Swapping iMacs - is there an easy way?

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Soldato
Joined
14 Jul 2007
Posts
3,443
Hey. My folks have a 27" iMac which they shockingly underuse while i have the smaller one. We have decided to just swap machines, however that brings it own hassle. Aside from all the stuff that needs to be from one machine to another we also have various ipods and ipads linked to each computer.

Obviously im happy to spend the time sorting all this out but i was just wondering if there was an easy way to transfer everything over?
 
Do you have an external HDD? You could back both machines up with Time Machine and then restore each from the backup.
 
Don't even need to do that, you could just use Migration Assistant and hook the two machines up via Ethernet. That said, I'd personally restore from TM backups using Migration Assistant.
 
Take one external drive, perform a SuperDuper! backup onto it.

Then use Migration Assistant to clone from one to the other and finally restore the SuperDuper! backup back to the other machine.
 
Thanks guys, i'll have a look at doing that. Never heard of migration assistant but it sounds like it could be the very thing for the job! Plently of external hard drives and stuff so that isnt a problem at all.
 
Worth mentioning that Migration Assistant is found in the Utilities folder, it isn't a third party download. Potentially stating the obvious but still!
 
lamboman said:
Worth mentioning that Migration Assistant is found in the Utilities folder, it isn't a third party download. Potentially stating the obvious but still!
Click to expand...

Yeah thanks i guessed that :p I was at work so i couldnt check what it was all about until now. It seems to do exactly what i want and will save a bit of hassle by the looks of things.

Will be getting to it later on in the week.
 
Right guys another question if i may.

I started fiddling about with things tonight and this is the stage ive got to -

I have both machines backed up onto an external HD using Time Machine.
I have also backed up the major files elsewhere, just in case.

If i go to one mac and try to restore the other macs time machine back up to it will it simply replace whats already there or does it need a blank canvas to work?

What i read suggests that Time Machine and migration assistant when used to transfer to another mac is primarily for moving your old mac onto a new mac that hasnt really been filled up with anything yet. Does it work the same if im wanting to just replace what there already?

Sorry if this is a stupid question or if i havent explained it very well i just dont want to **** it up!!
 
Just use migration assistant from yours to theirs... it just adds a user account. Assuming each has enough room you do not need an external had drive.

But in answer to your question - it will be fine... it does not delete pre-existing accounts.
 
Hi,

I'm looking at something similar, but going from a 2007 imac to a 2012 imac.

Does the fact one is using Snow Leopard and the other will be on Mountain Lion make a difference to the above answers?

Thanks

Hussman.
 
OK guys, many thanks for the advice, the combination of migration assistant and time capsule did the job a treat.

I have one final question though.

What has effectively happened is there is now two computers with both profiles and each profile with its corresponding data. Is it possible to remove the old user and the attached data from each computer in one fell swoop (thus completing the exchange of profiles completely) or would I have to manually go into the redundant profile on each machine and manually delete the data, music, files etc?
 
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