Moving from iMac to mac mini

[nzreg]

Hi I am hoping for advice on the best way to move the settings/programmes etc from my late 2009 iMac to my late 2012 mac mini.
I have ML 10.8.1 on my iMac but I do understand that this is a different version from the 10.8.1 on the mini.
I have researched this but haven't found an answer on how it can be done.
A time machine backup wont do it and I have tried migration assistant, this does transfer the data but requires that I input all the serials etc for the many apps and programmes I have, this would be a right pain.
All suggestions welcome.

 

[Tmoney64]

I literally just this week moved from my late 09 iMac with Lion to new 2012 Mac mini. Migration assistant worked great. Did u have a particular example of an app not cooperating?

 

[fhall1]

I also did this earlier this week, from my early 2009 iMac (running 10.8.2) to my new 2012 Mini (stuck at 10.8.1 for the time being).

I first tried Migration Assistant going over my home network - waited a couple hours for it to finish, only to find out it had a problem and didn't migrate my main user account for some reason. So, I took the Time Machine drive I had connected via firewire to my iMac and plugged it into the firewire on the Mini and told Migration Assistant to do it's magic via a Time Machine backup. Everything came over that time. The only apps I had to re-enter keys for that I've found (so far) were Spiralbound and Little Snitch....and I run a ton of apps - even Office 2011 came over fine.

 

[nzreg]

I also did this earlier this week, from my early 2009 iMac (running 10.8.2) to my new 2012 Mini (stuck at 10.8.1 for the time being).

I first tried Migration Assistant going over my home network - waited a couple hours for it to finish, only to find out it had a problem and didn't migrate my main user account for some reason. So, I took the Time Machine drive I had connected via firewire to my iMac and plugged it into the firewire on the Mini and told Migration Assistant to do it's magic via a Time Machine backup. Everything came over that time. The only apps I had to re-enter keys for that I've found (so far) were Spiralbound and Little Snitch....and I run a ton of apps - even Office 2011 came over fine.

Thanks for the info, did you just do the second migration over the top of the first one or reload the os first?

 

[fhall1]

Thanks for the info, did you just do the second migration over the top of the first one or reload the os first?

Did the second over top of the first....since my main user account wasn't migrated there wasn't anything to lose. I figured if it got hosed I could always go back to a clean install and start again.

 

[nzreg]

Thanks for advice will give it a try later today.