Migration Assistant Copied System Preferences from a Third HD!

I used Migration Assistant to copy files off an iMac and onto a new HD in a MacPro. I purchased a second HD for the MacPro especially for this occasion because I wanted to leave the original MacPro HD intact. At this point, I had two HD's in the MacPro. After installing Snow Leopard, Migration Assistant copied all files and users as expected but something very strange happened:
1. iMac is 10.6.5 but new HD has 10.6
2. System Preferences were taken from the existing HD in the MacPro
I knew there was something wrong because the desktop image was from the original MacPro HD.
What's more annoying is that I completely wiped the new HD using Disk First Aid and removed the original HD from the MacPro so I could start the entire migration process again. Before quitting Disk First Aid, I noticed that it said 800mb had been used even though I had zero'd out everything.
Again, for the second attempt I decided to remove the original HD from the MacPro and just leave the new drive in there, but it did it again.
1. Question - If I had assigned Migration Assistant to copy files from the iMac HD why did I end up with System Preferences from the original MacPro HD?
2. Question - After completely removing the original MacPro HD from the machine, why did Migration Assistant set up the new HD with the System Preferences on an HD that I had completely removed from the machine?
I know all I have to do is use Software Update to bring it back up to 10.6.5 but it's really annoyed me because now I am wondering about of all the 500 gigs and what files may have been affected (hopefully none). I've had a quick look through the contents but I won't be able to tell because there are so many of them. And do I really want to spend time digging around in the Library of the iMac to copy across the System Preferences to the new HD and then remove what shouldn't have been there in the first place? I don't think so, and I shouldn't have to.
I do wish Apple would have their software do what it says and not go digging around on another HD that was lying dormant for this exercise, especially after removing it for the second attempt. It's wasting so much of my time.
Any thoughts, opinions, excuses and remedies would be greatly welcomed.
Thanks in advance.
Message was edited by: inknpaper

inknpaper wrote:
I used Migration Assistant to copy files off an iMac and onto a new HD in a MacPro. I purchased a second HD for the MacPro especially for this occasion because I wanted to leave the original MacPro HD intact. At this point, I had two HD's in the MacPro. After installing Snow Leopard, Migration Assistant copied all files and users as expected but something very strange happened:
You mean you installed OSX on the new drive. Apparently you used a 10.6.0 disc.
Then, presumably, your Mac re-started (from the new disk), you set up a user account, then started +Migration Assistant.+
Migration Assistant doesn't install or copy OSX; whatever version of OSX you put on that drive is still there.
2. System Preferences were taken from the existing HD in the MacPro
Extremely doubtful.
You have an extra user account (the one you set up after installing OSX and before doing the Migration). Unless you changed it, that account will have the default desktop picture.
Are you sure the account you transferred has a different desktop picture than it did on the iMac? If so, is it the default?
What's more annoying is that I completely wiped the new HD using Disk First Aid and removed the original HD from the MacPro so I could start the entire migration process again. Before quitting Disk First Aid, I noticed that it said 800mb had been used even though I had zero'd out everything.
Yes; that's the partition map and empty directories.
1. Question - If I had assigned Migration Assistant to copy files from the iMac HD why did I end up with System Preferences from the original MacPro HD?
As above, I don't think you did. Be sure which account you're logged-on to.
For best results, start over, and use +Setup Assistant+ instead of +Migration Assistant,+ so you don't end up with extra accounts. See [Setting up a new Mac from an old one or its backups|http://web.me.com/pondini/AppleTips/Setup.html] (or use the link in *User Tips* at the top of this forum), and note the green box there.

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