Migration Assistant Questions

[JoshJ]

Hey guys,

I have recently purchased a new mac. I want to copy all my application files (including project file from Logic, Word, Excel, Pdfs,etc) to my new mac without copying all the system files that these applications use that will inadvertently clog up my new mac.

Just had a couple of questions;

1. If I use Migration Assistant & just choose the "Documents & Data" option only, what exactly will be copied across? What folders do I select & deselect to make sure its will just copy across document files, and how can I be sure non of those folders I have deselected dont have application documents I need (ie an obscure system directly may have the odd word document in it)?

2. I dont want to copy all the system data back to my new mac but I DO want my Tags back just as i set them up on my old finder, and i also want all my files/folders to be tagged as they were before. How can I achieve this?


Many thanks,
Josh

 

[JoshJ]

Bump...

 

[chscag]

I think that you don't understand how the Migration Assistant works. When first setting up a new Mac, the automatic migration assistant will run asking if you wish to transfer data from another Mac. If you have a recent Time Machine full backup of your old Mac, attaching the Time Machine drive to the new Mac will transfer all your data and account to the new Mac.

It WILL NOT overwrite system files or kexts of the new Mac. In other words, there is no danger of transferring old system files. All your applications and documents will be transferred. You mentioned Logic, and MS Office.... there is no way to selectively transfer those apps. You would wind up having to reinstall them. Most small applications can be transferred easily with a flash drive, but not Office or Logic.

 

[JoshJ]

Hey chscag. Thanks for your reply.

What documents are included if I select the "Other Data" & "Other files and folders" options at the bottom of the list in this image?;
Gyazo - b7a68f6d71fc571682ad26a578fc4672.png

Also, will migration assistant copy finders Tag setup over to the new mac?

many thank,
Josh

 

[chscag]

What documents are included if I select the "Other Data" & "Other files and folders" options at the bottom of the list in this image?;

Everything that's not included in the selections you have checked off. What exactly that will consist of, there's no way to tell without seeing what you have.

Also, will migration assistant copy finders Tag setup over to the new mac?

I don't think it will but I may be wrong. You'll just have to do the migration transfer to find out. (It would if you did the Time Machine method I described above.)

 

[JoshJ]

Also, will Migration Assistant copy both System and User Account data to the new mac?
ie. If i have audio unit (logic) plugins in both System and User Library directories, would both those locations plugins be migrated?
Apologies, just want to make sure I'm not missing anything!

 

[chscag]

Also, will Migration Assistant copy both System and User Account data to the new mac?
ie. If i have audio unit (logic) plugins in both System and User Library directories, would both those locations plugins be migrated?
Apologies, just want to make sure I'm not missing anything!

Yes, if you use the method I described in my first reply to you, all of that will be transferred over. However, you need to be aware of one pitfall: And that is if you have already created an account on your new Mac. If you have, everything that migrates will be gathered up in a folder named after your old Mac. The best time to do a migration is before you create an account on the new Mac.

 

[JoshJ]

As long as i can easily search that "old mac" folder via the Finder that shouldnt be a problem. The only reason I'm actually doing this is that it proved to difficult to search the TM backup whilst on an external drive. I will be reorganising these old folders (documents, music, etc) into my new account folders anyway so it should be a problem.

thanks for all your help