[Mac] Transferring Data

[MyDogSkip]

Im thinking of buying one of those spangly new imacs, and i want to transfer the information from my age old G4 powerbook to it, so i can sync my iphone, Itune purchases etc to my new Mac.

Im worried more about the itunes stuff as i have bought quite a lot on the itunes store and i want to make sure they go onto my new mac.

Any tips etc?

[elkatas]

Any tips etc?

If I remember correctly, even OSX that is installed on really old G4 Macs has program that transfers all your settings to new mac via LAN / Wi-Fi / Firewire. You just open the program, locate your new from the menu, mac and press button. Tadah, your settings are transferred into new Mac.

[12-51-00]

If you get a firewire cable to link the macs then the iMac can do it automatically when you boot it up for the first time...

Other than that enable disc mode on an iPod and transfer it manually?

[kazurm]

The tool you're looking for is Setup Assistant or Migration Assistant, either of which is in your Utilities folder. Use that and a Firewire cable and you should be able to transfer everything, incl. user accounts etc.

[12-51-00]

The tool you're looking for is Setup Assistant or Migration Assistant, either of which is in your Utilities folder. Use that and a Firewire cable and you should be able to transfer everything, incl. user accounts etc.

I wouldn't recommend that when going from a G4 to an Intel. It can cause issues and sometimes requires you to reinstall apps, abandon the user account, or even reinstall the whole OS.

Also forgot to mention, if you connect them with a firewire and start your G4 holding down a key (either C or D, I forget which) it will start it in target disc mode which basically turns your old computer into an external hard drive*.

*It will still be a computer when you start it up again.

[bingowings]

use a FireWire cable - OSX has a very good migration assistant.

hook the two together with the cable, firstly boot up the machine you want to transfer the files to, then fire up the machine you are transferring the files from - and just after the 'bong' hold down 'T' (for Target Mode) and after a little think your old machine will have a lovely FireWire logo on the screen.

run Migration Assistant and you will be given the option to either transfer everything including account settings, network settings, files - the whole magila or just your files and data.

it took me about 20 minutes or so to move everything from my old G4 to my MacBook. no problems whatsoever.

[MyDogSkip]

I think ive ghot a slight problem. The New Mac has Tiger on it (ex-display bargain tbh) and the old one has Tiger. Does this still work with Migration assistant?

Also, do i have to run the Migration program on the new or old mac?

[bingowings]

doesn't matter - my old G4 was running Tiger and the MacBook has Leopard, no problems with compatability. you should have even less hassle running like-for-like.

you run Migration Assistant on the new Mac, because running the older one in Target Mode, as 12-51-00 pointed out, essentially turns it into an external FireWire drive (hence the large FireWire icon on the screen). when you fire up Migration Assistant, the process is carried out in a series of very easy-to-follow steps - you can't do anything wrong.

[CMcK]

I don't think it matters which OS is on each machine. Just run the Migration Assistant on the new machine and follow the instructions.

[MyDogSkip]

well, ive just tried it and it doesnt work, it doesnt recognise the new version of osX!

This sucks! Im so worried im going to lose my Itunes stuff and my iphone sync-ing.

Not *too* bothered about losing the files etc, as i can transfer them via usb stick etc.

Any help now, VERY much appreciated!!

[muddy]

well, ive just tried it and it doesnt work, it doesnt recognise the new version of osX!

This sucks! Im so worried im going to lose my Itunes stuff and my iphone sync-ing.

Not *too* bothered about losing the files etc, as i can transfer them via usb stick etc.

Any help now, VERY much appreciated!!

What doesn't recognise the new version of OS X? You need to be a bit clearer.

Everything all the above posters have said is spot on. Get a firewire cable, connect the two macs while they're both off. Turn on your old G4 while holding down the T key, then turn on the new mac. It should mount your old G4 as a disk on the desktop, then go and find Migration Assistant in the Applications/Utilities folder.

I've done this in the past and it's worked so well. What I thought was going to be a day wasted at work transferring files turned out to be about an hour of a job... imagine my dismay!

[bingowings]

well, ive just tried it and it doesnt work, it doesnt recognise the new version of osX!

This sucks! Im so worried im going to lose my Itunes stuff and my iphone sync-ing.

Not *too* bothered about losing the files etc, as i can transfer them via usb stick etc.

Any help now, VERY much appreciated!!

are both versions of Tiger completely up-to-date? (10.4.11) that's the only thing i can think of that would cause any kind of problem - if you are moving *everything* over there might be a conflict with various file versions - copying older over new.

[MyDogSkip]

No, the NEW mac has Tiger, but my old one has Leopard on it.

When i try to do the migration, it says that there is no version of Mac OSX on the old computer.

Does that make sense?

[CMcK]

Install Leopard on the new Mac then when it asks if you want to transfer stuff from your old Mac just follow the instructions.

[12-51-00]

Just do the target disc mode thing with the old mac and move you music manually. If you just want the music then it's as easy as dragging the iTunes folder in the 'music' bit of your user account to the one on the new computer.