Migration Assistant can't see old computer

I just got a new MBP running Snow Leopard 10.6.3. I want to transfer the contents of my old computer, a Power Book G4 running 10.5.8. I have them connected with a Belkin Firewire 800/800 9 pin to 9 pin cable. When I launch the MA on the MBP, I get to the screen that says to restart the old mac holding down the T key until the Firewire symbol appears. I do that and the MA screen is still "waiting for the other Mac to restart". It doesn't see the old Mac. Any ideas as to why? Thanks.

Took the computer to the Apple store and like your car at the mechanic, it behaved perfectly. No problem with target disk, and the old volume mounted on the new desk top. All data migrated successfully. Thanks.

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Migration Assistant can't see my external hard drive.

Migration Assistant can't see my external hard drive with my back-up info on it. I need to migrate my user data from an older back-up ( OS X 10.4.11) to a recently installed OS X 10.5.8 system on a Mac Pro. The external drive is not bootable. Any ideas?

Great news, thanks!
On iTunes see this...
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4527
Expand the External drive section & it's 6 steps.
More info, especially the Wrong Way part...
http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/articles/comments/moving-your-itunes-library-to -a-new-hard-drive/

Migration assistant can't see TM on external HDD

Tonight I got a new iMac. I'm trying to restore via the external HDD from my last TM backup using the Migration Assistant.
My previous iMac was fully updated to the current edition of Lion.
(Side note: after repeated failures of the power supply over the past 18 months, the Apple Store gave me this new machine instead of repairing my 2008 iMac again [for free again]).
Migration Assistant does not see my external HDD though it's visible on the desktop now, and accessible.
How do you force Lion to see this HDD and migrate from it?
I'd like to restore my system to be completely as it was before without a tedious folder-by-folder migration effort.

Tonight I found most of the solution I needed:
-Create a new administrator account on your machine.
-Run the Migration Assistant.
-It should identify your previous hard drive's name, and that's what you migrate from to your new account.
-If your new account and your old account (the one on your old machine), have the same name, you cannot migrate to an account with the same name. You should get a prompt to change the account name in the three options that are given.
-I gave the account being migrated TO a new name, and in about 30 minutes everything came over.
The remaining problem is that some of my items did not make it and I cannot find those folders in my Time Machine.
Also, iTunes is looking like it needs to be rebuilt for the most part. I have an iTunes Match account. That auto-imported all of my playlists but my movies have to be re-imported into iTunes for it to recognize them again.
Oh yea...my backup of the iTunes library list is nowhere to be found. I think it's in and among those items that are yet to be found.

Migration assistant can't see time machine disk

New hard drive to replace broken one - Migration Assistant doesn't see the external hard drive with my time machine backup, even though it mounts to the desktop... Anyone else had this problem? Using a MacBook pro with OSX 10.8.4

Here are the articles I have on Migration Assistant. None of them had the answer to your problem (or at least I couldn't find it). Check what you did versus the recommendations in the articles is about the best I can offer.
Migration Assistant
Migration Assistant (2)
Migration Assistant – Tips and Tricks

Migration Assistant can't see my USB ext HD for Time Machine!

Here is a question for Pondini!
I've read through many of the threads here, including Pondini's tutorials on how to set-up Time Machine, use Migration Assistant, etc. Alas, I'm not a technical person and have hit a wall.
Here's the scenario:
Last week my iMac running Mountain Lion crashed. The hard drive was initially "repaired" using Recovery, erasing all data then restoring the drive from Time Machine backups stored on a Hitachi 2TB Touro USB3 external HD. But soon after the system froze again and a 2nd restore did not work. I concluded that my almost 5 year old HD was gone.
Where I stand now is that the iMac's HD has been replaced with a new one which came preinstalled with Snow Leopard. I absolutely want (need!) to restored my Mac from Time Machine to get back all my settings and info.
During the iMac first boot Setup Assistant did NOT see the external hard drive even though they are connected properly. (Note: My older iMac is undoubtedly USB2 but the external HD is backwards-compatible USB3. THAT is the connection, from the external HD directly into the back of the Mac. It is mounted on my desktop and files can be accessed through Finder.) So I then proceeded to set-up my "new" computer with basic settings, which is how I came to see my external HD was properly mounted and connected. I also upgraded the OS on this new HD to Mountain Lion so it would be the same as my most recent Time Machine back-ups.
Since then I have tried using Migration Assistant to migrate from Time Machine on my external drive but it still does not recognize any drives - Migration Assistant just searches endlessly for other computers. Argh! I've tried all the tips I've read in these forums and none have helped. I scanned my external drive for errors using disk utility but none were found.
On my external drive there is a folder in the root called Backups.backupdb. Double-clicking it simply opens the folder in Finder, to reveal folders with names familiar to me - the previous HDs computer name, then a bunch of dated folders within that, including a lone file called 2012-08-17-062839.inProgress. I suppose my HD may have died while backing up to Time Machine.
WHAT do I do?
Let's say the worst case scenario is that I cannot use these Time Machine backups. Is there any way to root through them for data I can hand-copy to my iMac's new internal drive? It would be grueling but at least it's something. How can I retrieve years of email? Luckily photos, music, videos, etc were backed up manually into a separate folder (also in the root of my external drive).
THANK YOU!!
Danielle

This happened to me after hard drive replacement under the Seagate Drive Recall at the local Apple Store. Here's what I learned from the process:
I Wagged the Mac home, fired it up (with naked OS installed at the Apple Store), and it wouldn't see my Time Machine drive with Setup Assistant - not on firewire 800 nor USB. Just a grey spinner that lasts forever. When I try just continuing anyway, it offers me something that looks plausible, but then puts up a dialog about duplicate user name, and no matter what I enter, it always says "that user already exists". So I think - maybe Migration Assistant. Complete the setup, create an account, watch the nice welcome movie. BAM - there's my Time Machine drive on the desktop. OK - it has to work . . . but no. Same behavior in Migration Assistant, plus the new OS offers to start making backups on my Time Machine disk - it's not recognizing it at all.
So - back to the Apple Store - let the genius figure it out. It turns out there are multiple problems. First, the "genius" who imaged my new machine picked 10.7.2 but my machine had 10.7.5 - turns out, it's not enough just to have right cat. Even a point release older OS may not recognize a newer Time Machine drive. The guy at the desk said "We have images of everything but the 10.7.2 has free iLife in it, so they like to use that one". What the heck? They don't image what you had originally as a matter of sane process?
Having figured that out, we re-image 10.7.5 at the store thinking we've fixed it. But no - Setup Assistant still won't see the Time Machine drive. Not on USB, not on Firewire. Not in a box, not with a fox.
So here's the second trick - newer machines have a recovery partion. see: http://www.apple.com/osx/recovery/ Boot with the option key held down, pick that partition, then you'll get a "system restore" option, to restore your whole system from a Time Machine backup. My drive was recognized by the recovery partition restore process when neither Setup nor Migration Assistant would. Obviously, there's something broken in Setup/Migration Assistant.
Takeaway:
- if you're getting a drive replaced by Apple, make sure they image *exactly* the same OS you had
- if Setup Assistant fails, use the recovery partition for system restore
- Use Recovery Disk Assistant http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1433 to make yourself a recovery thumb drive just in case. With Apple's new "no media" approach to the OS, you're hosed without it.

Migration Assistant can't see external Time Machine

I appreciate Macs and all they can do but I am not great with the technical side. I apologise if this is an stupid question. Probably all my technical questions seem stupid to people who can find their way around the mac.
Shiny new iMac. Yah!
Hmm there's a problem.
External drive with Time Machine backups on it shows on the desktop, however when I use Migration Assistant to transfer info it can't find it.
The external drive is plugged directly into the iMac.
I can open the external drive and see there are Time Machine backups.
The Time Machine App is currently set to off on my new iMac. Is it as simply as switching it to "on"? I was concerned about overwriting the old backups and losing them.
Thanks for assistance.

Most likely, some folders were excluded from your backups as the result of a failed or aborted software installation.
Starting from a clean installation of OS X, set up a new administrator account and log in. Enter Time Machine and press the key combination shift-command-C. The front window will show all mounted volumes. All snapshots should now be accessible.* Select the one you want and navigate to your home folder (in the Users folder at the top level of the old startup volume.)
You should now be able to restore your user data. I suggest you do this in two stages. Quit all applications except the Finder before you begin.
Restore all the visible items at the top level of your home folder.
Hold down the option key and select Go ▹ Library from the Finder menu bar. Enter Time Machine and restore all items in the Library folder. Log out and log back in as soon as the restore is complete.
Any other invisible folders or files at the top level of your home folder that you want to preserve will have to be restored separately. For most users, that isn't necessary.
You'll have to reinstall all third-party applications from scratch, or restore them from another kind of backup, if you have one.
You'll have another problem if this is a new computer, or if you erased the startup volume: The next time you back up, Time Machine won't recognize any files as being the same as they were before, and will make a full copy of all files. There might not be enough space on one or more of your backup volumes for that. There are different ways of dealing with that situation, depending on your needs. The easiest way is to set your backup drives aside, if possible, until you're sure you'll no longer need the data on them, then erase them and start over. Meanwhile start a new backup on one or more empty storage devices. If that solution isn't workable for you, ask for instructions.
*If you don't see any snapshots in Time Machine, exit the time-travel view and then hold down the option key while selecting
Browse Other Backup Disks...
from the Time Machine menu, which has an icon that looks like a clock running backwards. Select the backups of your computer by its previous name. If you don't have the Time Machine menu, open the Time Machine preference pane in System Preferences and check the box marked
Show Time Machine in menu bar

HT4796 I started Migration Assistant and then my old computer spontaneously restarted. I am back in Migration Assistant but my [new] iMac is still waiting for input from my old computer, and my old computer is waiting for the iMac to connect. What do I

I have a new iMac. I'm using Migration Assistant to transfer files. My old computer spontaneously shut down. I restarted it and am trying to use Migration Asst again, but each computer is waiting on input from the other one. What do I do?

Let me see if I've gotten this right! You want to remove an account from BOTH machines? Do this for your new machine first, then for the other.
Click the Apple logo on the top left of the screen, System Preferences, Users and Groups (under Systems), unlock the lock in the window if its locked (you need to know the password), select the user that you wish to remove, and click the - sign next to the + sign for Login options. A window will pop up with some options. Select Delete this user and securely, and click 'Delete user'.
After this, do an update from the App Store.
Thats all there is to it.
For the other machine repeat the process except for one thing. Before you delete the user in this case YOU, you will have to give Administrator priviledges to your son bu checking the box 'Allow user to administer this computer'.
Do NOT do anything from Finder ... if you dont know how to fix the consequences of the problems caused.
There is no need to unauthorize your iTunes account on your new machine. Do it on the old machine though.

Migration Assistant can't see partition

Following the advice of my local Apple Store, I purchased a LaCie external drive from them and set up several partitions, each used to back up one computer using Carbon Copy Cloner.
Now that a hard disk has failed, I want to use Migration Assistant to copy the backed up data but it only sees the first and last partitions on the external drive, and the one I need to restore from is neither the first nor the last.
All the partitions show up on the Desktop when I plug in the drive. Why can't Migration Assistant see them? And how do I fix this?
Thanks.
PowerBook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.5)

Clone the data you need to the boot partition of another hard drive, and in the future don't partition hard drives except when necessary like to use one partition as a scratch partition that you can erase at will.

Migration Assistant won't recognize old computer

Hi everyone!
I recently purchased a new MBP 2.8 GHz Intel Core i7, running 10.8.3 now. I'm trying to use migration assistant do transfer my files from a MBP 2.8 GHz Interl Core 2 Duo (running 10.8.3 as well) via firewire. I've puchased a thunderbolt to firewire adapter since the new MBP is not support firewire port anymore. However, the two computer was recognized when I was using wireless transfer but not the firewire connection. The wireless transfer was estimated over 80 hrs to transfer the files. After talking with Apple Support, I was informed that the firewire will be must faster. But the two computer won't recognize each other! What did I do wrong here? Please help!

I have the exact same problem. When setting up the new MacBook, I attached the firewire cable and restarted the PowerBook into target disk mode. The Firewire symbol appears on the screen but the MacBook gives the error message "There are no versions of MacOS X available on your old Mac". I wanted to test if it is a problem with the MacBook, and found that the MacBook will recognize and mount a portable firewire hard drive. Furthermore, when I tried attaching it to an intel iMac, it recognized it and was ready to import files from it. Therefore it seems that the problem is that the OS X 10.4.11 on the PowerBook is somehow 'invisible' to the MacBook migration assistant. I tried repairing permissions on the old PowerBook, but that didn't help. In the meantime I also ran software update on the MacBook, which brought it up to the very latest version of Leopard.
Could it be that the version of OS X needs to be the same on both machines? Next I am going to backup the PowerBook, then upgrade it to Leopard, then try again. I am surprised more people haven't had this problem, at least I have seen few postings about it.

Set up and migration assistant can't see time machine back ups

Hi. Trying to cut this short.
I Tried installing osx 10.8. Halfway through the installation it told me I didn't have enough free space. Helpful.
i tried to restore from time machine, the back ups were viewable, but it said i couldn't as the disk was in use or couldn't be un mounted.
Ive now deleted the hard drive and reinstalled 10.7.5.
Set up couldn't restore from time machine back ups as it couldn't find them.
Ive started osx and tried to use migration assistant. It can't see the time machine back ups.
However, if I open the time machine app it can see the back ups.
I've rebooted in recovery and

Seems my text has vanished. This site is terrible on my iphone. Would expect better.
I've rebooted in recovery and tried to restore from time machine but again it won't find the back ups.

Migration Assistant can't see MacBook Air, but Finder does

Hello,
I purchased an iMac 2 weeks ago. Now I'd like to make the best of this Migration Assistant by automatically move files and setting from the MBA (MacBook Air) to the new iMac, but this utility is looking for other computers forever without finding anything.
Facts:
The iMac Finder see the MBA
The MBA Finder does not see the iMac.
Firewalls on both computers are set to "Allow All Incoming Connections"
Both computers are loaded with Leopard 10.5.5
Both computers are connected to Time Capsule through Ethernet cables.
Any idea on how to make the Migration Assistant see the MBA?
Thanks!

When connecting the MBA directly into the iMac's Ethernet port, I get the same symptoms.
From the Finder, iMac sees MBA but not the opposite!
From the Migraton Assistant, the little wheel turns endlessly without seeing the MBA.
I think I'll have to call Apple about this one. Then again I think the Support representative will be clueless...

Migration assistant can't find my computer

I'm trying to transfer files from my MacBookPro (10.5.8) to my iMac (10.6.8) using an ethernet connection. I get Migration Assistant running and both the source and target computer just spin and spin and spin and never find eachother. I never get to the step where I enter the secret number code. What am I doing wrong? Sharing is ON on both computers...
HELP!

Hi...
Try this support article > Migration Assistant tips and tricks

Migration assistant doesn't see my time machine backup

Since upgading to mavericks migration assistant no longer sees my backup on my external drive that I use for my time machine backups. The drive mounts fine and I can access my backups through my finder using "enter time machine", but I can not restore because migration assistant can't see the drive. I don't knoe if it's a time machine issue or a mighration assistant issue. I have tried on several macs and with several different hard drives but migration assistant cannot restore from my time machine backups. I suggest everyone make sure they can restore from their time machine backups because this may be a major problem and result in complete loss of data. I have found no solution yet.

Here are the articles I have on Migration Assistant. None of them had the answer to your problem (or at least I couldn't find it). Check what you did versus the recommendations in the articles is about the best I can offer.
Migration Assistant
Migration Assistant (2)
Migration Assistant – Tips and Tricks

Can I transfer files from a Mini running 10.4.11 to a new Mini running Lion? States I need to upgrade Migration Assistant, but I see no viable path I can take. OPtions to get photos over to new Mini?

Can I transfer files from a Mini running 10.4.11 to a new Mini running Lion? States I need to upgrade Migration Assistant, but I see no viable path I can take. OPtions to get photos over to new Mini?

Thanks Mende1; I know that PPC apps won't function on Intel machines but I can migrate the Universal apps, right? There is such a large gap between Tiger and Mountain Lion - can I still migrate files directly from one to the other taking the Universal apps as well? Sorry, I'm not very computer savvy!
Len57

Can't get migration assistant to find the other computer

Tried to use Migration Assistant, but its help is pretty skimpy. Regardless of options chosen, neither computer could find the other. Should both computers be on with MA, or first one then the other? Really couldn't find any protocol.
They do have different account names and passwords, is that the issue?
G5 to G5 connected by firewire, tried working from either end, old to new, new to old neither way does the other computer get "found".

After connecting the two computers by FireWire cable you must boot one (the old one) into Target Disk Mode. Then boot the other normally. The "old" computer's disk drive should appear on the "new" computer's Desktop. You may then us Migration Assistant to transfer from old to new.
Your new computer's user account that you created will need to have a different short name than the one you plan to import via MA as MA will not overwrite an existing account. If this is no longer feasible then consider moving your data manually.
Folders You Can Move to Your new Mac
From the Home folder copy the contents of Documents, Movies, Music, Pictures, and Sites.
In your /Home/Library/ folder:
/Home/Library/Application Support/AddressBook (copy the whole folder)
/Home/Library/Application Support/iCal (copy the whole folder)
Also in /Home/Library/Application Support (copy whatever else you need including folders for any third-party applications)
/Home/Library/Keychains (copy the whole folder)
/Home/Library/Mail (copy the whole folder)
/Home/Library/Preferences/ (copy the whole folder)
/Home /Library/iTunes (copy the whole folder)
/Home /Library/Safari (copy the whole folder)
/Home /Library/Calendars (copy the whole folder)
If you want cookies:
/Home/Library/Cookies/Cookies.plist
/Home/Library/Application Support/WebFoundation/HTTPCookies.plist
For Entourage users:
Entourage is in /Home/Documents/Microsoft User Data
Also in /Home/Library/Preferences/Microsoft
For FireFox:
/Home/Library/Applications Support/FireFox
/Home/Library/Preferences/org.mozilla.firefox.plist
Credit goes Macjack for this information.

Migration Assistant can't see old computer

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