Data transfer from Old MacBook Air to New Mac-Mini

[ortho1121]

I have a 10 year old MacBook Air running Sierra 10.12.6. No updates available for OS. Buying a new Mac Mini and need to transfer all the data. How do I do this? Not tech savvy. Appreciate any help.

 

[Raz0rEdge]

Here ya go.

Transfer to a new Mac with Migration Assistant - Apple Support

Use Migration Assistant to copy your files from another computer.

support.apple.com

 

[ortho1121]

Can you explain in more detail? Do I connect the 2 with a cable? I saw posts about using Time Machine with an external HD. As you can tell I am inept at this stuff.

 

[pm-r]

Can you explain in more detail? Do I connect the 2 with a cable?

If you happen to have purchased the new Mac from a local dealer, you might want to contact them and see if they will not migrate your data for you, or maybe at a small token cost.

That would save you a lot of hassles and possible mistakes.




- Patrick
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[Raz0rEdge]

Can you explain in more detail? Do I connect the 2 with a cable? I saw posts about using Time Machine with an external HD. As you can tell I am inept at this stuff.

You can use a variety of cables and more recent Macs can even do the migration over the network.

 

[ortho1121]

If you happen to have purchased the new Mac from a local dealer, you might want to contact them and see if they will not migrate your data for you, or maybe at a small token cost.

That would save you a lot of hassles and possible mistakes.




- Patrick
=======

They will but it will take 2-3 days. Need the computer daily for work.

 

[pm-r]

They will but it will take 2-3 days. Need the computer daily for work.

They should be able to do that from the spare external hard drives you have and use for your backup. Or even if it is your only backup.

They don't have to have your old Mac to do a migration of your data.

You do have a current working backup I assume...




- Patrick
=======

 

[krs]

Here ya go.

Transfer to a new Mac with Migration Assistant - Apple Support

Use Migration Assistant to copy your files from another computer.

support.apple.com

Have you read through these instructions?
They have to be the most confusing ones I have seen in a long time.

 

[pm-r]

Have you read through these instructions?
They have to be the most confusing ones I have seen in a long time.

Unfortunately, they are quite typical of many of Apple's recent instructions, and they seem to be allergic to using any illustrations these days as well...




- Patrick
=======

 

[krs]

They should be able to do that from the spare external hard drives you have and use for your backup. Or even if it is your only backup.

They don't have to have your old Mac to do a migration of your data.

All true, but having someone do that over a period of 2-3 days using the backup would still mean that any changes or additions/deletions done on the old Mac will be missing on the new one.
I do migrations of Macs in my family via an external backup myself but do all of it at once.
Since the OP is moving from macOS 10.12 to a new Mini which I assume will be running Catalina or later, I think the first thing to do is to check for any 32-bit applications that are being use now, but which will not be compatible with the later macOSs - and what to do about them.

 

[MacInWin]

Have you read through these instructions?
They have to be the most confusing ones I have seen in a long time.

They seem pretty clear to me. Just follow the step-by-step from top to bottom. Even has screen shots for the menu items. I have no idea what you and Patrick are looking at, but those directions are about as clear as they can be.

 

[pm-r]

All true, but having someone do that over a period of 2-3 days using the backup would still mean that any changes or additions/deletions done on the old Mac will be missing on the new one.

Maybe their backup software they use has some sort of "catch-up" option to migrate anything that was possibly left out, or they could explain how to use Carbon Copy Cloner which has the built-in ability to do just that.



- Patrick
=======

 

[Randy B. Singer]

This video tutorial from Apple might help:

How to transfer data from your old Mac to a new Mac using Migration Assistant | Apple Support
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24IgIZrGYkw

 

[Rod]

Great video Randy, "a picture says a thousand words".
ortho1121, this process requires that you perform it before or during first setting up the new device. About 1.20min in you will see a password being entered on the new mac, this is your WiFi network password.
It would be a big advantage if you could watch the video on say an iPad because obviously you wont be able to watch it on either device during transfer. Maybe you could borrow one.