the storage space on the iPad. Do the purchases need to occur on your PC vs. the iPad itself for both to have the app/movie access?
I've also read about iCloud issues and syncing all calendar/contact/etc. accounts if two iPads are set-up with the same Apple ID. What's the best way to initially configure the iPads so that you avoid this headache in the future?
Once I get all this settled and get a new iTunes shared account working, is there any way to get the movies I have in both of our old iTunes accounts into the new shared iTunes account? Can I simply drop them on a jump drive from one PC and place them into an appropriate folder on the new PC that the iPad sync's to if it does in fact need to sync?
Again, appreciate all the help and sorry for all of the confusion and multiple thoughts. I would just like to set this thing up once and for all the right way.
Thanks again

1, you can (re-)download a lot of purchases directly on the iPad without having to connect to your computer - apps and ibooks can be re-downloaded (as long as they remain available), music can be re-downloaded in some countries; tv shows can currently only be re-downloaded in the US. Re-downloading
2, films are a one-time only download, so you can either download it on your computer's iTunes and sync it to your device(s), or if you download it directly on the iPad you will need to then copy it to your computer's iTunes (connect the iPad and do File > Transfer Purchases) so that you can make a backup and copy it to your other iPods, iPads etc.
3, I haven't had any problems with iCloud, but then I don't share my account so it's only my account and contacts on my iPad and iPhone.
4, you can authorise your old accounts on your computer's iTunes (Store > Authorise This Computer) and copy the films onto it : File > Add File To Library - you can't copy or transfer content to a different account (nor can you combine accounts), they will remain tied to the original account
The iPad's manual has some info about syncing and each of the built-in apps (the iBooks app is covered in the manual though it isn't pre-installed, but you can download it for free from the store) - the manual can be downloaded from here http://support.apple.com/manuals/#ipad

What's the best way to move files from my old G3 to my new Intel DuoCore?

I just received my new Intel DuoCore 17" iMac. For years I have been using a much-loved G3 500 mHz iMac. The new Intel iMac is still in the box, but I believe it shipped with OS 10.4.4. The G3 runs 10.2.6. I have a dial-up connection to the Internet; currently DSL is not available in my neighborhood. What is the best way to move my files from the G3 to the Intel dc? Can I simply connect them with an Ethernet cable and transfer files directly? Or is my best bet to simply save the files I want to transfer to a disc and do it the old-fashioned way? Please forgive me in advance for my ignorance; although I have been a Mac user and supporter for many years, I am astonishingly ignorant when it comes to the best way to using both Mac hardward and software.
iMac Intel DuoCore Mac OS X (10.4.4)

There are two issues - 1. Getting the files moved over, and 2. Being able to open them on the Intel iMac.
1. This can be technically easy if you are willing to spend the time. I moved all my stuff from my old Mac to my new one by hooking the two together with an ethernet cable, directly. You would need both machines to have appropriate IP addresses. (go to the network preferences and pull down the built-in ethernet panel.) Some addresses such as 192.168.1.100 and 192.168.1.101 would work with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0) Now go to the new iMac and make sure the finder is selected (click on the desktop) and under the "GO" menu select "Connect to Server". You will need to put in the IP address of the old machine, and later it's administrative password. Then select its hard drive from the list (possibly only one choice) and it should appear as an icon on your iMac desktop. You can open this like any other drive and just drag items to the new iMac.
2. Whether you can use all the files moved over from the old G3 is difficult to answer. You may be using Classic mode sometimes on the G3 and have some stuff created with a Classic application. You are probably aware that the new Intel iMac does not support Classic mode, so some of these files may not be useable without a bit of work (or at all, perhaps.) For instance I had to purchase Appleworks to handle some of my old Clarisworks documents because Pages couldn't understand them. Once I had them converted to Appleworks documents, I could then convert them again to Pages documents.
I had some old MacDraw Pro documents that were equally problematic.
I would advise you to get the new iMac out of the box and connected to your dialup internet connection first. Do all the software updates until running software updater says there is nothing new. Then you will be at 10.4.7 with all the latest security and fixes etc. Then disconnect from the internet and use an ethernet cable to get the stuff off the old computer.
There will be lots more to do such as moving your mail, address box entries etc. later, but this is a start.

Getting New MBP tomorrow - best way to get files from old iMac?

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for