using migration assistant with filevault

hello...last week i wrecked my mac mini by spilling water at its base and have since replaced it with a G5 imac. Im trying to retrieve my files from the old drive using Migration Assistant and a firewire enclosure, but my home folder was protected with Filevault and i cant access it. Is there any way around this? Apples Support page has a topic about this issue but its a little vague as to what the procedure is:

"'I'm trying to transfer a FileVault-protected account with Setup Assistant, but it says "File Vault users cannot be transferred to Macs with existing users'.
FileVault protects home directories by storing them in an encrypted disk image file. This image file can be migrated from an older Mac to a newer one as long as the newer computer has not yet been migrated to (and has no existing user accounts)."

what does "not yet been migrated to" mean, and how could the new mac not have any users?
is it possible to re-install the OS, erasing the current user account, and somehow transfer my Filevault-protected user from my old drive?
is there any other way to delete all user accounts?
is all my old data lost forever?
thanks for any advice...

problem accessing migration data

I think have a similar problem -- used migration assistant to transfer data to a new mac and all the folders are blocked. What settings do I use on the old mac to make sure I will be able to open them on the new mac? (Filevault is OFF on my old mac user account BTW)

not sure...permissions maybe? make sure you're logged in as administrator and check permissions on the folders in question by selecting "get info" and opening the bottom-most pane of the info window...make sure it says read & write...

an update:

i met a professional Apple technician the other day and he told me to restart while holding down the option key, an alternate startup i hadn't heard of yet...once the disk selection screen came up, he said i should be able to select the old drive, use it to boot, then log in to my Filevault-protected account like normal and turn it off from there. Apart from the hassle of trying to create enough free disk space for the un-encrypted data it sounded like a pretty easy task so i took an early lunch and went right home to try it out...for some reason once i selected the old drive an error icon ( a circle with a slash thru it, like a "no smoking" sign) appeared after a couple minutes and the whole operation froze. i tried it a couple more times, but got the same results.

I really feel like Ive taken this about as far as a typical user can go without seeking professional help at this point. Im not even sure if there's anything that can be done...

what about a method that doesnt incorporate Migration Assistant? i just want my music and pictures folders, the rest i dont care about. is there a manual procedure for copying Filevault-encrypted folders? can one get access thru Terminal? what about hooking the old HDD up to a Linux-based machine? Is there some utility out there to do this? someone out there must have at least a hunch or heard a rumor or something...HELP! thanks...

Same Problem

I had a G4 that got flooded I saved the Hard drives. I thought it would be a simple procedure to put these drives into a fire wire box and use migration to transfer my photos and music ect to my new 20" I mac. not so good as it turns out anything with file vault turned on I can't transfer, Photos, Music,
Application preferences ect. I can't find anyone who can help.
I know the information is there but I cant see it when the disk is mounted to the desktop, I tried starting up holding down the option key, that did not work.
I am still trying.