Advice for migrating from macOS Sierra to macOS Catalina

[theatwar]

Hi all,

I’m currently using a Mac Pro 5,1 (Mid 2010), running MacOS Sierra. I recently purchased a new Mac Pro 7,1, and wanted to ask for some advice setting up this new computer, which of course will be running macOS Catalina.

Some background info:

1. I needed to keep my Mac Pro 5,1 on Sierra because of the graphics card I’m using inside this machine, so I am not able to update it any further.

2. In my current 5,1 setup, I’m hosting my iTunes library (556 GB) and Pictures library (1.16 TB) on separate drives inside and outside my computer — I was running out of space so I moved them a long time ago — so these files are not in their original location in my ‘Users’ folder.

3. I use Carbon Copy Cloner and I keep a bootable copy of my system folder on an external drive — it gets backed up every night. I also use Carbon Copy Cloner to back up my music & photos, but that's a separate backup, as those files are not inside my "User" folder.

Questions:

1. If I use Migration Assistant to setup my new Mac Pro, am I going to run into any troubles with my iTunes/Pictures library, since they are both on separate drives inside my Mac Pro 5,1? The new machine has plenty of room for my music/photos, so I would like to have them be back in their standard “user” folder location.

2. Since these files are really big, could I copy them over to my new “User” folder on the new Mac Pro at a later time and and link them to the Music & Photos app?

3. I’m also wondering if it would be better not to transfer over any of my applications and install those from scratch on the new machine. I’ve had this computer for 9 years, and despite doing my best to keep it running smoothly, I’m concerned about the new computer inheriting any issues from the old computer.

4. I’m also wondering if I would need to re-install any fonts in my Font Book app, or do those get transferred when I use Migration Assistant?

5. Would it be faster to do the Migration Assistant transfer via the backup drive, which I could plug directly into the new computer (via eSata), rather than using WiFi, which I assume would be much slower? Or would I run into troubles considering my photos/music folders are in separate locations on separate drives inside/outside my original Mac Pro 5,1?

6. I have a large amount of emails from multiple email accounts stored "on my mac" (I run a rule inside the Mail app to copy all of my incoming Mail messages to store them inside my Mac). Will I run into any issues transferring these saved emails using Migration Assistant?

Thank you so much for reading and I look forward to reading any suggestions/advice you might have to offer!

 

[Moof1904]

I'm in a similar situation as you. I'm moving from a 2008 Mac Pro to a 2019 Mac Pro and need to tread carefully, especially with Photos and iTunes. On top of it, I received the Mac Pro 7.1 this past weekend and I absolutely hate Catalina. It's a buggy mess. It's so bad that I've actually considered returning the Mac Pro in frustration.

 

[kohlson]

I think a central question is your #3. I recommend doing only a "clean install" of all of your apps. I would just run the cMP and the new MP side by side for awhile. I believe you're setting the foundation for another 10 years of trouble-free operation.

If you have the fonts, I would re-install as part of the clean install. Font ID duplication is hard to unwind. But migration assistant may help here.

That said, your photos and music are essentially data blobs. There are several articles/threads on moving these. For example, over the weekend I installed an NVMe drive for a friend, and he had to move his iTunes. IIRC, it was as simple as holding option while starting iTunes, and then pointing to the new location.

 

[MSastre]

Definitly "clean install" as many of your apps as you can from their source, or migrate them from your other computer if you can't go to the original source. Be aware that if they are 32 bit apps, they will no longer function wih Catalina.

 

[jrm21]

I'm in a similar situation. While I couldn't justify a new Mac Pro, I'm replacing my 5,1 with an iMac Pro (hasn't arrived yet). My plan, as others have suggested, is for a clean install. Migration Assistant is good, but it will bring too many old, outdated files with it.

Moving Music and Photo libraries has never been an issue in the past. I already have them moved to external drives. That's just a matter of pointing to the new library location. Hold the option key while starting "Photos" and you can select a library. Once selected, it will be the library that automatically opens the next time you use photos.

Catalina apparently changes iTunes. The Mojave version uses the same "option key while starting" to choose a new/different library.

Moving Mail messages is a little more tricky. I recently found this article:

Transfer Your Apple Mail to a New Mac

I haven't tried it yet, but it seems like it would work.

 

[Fishrrman]

If you're getting a new MP, I'd leave the old one "as it is" FOREVER.
Keep it as "a retro machine"... you never know when you might need it as one.

 

[return2sendai]

Best advice. Don’t.

 

[illusiumd]

I'm running a MBP 2015 with Sierra and was looking to upgrade - but now after reading everything on forums I'm going to sit tight. Everything is working fine for me right now. Is there any downside to sticking with Sierra for a while?

 

[kohlson]

I don't believe Sierra is not a supported OS anymore. If that's right, then no more security updates. I have a late-2013 15-MBP with 14.6 - runs great. There was a big intermediary issue - slow graphics performance on external monitor that seemed due to the Nvidia gpu, but that has been resolved by 14.6. You may want to consider upgrading to this release.

 

[xnsys]

Personally, with all the issues I've seen - I would go with 10.14.6 until Catalina is confirmed a safe OS to migrate to.

 

[2MetreMan]

This comes with a "Newbie Alert"!! ?

Currently looking at using Migration Assistant to transfer between an early-2011 17" MBP on Sierra 10.12.6 (the MBP is showing signs of its age, like me!) to a new 27" iMac (yet to arrive) which I am assuming comes with the latest Catalina OS (10.15.4)? Reading the above makes me question! — i) will MA correctly transfer all my files (including Stickies!) between these two OS versions? — ii) should I be looking to downgrade the new iMac from Catalina to 10.14.6 Mojave, prior to using MA to populate the new machine?? I kind of fell by the wayside regarding OS updates when Apple moved to APFS with High Sierra, so any issues with Catalina have merely been rumblings in the far-off distance — until now! Now I get to play catch-up — the fast way! — iii) any other "wrinkles" you care to share regarding this old-to-new transfer?

Mahalo in advance for any wisdoms forthcoming. ? ? ??

 

[Taz Mangus]

This comes with a "Newbie Alert"!! ?

Currently looking at using Migration Assistant to transfer between an early-2011 17" MBP on Sierra 10.12.6 (the MBP is showing signs of its age, like me!) to a new 27" iMac (yet to arrive) which I am assuming comes with the latest Catalina OS (10.15.4)? Reading the above makes me question! — i) will MA correctly transfer all my files (including Stickies!) between these two OS versions? — ii) should I be looking to downgrade the new iMac from Catalina to 10.14.6 Mojave, prior to using MA to populate the new machine?? I kind of fell by the wayside regarding OS updates when Apple moved to APFS with High Sierra, so any issues with Catalina have merely been rumblings in the far-off distance — until now! Now I get to play catch-up — the fast way! — iii) any other "wrinkles" you care to share regarding this old-to-new transfer?

Mahalo in advance for any wisdoms forthcoming. ? ? ??

If the new iMac is a 2019 model then you won’t be able to install 10.14 (Mojave) on it. It might come installed with 10.15.3 though.

 

[lfaa]

I’m currently using a Mac Pro 5,1 (Mid 2010), running MacOS Sierra. I recently purchased a new Mac Pro 7,1, and wanted to ask for some advice setting up this new computer, which of course will be running macOS Catalina.

I got a new MB Pro in Dec 19, upgraded it to Catalina 10.15.1 and then migrated my personnal stuff from the Time Machine backup I had from my previous High Sierra mid-2010MB Pro (a great machine btw). No issue. Maybe I would recommend to upgrade your Sierra to High Sierra. Maybe this ultimate upgrade from Sierra to High Sierra will improve the chance that your migration to Catalina on a new mb will be successfull. Of course, as said above by MSastre, your 32-bit app will not run on Catalina. For your music and images on an external disk, I would say it should not be a problem... in principle. In the worst case, you would have to rebuild your library from scratch, but if you have the 'source' of the music and image file, should be fine. I had some annoying bugs and missing features on Music (iTunes is gone), but the migration was ok: no art lost etc. I had organized my music files in high sierra since 2010 as you in some way: all files are in a separate directory, not in the iTunes directory. Although I also have hundreds of Gb of music, which is nothing extraordinary today, the files in the iTunes folder weight a few Mb only. I don't know if this files set-up does prevent Music to have issue during the migration, but at least it worked for me. Good luck with Catalina. I'm running 10.15.4 now and things improved after each update.

 

[WilliamDu]

Hi all,

I’m currently using a Mac Pro 5,1 (Mid 2010), running MacOS Sierra. I recently purchased a new Mac Pro 7,1, and wanted to ask for some advice setting up this new computer, which of course will be running macOS Catalina.

Some background info:

1. I needed to keep my Mac Pro 5,1 on Sierra because of the graphics card I’m using inside this machine, so I am not able to update it any further.

2. In my current 5,1 setup, I’m hosting my iTunes library (556 GB) and Pictures library (1.16 TB) on separate drives inside and outside my computer — I was running out of space so I moved them a long time ago — so these files are not in their original location in my ‘Users’ folder.

3. I use Carbon Copy Cloner and I keep a bootable copy of my system folder on an external drive — it gets backed up every night. I also use Carbon Copy Cloner to back up my music & photos, but that's a separate backup, as those files are not inside my "User" folder.

Questions:

1. If I use Migration Assistant to setup my new Mac Pro, am I going to run into any troubles with my iTunes/Pictures library, since they are both on separate drives inside my Mac Pro 5,1? The new machine has plenty of room for my music/photos, so I would like to have them be back in their standard “user” folder location.

2. Since these files are really big, could I copy them over to my new “User” folder on the new Mac Pro at a later time and and link them to the Music & Photos app?

3. I’m also wondering if it would be better not to transfer over any of my applications and install those from scratch on the new machine. I’ve had this computer for 9 years, and despite doing my best to keep it running smoothly, I’m concerned about the new computer inheriting any issues from the old computer.

4. I’m also wondering if I would need to re-install any fonts in my Font Book app, or do those get transferred when I use Migration Assistant?

5. Would it be faster to do the Migration Assistant transfer via the backup drive, which I could plug directly into the new computer (via eSata), rather than using WiFi, which I assume would be much slower? Or would I run into troubles considering my photos/music folders are in separate locations on separate drives inside/outside my original Mac Pro 5,1?

6. I have a large amount of emails from multiple email accounts stored "on my mac" (I run a rule inside the Mail app to copy all of my incoming Mail messages to store them inside my Mac). Will I run into any issues transferring these saved emails using Migration Assistant?

Thank you so much for reading and I look forward to reading any suggestions/advice you might have to offer!

My iTunes library is also backed up all over, but it's only 150GB so far, but I wouldn't touch Catalina based on numerous posts on library and artwork losses on Catalina. I've posted several times asking for anyone having no Photo, iTunes or artwork problems with Catalina to say so with no replies. I urge caution.