New (used) imac won't recognize time machine backup

[BLDunlap]

I just purchased a 27" imac (used) and am trying to transfer all the info from my 21.5" imac. I have always backed up everything on Time Machine but when I attempt to restore the 27" from the Time Machine backup it says that the latest backup available is 1/20/20! Yet when I open Time Machine and check the latest backup from yesterday is shown there. Why doesn't the new imac recognize any update newer than January of 2020?

Am I missing something or doing something wrong?

Thanks for your help!!

Barry

 

[Fishrrman]

Question:
As of this moment, is the OLD iMac still set up and running?

If it is, I have an alternate way to transfer your data, using CarbonCopyCloner.
But this will work only if the old iMac is still running and you can do a "final" backup...

 

[BLDunlap]

Yes it is up and running fine. Appreciate your help

 

[nothingtoseehere]

How about Target Disk Mode?

 

[Fishrrman]

If the old Mac is still set up and running, and if you're tm backup doesn't seem to be working, my suggestion:

Don't use tm.
Use CarbonCopyCloner instead.
CCC is FREE to download and use for 30 days, this procedure will cost you nothing.

Get CCC here:

Download CCC - Bombich Software

www.bombich.com

CCC is child's play to use.

You'll need an external drive that is capable of holding the contents of the internal drive on your old iMac.

You could use the tm drive if you want.
But realize you need to erase it first.

So... create a CCC cloned backup. This will be AN EXACT COPY of the internal drive (of the old iMac) on your external drive.

Connect the external drive to the NEW Mac.
It should "mount right up" in the finder.

At this point you can use migration assistant to do the migration.

BUT... AN IMPORTANT QUESTION:
Have you already set up the new iMac with an account?
If so, "how far" are you into using it?
WHY I'm asking:
If you try to use migration assistant to migrate from the backup, and you've already created an account, you may end up with TWO accounts, and it's going to cause you problems.

If you HAVE NOT created a new account on the replacement iMac yet, things will go MUCH more easily.

So... which is it?

 

[nambuccaheadsau]

TM is the pits, particularly to do a transfer with.

Cloning software is the go to make an identical copy.