Stumped! Migration Assistant won't work - need to setup new mac asap!

OK, I've been trying to transfer files from my iMac to my Macbook for three days - no luck.
I did a wipe and install on the macbook first. But then Migration Assistant wouldn't work b/c it said the machine i was transferring do had an older OS than the iMac. SO, I reinstalled Leopard on the iMac - but now All my files are in the "Previous Systems" Folder - so when I try to use Migration Assistant - it calculates my transfer files at 0 KB.
Same thing happens when I try it from my latest Time Machine Back up.
I've tried migration assistant with firewire, ethernet and Time Machine. etc, but no luck.
Now, I'm just copying all my files over - but I NEED to have all my mail msgs and applications transferred!
Any suggestions I feel like I've tried everything - I've read many many articles here but I'm getting frustrated and tired.
thanks in advance!
http://discussions.apple.com/profile.jspa?userID=262360

scarchord wrote:
OK, I've been trying to transfer files from my iMac to my Macbook for three days - no luck.
I did a wipe and install on the macbook first. But then Migration Assistant wouldn't work b/c it said the machine i was transferring do had an older OS than the iMac. SO, I reinstalled Leopard on the iMac - but now All my files are in the "Previous Systems" Folder - so when I try to use Migration Assistant - it calculates my transfer files at 0 KB.
Same thing happens when I try it from my latest Time Machine Back up.
What version of OSX is that backup?
And what version is on your MacBook?
It sounds like the iMac and/or backups are on Snow Leopard, and the MacBook is on Leopard. If so, you can't transfer from a newer "major" version of OSX to an older one (but you can transfer from, say, 10.6.6 to 10.6.4, although some Apple apps may not be happy with older versions of their data files).
If the backups are Snow Leopard, update the MacBook to Snow Leopard and do the transfer from the backups, either via +Setup Assistant+ or +Migration Assistant.+ 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 the +Snow Leopard > Installation and Setup+ forum).
The other article is for transferring from a PPC Mac to Leopard or early versions of Snow Leopard.

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will work better when moving from PowerPC to Intel Macs. The initial section below discusses Target Disk Mode. It is then followed by a section which discusses networking with Macs that lack Firewire.
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1. Repair the hard drive and permissions using Disk Utility.
2. Backup your data. This is vitally important in case you make a mistake or there's some other problem.
3. Connect a Firewire cable between your old Mac and your new Intel Mac.
4. Startup your old Mac in Target Disk Mode.
5. Startup your new Mac for the first time, go through the setup and registration screens, but do NOT migrate data over. Get to your desktop on the new Mac without migrating any new data over.
If you are not able to use a Firewire connection (for example you have a Late 2008 MacBook that only supports USB:)
1. Set up a local home network: Creating a small Ethernet Network.
2. If you have a MacBook Air or Late 2008 MacBook see the following:
MacBook (13-inch, Aluminum, Late 2008) and MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008)- Migration Tips and Tricks;
MacBook (13-inch, Aluminum, Late 2008) and MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008)- What to do if migration is unsuccessful;
MacBook Air- Migration Tips and Tricks;
MacBook Air- Remote Disc, Migration, or Remote Install Mac OS X and wireless 802.11n networks.
Copy the following items from your old Mac to the new Mac:
In your /Home/ folder: Documents, Movies, Music, Pictures, and Sites folders.
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/Calendars (copy the whole folder)
/Home /Library/iTunes (copy the whole folder)
/Home /Library/Safari (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
Credit goes to Macjack for this information.
If you need to transfer data for other applications please ask the vendor or ask in the Discussions where specific applications store their data.
5. Once you have transferred what you need restart the new Mac and test to make sure the contents are there for each of the applications.
Written by Kappy with additional contributions from a brody.
Revised 1/6/2009

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