Running an old disk image on a new iMac

Ok, so to anyone reading this, I do know that I am unable to boot into an external image of my drive if the image is made from an older piece of hardware... IE: I can't boot my MacBook Pro (image) from 2007 onto my new iMac from 2011.
What I would like to know, though, is if it is somehow possible to do a transfer of this information into a newer format? Meaning, am I able to basically "migrate" the information on that disk without actually installing it onto my current computer, so I am able to boot into it as if the user had been migrated onto this computer, then had an image made of it with all the info corrected to this computer, then have my iMac be all "oh yeah, that hard drive? It's from me, I don't mind booting to it even though all the programs are old..."
I realize I'm missing a bit of description here, but... Yeah
tl;dr: I wanna "migrate" an image of an older computers hard drive so I can boot it on my new one. Without actually migrating it onto my iMac.

It's not so much that the disk image is old, it is that the OS X version in that disk image is too old to be able to boot your new machine. OS X versions from 2007 can not boot a 2011 iMac under any circumstances.
If you want a bootable backup volume to be available, your choices are -
• Partition your internal hard drive, and clone your exisiting volume onto that new volume.
• Get an external firwire drive, format it appropriately, then clone your internal drive to it.
You could also migrate your old stuff (files and apps, not OS0 to either of the solutions I gave.
However, note that Lion does not support Rosetta. Rosetta is software used by earlier versions of OS X on Intel-processor machines to allow the use of PPC programs on Intel machines. Since Lion does not support Rosetta, it is quite probable that several of your old programs will not be able to work on your new machine running Lion. Makes no difference whether they are on an internal or external drive - if they are PPC programs and need Rosetta, they will not work in Lion.

Similar Messages

  • Error: X "does not have permission to write to the application's directory! Are you running off a disk image? If not, ask your system administrator for help."

    I have received to following error from at least three different applications when they have attempted to auto-update recently: X "does not have permission to write to the application's directory! Are you running off a disk image? If not, ask your system administrator for help." 
    I am not running off a disk image and I have admin privileges... Not sure what the problem is, but it just started happening (a week or two ago) and I have never previously had a problem with these applications auto-updating.  I have repaired permissions and attempted other "fixes" found on the interweb, but nothing works.  Also, this is only happening on my iMac (27" Intel i5) and not my MacBook Pro (17" Intel i5) -- both are running Lion.  Please help!

    If you updated using the default install (merge) from before Tiger, you may be seeing an issue that we saw when Leopard first came out last year.
    Not sure of the fix - it was not simple - but if you search back in these forums you might find something that will help. I believe it deals with the numbers assigned to accounts (501, etc).
    If you open your Accounts Preferences and unlock the padlock, right-click Advanced Options and read your User ID and Group ID. Let us know what they are.
    Now, in the other user admin account, do the same thing.
    One of the real experts who knows much more about this than I may be able to then help.
    And be sure to check out this article
    http://pinkmutant.com/articles/Leopard/leobugs.html

  • I'm trying to transfer data (docs, emails) from G4 iMac running os 10.3.9 to brand new iMac on 10.8.1  I'm stuck, any help greatly appreciated.  (Ethernet or wifi networking are both options if I can figure out how to get the machines to communicate.)

    I'm trying to transfer data (docs, emails) from an old G4 iMac running OS 10.3.9 to brand new iMac on 10.8.1  I'm stuck, any help greatly appreciated.  (Ethernet or wifi networking are both options if I can figure out how to get the machines to communicate.)

    AMoriyama wrote:
    I have the old machine backed up onto an external firewire disk but can't hook that up to the new imac as I'm waiting for delivery of a firewire 400/800 adaptor - therefore starting the old machine up as a slave is also subject to the same delay.
    I was hoping there might be some way to create a network between the 2 machines (and 2 different versions of the OS) to be able to transfer data across immediately but perhaps I'll just have to wait for my firewire adaptor to arrive.
    I don't understand why you're buying a Firewire adaptor, since AFAIK both of your computers have Firewire already built in.
    All you need is a firewire cable. Connect the Firewire socket on the old machine to the Firewire socket on your new iMac.
    Then start the old machine in Target Mode (i.e. by holding down the T key on its keyboard, while it's starting up, until you see the three-legged T icon hopping around the screen of the old machine.)
    At that point you will also see a new icon on the screen of your new iMac. This is the hard drive of your old machine.  By clicking on it you can navigate through it any way you like, just as you would normally.
    Just drag across whatever you want from the old computer to the new one. This will leave everything on the old computer untouched.
    - or use Migration Assistant but in my experience, Migration Assistant isn't very reliable and fails to migrate large amounts of stuff.

  • I have an iMac4.1 and my iPhoto is very slow and the thumbnails correspond to the wrong pictures.  How do I fix this? Or is my iMac too old?  Will getting a new iMac solve this problem?.

    I have an iMac4.1 and my iPhoto is very slow and the thumbnails correspond to the wrong pictures.  How do I fix this? Or is my iMac too old?  Will getting a new iMac solve this problem? 
    I realize is only 512MB of memory but I want to make sure that a new iMac will solve this problem.  Can the new iPhoto handle 10GB or more of photos?  Or do I have to go to Picasa anyways in which case I can buy any computer to do that?

    The model of Mac is not partcularly relevant, it's the version of the OS and iPhoto that matter.
    iPhoto - since 2006 - is good for 250,000 images.
    Regards
    TD

  • HT3275 The backup disk image "/Volumes/ Time Cap/ iMac.sparsebundle"     is already in use.  What does this mean?

    The backup disk image “/Volumes/ Time Cap iMac.sparsebundle” is already in use. What is a sparsebundle and how do I fix this?

    Restart the Time Capsule as follows:
    Pull the power cord from the back of the Time Capsule
    Wait a minute
    Plug the power cord back in to the back of the Time Capsule
    This will fix this issue about 98% of the time. If you happen to be in the 2% category, there are more "fixes" here:
    The Backup disk image ... sparsebundle ... is already in use.

  • The candara font in italics is turning my words into what looks like another language (it's only happening in the italics version).  Does anyone know how to fix it? (I'm running OSX 10.8.3 on a new iMac

    The candara font in italics is turning my words into what looks like another language (it's only happening in the italics version).  Does anyone know how to fix it? (I'm running OSX 10.8.3 on a new iMac and the only change I've made recently is to install MS Office for Mac 2011)

    This is what the font turns it into (it's supposed to say Chrysler Building & New York Public Library).  The font came with Pages which is what I'm working in.  It worked before but isn't now.

  • Running programs as disk images??

    So, I'm a recent Mac convert; I've always had PCs before in the past, so I'm still learning about them. I love my new Macbook Pro! But anyway, I have installed Firefox and Adium (an IM program) on my computer, but every time I open them, a little "disk icon" that says either Firefox or Adium appears under the Macintosh HD on the desktop. Is there a way to open those installed programs without the disk icons appearing? Did I install the programs incorrectly or something?
    Any help would be appreciated!

    jwfrank85,
    Firefox and Adium, like many Mac applications, are downloaded in disk images. A disk image is a single file that is an "image" of a mountable disk or volume (a hard disk, a CD/DVD, etc., or some portion thereof). Put another way, it is a "virtual disk."
    Once downloaded or copied to your computer, the disk that is represented by the disk image file can be mounted by double-clicking the file. The disk will then show up on your Desktop like any other real disk.
    The idea with applications that come this way is that you would then copy the application from the mounted disk image to your Applications folder. Once this has been done, you can eject the disk image, then move the disk image file to the trash.
    What you have done is to drag these items not to your Applications folder, but to your Dock. Since the applications that are referenced by the Dock icons are still living within the disk image, OS X automatically mounts the disk image whenever you launch the application.
    Mount the disk image(s) yourself, then drag the applications from the disk image to your Applications folder. Drag the original icons out of your Dock, then replace those icons with new ones from the applications that are now in your Applications folder. Finally, eject the mounted disk image(s), locate the disk image files, and drag them to the trash and empty it.
    Scott

  • Can I use my old macbook as a disk drive for my new iMac?

    My husband just bought me a new new iMac (yey!) but had assumed it would have a dvd drive (as you do).  It doesn't.  So can I use my old Macbook to upload cds and dvds and somehow import to my itunes on my new computer?

    As long as your Macbook is up-to-date.  Go to system preferences>Internet and Wireless>Sharing>check mark CD/DVD sharing.

  • How do i transfer my old Apple Mail to a new iMac

    I have a new iMac running OS 10.10.1 and Apple Mail 8.1 and an old Mac Pro running OS 10.7.5 and Apple Mail 5.3.  I have a LOT of unwanted apps and other material on my MacPro which I don't want to transfer so I can't use migration methods that just transfer everything. So, I am generally struggling to transfer applications and files but particularlyy Apple Mail.  I have lots of saved mail in folders (stored, I believe, locally on my Mac) which I DO wish to keep.
    So, the questions are:
         1.  what is the best way to transfer a large and complex Apple Mail set of files?
    and
         2.  Is there a tool to there that enables me to selectively transfer files between Macs?
    Grateful for any suggestions/advice.

    Just sync or Back Up the iPhone, you do not need to Update Firmware or Restore Firmware. Just sync or Back Up.
    Then sync or restore the Back Uo to the new iPhone. You do not have to Update Firmware or Restore Firmware. Just sync or restore from the Back Up. Do not Restore the Firmware.

  • Can I use the old Classic mode on a new iMac?

    On my old iMac G5 running OS X 10.3.9, I also had a "Classic" mode that worked with all my old apps. I just bought a newer iMac (10 months old) running OS X version 10.6.6. Can I install Classic on it too? If not, is there some other way that I can run my old Photoshop, Word etc. on my new computer?

    The various free Office-like open source applications are great, however learning to use the Gimp, for anyone who is used to the way Photoshop and Mac programs work, is a challenge. And that is an understatement of the case! Instead of struggling with the Gimp, for less than 100 bucks one can buy Photoshop Elements. It will do everything the Classic version of Photoshop would do, that "regular" people would want, and then some (there are some things that professionals do, such as working with CMYK, that Elements doesn't do). Another option is Pixelmator, but I've been trying it (it was on sale in the new Mac App Store), and it just isn't as good as PS Elements, and its regular price isn't all that much cheaper.
    Francine
    Francine
    Schwieder

  • How do I restore from old hard drive to a new iMac ?

    The logic board in my mid 2008 iMac 24" has failed just 3 months out of AppleCare. To replace this will cost me HK$ 6500. I was going to buy a new mac anyway, just waiting for the next refresh model to come out.  So a new 27" i7 with highest spec and SSD and 2TB hard drive with AppleCare will cost me HK$ 24k. No brainer to just buy a new iMac rather than spend 25% of the cost to repair a 3+ year old iMac.
    The hard drive is working ok so the repair centre said they will remove the hard drive for me and suggested I buy an enclosure for it , put the old drive in the enclosure and then transfer the program's, settings and files to the new IMac.
    What is the best way to do this ?  I obviously cannot boot up the old drive. Can I connect this drive  to the new iMac and then use setup assistant to move settings and program's to the SSD on the new iMac , then use migration assistant to move the remainder of the files ( documents folder, iPhoto etc) to the hard drive on the new iMac ?
    If not then any suggestions ?

    Do as the repair center suggests and place the old drive in an enclosure then connect it to the new Mac.
    When you first start new Mac run Setup Assistant and tell it to restore from the external drive.
    It worked for me and should work for you.
    Allan

  • I have a Panasonic FZ38 HD camera. I can load and view my hd movies onto iMovie with no problems via my camera or a card reader.  When I try to copy my hd videos from my old Windows pc to my new iMac, the picture speed has doubled but the sound is normal.

    I have a Panasonic DMC-FZ38 HD camera and have lots of hd movie clips stored on my old Windows Pc using Photofun software supplied by Panasonic, which I want to transfer to my new Imac computer.   I am able to copy my most recent movies that are still on the memory card from my camera onto Imovie and view them with no problems at all.  When it comes to copying my old existing hd movies stored on my Windows Pc (and which are no longer stored on a memory card), I discover that when I view them on the Imovie, the speed has doubled but the sound is normal.   In order to transfer my old movies I have copied them back  onto a memory card (SDHC - the same card as previously used) and then put the card back into my camera and then copied them onto my Imac via the camera USB.   I have also used a card reader but get the same result.     If I view the same movie through my camera, or look at it on my old pc, it plays at normal speed.    Does anyone have any ideas as to why this is happening please?

    have you read and watch the Tutorials..? :
    http://www.apple.com/ilife/tutorials/#imovie
    iM is a bit.. iffy, when it comes to the definition, what a 'camera' is. historically, only tape based machines were a movie-camera. nowadays still-cams allow movin' images too..
    but, as mentioned above: the intended workflow is: material from photo cameras (even when they move) => import via iPhoto; material from video cameras (even when they don't move.. ) => iMovie
    when the import is done, you'll notice in all iLife apps the 'media browser' - in iM09, on the very right, the icon with a camera on.. click it, presto, all (incl. your 'videos') your iPhoto Library at hand for usage in iMovie.
    watch this:
    http://www.apple.com/findouthow/movies/imovie08.html#tutorial=otherimport
    (about from midths of tutorial...)

  • Can't get old scanner to work with new iMAC

    I have an old scanner, Epson Perfection 4870 Photo that I can't get my new iMAC to install in PSE6 like I've had in my older computers. I've installed all the software (plus I used my old laptop to transfer files/information when I initially started the new iMAC. When I go into PSE6 it is not under the import area that it used to be. Do I need to go manually drag the file in the hard drive to another folder? Thank you.

    Most likely the problem is with the driver. I have the same scanner at work and this is what I had to do to get it to work. Because you are running PSE6 which is a Universal Application on an Intel Mac, in order for the plugin to load within PSE it must also be a Universal plugin which it's not. Epson claims these drivers that were released in 2006 are Intel and 10.5 compatible. What you have to do to get it to work is Open up Epson Scan Utility in order to scan because the Scan Utility will run as a PPC Application. You can call Epson to confirm but if they try and tell you how to run PSE in Rosetta that is not a good solution.
    George

  • Mounting secondary drive from old G4 via Firewire to new iMac?

    I just got my new iMac up and running (god is it gorgeous). The 'transfer files' thing in the initial install pulled all the programs and user settings from my old G4's primary drive perfectly, but the G4 has a second IDE drive in it where I kept much of the data. When I boot the G4 with the "T" held down, only the primary drive shows up on the iMac... how do I get the iMac to recognize and pull data from the other drive in the old tower?
    Drew

    Hi-
    When I boot the G4 with the "T" held down, only the primary drive shows up on the iMac... how do I get the iMac to recognize and pull data from the other drive in the old tower?
    This is a limit of firewire target mode, only the master drive will show.
    If the secondary drive is bootable, connected to the master connector (end connector, not middle), and jumpered as master, you will be able to mount the drive in FTD mode.
    Alternatively, copy the files from the secondary drive to the primary drive, and transfer from there.

  • Is there any disk imaging s/ware for iMac? Im a PC user at moment.

    Ok Im a current PC user, neer usid iMac but prob buy in the next few days.
    I use Acronsis True Image at the moment toback up and disk image my PC so I can have a fast recovery, I like to add all my software, windows update and then do a disk image every few months for an easy recovery.
    Is this possible on Apple iMac? what s/ware is available for disk imaging and reovery as per Norton Ghost or True Image, Ive looked on the Apple website but cant find any
    cheers
    Andy

    I was wanting a NAS to be used for over my ethernet network though, ie the NAS HDD will be up in my loft out of the way, whereas I have cables running up there to it - this is ok isnt it?
    Never done this. But I do not see any problems with what you plan to do.
    How is the restore disk made?
    When you make a back up, SK creates a mirror of the drive you have backed up. A perfect mirror. You can boot from it, and everything looks exactly the same, except you have booted from the equivalent of the f drive. You can then, if you wish, erase/reformat the c drive and ask SK to restore. This simply reverses the process, and the f drive is mirrored to the now empty c drive.
    I do not know if SK will make a bootable CD - have never tried it. Probably not, because even the minimum size bootable OS X is about 1.1 gB.
    also where can it be backed upto? HDD, external HDD? NAS device (over ethernet), CD, or DVD?
    I do not know about a CD or DVD. The others, yes. If your Mac can see the target drive, SK can back up to it.
    Please be aware however that certain external enclosures, simply cannot be used for booting a Mac. USB is notoriously problematic, and even certain fw enclosures can be a problem.

Maybe you are looking for