Maybe a dumb question but is there any reason to NOT transfer data from old mac during setup?

[iemcj]

I'm not fully sure how system files and stuff like that works, I've been transfering from one computer to another for years and I'm wondering if there's any potential danger here? Like possibly transferring malware to the new machine? Data errors? Would it be wiser to just take the extra time to set this up as a new machine and manually re install software such as photoshop and transfer files I specifically choose? Thank you!

 

[pldelisle]

I'm not fully sure how system files and stuff like that works, I've been transfering from one computer to another for years and I'm wondering if there's any potential danger here? Like possibly transferring malware to the new machine? Data errors? Would it be wiser to just take the extra time to set this up as a new machine and manually re install software such as photoshop and transfer files I specifically choose? Thank you!

I never trusted that. I want full control when I do this. So I always do file transfer manually when I have to. It’s very minimal because all my data is usually on my NAS.

 

[Juicy Box]

I'm not fully sure how system files and stuff like that works, I've been transfering from one computer to another for years and I'm wondering if there's any potential danger here? Like possibly transferring malware to the new machine? Data errors? Would it be wiser to just take the extra time to set this up as a new machine and manually re install software such as photoshop and transfer files I specifically choose? Thank you!

I have been using Macs for close to 30 years, and I have done migrations, clones, and manual transfers of data. I usually do a migration or clone, but occasionally do a clean install and manually move data.

If you think you have malware, I would scan you Mac for it, otherwise there ins't anything wrong with using the Migration Assistant.

I think the Migration Assistant could migrate unused files, data, etc., so that is why I occasionally do a clean install and manually move stuff.

The past few years, I mostly just do clones though.

 

[scotttnz]

When my iMac arrives I think I’m going to set it up from scratch and manually transfer my data. Partly because I will have enough local storage to demote my NAS to being just a time machine target, so I’d have to migrate the data from the NAS manually anyway. Im also taking the opportunity to streamline the apps I have installed. I’ve been waiting for my Adobe subscription to expire so that I can extract myself from it. That happened recently so I’m going to give Affinity Photo a chance rather than install the Adobe apps on the new machine. There doesn’t seem to be much point restoring from a backup when I’m planning to change-up my apps, workflow, and storage.