Porting old iMac to new iMac via Time Machine?

[ScottFitz]

I've searched but can't find a reliable answer.

I've got a 17" white intel-based iMac. I'd like to upgrade to a larger screen size imac and then hopefully use my Time MAchine back ups to "restore" all my data and apps to the new iMac.

has anyone done this successfully? Thanks.

 

[jeremy.king]

Any reason you don't want to use the Migration Assistant?

 

[mschmitt]

I was forced to try using a Time Machine backup for a new machine when Migration Assistant failed.

Time Machine worked flawlessly. It worked so well, I used it on two other Macs, so that each Mac had identical files and settings.

Source Mac: 17" iMac 1.8 Intel

I erased each of the following Macs, reinstalled OS X, and used a Time Machine backup when prompted. The following computers received the backup:

Restore from backup: 24" iMac 2.4 Intel
(This was the new Mac on which Migration Assistant failed, necessitating the use of the Time Machine backup. Not only did Migration Assistant fail, but it rendered the old 17" iMac unable to boot. I used Time Machine to repair the 17" iMac first.)

Restore from backup: MacBook 2.0 Intel
Restore from backup: MacBook Pro 2.4 Penryn

No problems encountered. Time Machine proved invaluable.

 

[Lancetx]

The Migration Assistant in Leopard will give you the option of transferring from a Time Machine backup. When I upgraded my own system last month, I used this method and it worked perfectly.

 

[mschmitt]

The Migration Assistant in Leopard will give you the option of transferring from a Time Machine backup. When I upgraded my own system last month, I used this method and it worked perfectly.

Yep. I tried transferring from "another Mac" first, during which Migration Assistant crashed. The Time Machine method worked perfectly.

 

[Lancetx]

Yep. I tried transferring from "another Mac" first, during which Migration Assistant crashed. The Time Machine method worked perfectly.

I had some issues with trying that first as well. It didn't crash on me, but it never would recognize the other Mac that was connected via FireWire target disk mode for some reason. The Time Machine method went without a hitch though. It's really a great feature.

 

[ScottFitz]

Thanks to all. Excellent info. I never knew the migration asst would read off Time Machine, but hey, it makes perfect sense. Go figger. Apple computers making sense? Surely not!!!

 

[buffalo]

I've been doing TM backups on my iMac G5 since December. Just recently the family bought a new iMac. I used TM and Migration Assistant to move my account over to the new iMac. Everything worked perfectly. What I would now like to do is continue the backups on the new iMac. However, when I set it up, the new iMac wants to copy the 58GB of information that is in my account. Is there anyway to configure TM so it will continue backing up in the old iMac's file?

 

[munckee]

I've done this a couple of times as well. Only problem I've run into is CS3 asking me to verify my serial number on the new machine. That's it.