Which one of these methods do you recommend?

[Highway61]

This article lists several way to transfer files from one Mac to another. Tomorrow, though, my new iMac is scheduled to arrive, and I asking all you who are more experienced in regard to this, which method you recommend.

(I do have broadband; I don't have an external drive.)

Thank you.

 

[ColinEC]

You could enable File Sharing via System Preferences on your old Mac, and on your new one (assuming they are both connected to the same network) you will see the old computer under "Network".

Simply double click on the old computer, type in your login information and you can easily access all the data on your old computer.

I believe you can also take a FireWire cable, attach the two together and transfer information that way.

One more option is "Target Disk Mode". If you plug in a FireWire cable to both Macs, set the old Mac into "Target Disk Mode" you can boot the new Mac off the old Mac's HD and copy data from there.

 

[killerrobot]

MY past experiences have been that file transferring by enabling file sharing on both macs and using an ethernet cable is the fastest way of transferring excessive amounts of files or very large ones.

Everyone ¡s different and has their own methods though.

 

[robanga]

Last time I did this over WIFI. It was not as fast as a FW cable, but overall it did not take to long.

 

[PlaceofDis]

ethernet will probably be the fastest, just enable file sharing and connect away.

FW is going to be second fastest probably.

wifi for large amounts of data will take a loooong time.

 

[Highway61]

Will the process of transitioning things (music, permissions, registration info, passwords, etc.) from the eMac (just barely hanging on to life) to a new iMac be an aggravating process, do you think?
Or will it be something that, after it takes such a short time to do, I will wonder why I was ever even worried about it?


Oh, yes, and can anyone advise me as to what cables I will need?

Thank you.