New computer, need migration advice please : ) .......

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dbender
Posts: 321
Joined: Thu Apr 27, 2006 1:10 pm
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: San Francisco

New computer, need migration advice please : ) .......

Post by dbender »

I'm replacing my late 2009 21" iMac 3.0 Ghz Core2Duo w/ 16 GB ram (running Mavericks OS X 10.9.5, with only 39 GB free space on the internal 500 GB internal HD) with a new mid-2017 27" iMac 4.2 Ghz i7 w/ GB ram and 3TB Fusion Drive (which will probably be running the last version of Sierra OS – High Sierra just came out a day or so ago so doubt it will have already been installed in the new computer from a 3d party seller).

So I'm writing this to hopefully get some good advice about the following questions about moving to the new computer.

First, I'm wondering what I should use as the source drive for the migration during the initial set up process after the first boot up. I could use either (1) a Time Machine backup, that's on a USB 2.0 5900 rpm external HD, or (2) a clone backup of my current iMac (made with Super Duper), that's on a FireWire ("FW") 800 7200 rpm external HD, or (3) my current iMac connected in Target Disk mode to the new computer.

To me, the criteria for which of these three possible sources is the "best" to use, are, in order of importance: (A) first and most important, the most reliable in terms of the source that's most likely to have a successful migration without the migration stalling, getting hung, not completing etc. I'm thinking that'd be a nightmare and I'd be worried that a restart if it hung would ruin the migration; (B) the source that would result in the fewest problems with losing registrations and authorizations; and, (C) the source that would be fastest.

Note that to use option (2)—the clone— or option (3)—current iMac in Target Disk mode— would require connecting using both of Apple's Thunderbolt adapter cables, like this:

[new computer]-----> [Apple Thunderbolt 3 (male) to Thunderbolt 2 (female) adapter] -----> [Apple Thunderbolt (male) to FW 800 (female) adapter] ----> either to the FW 800 external clone HD (if using that as the source drive) or to my current iMac (if using that in Target Disk mode as the source drive)

I called Apple and they were certain that daisy chaining the two Apple Thunderbolt adapters like that works fine, except only that there'd be a very, very slight throughput reduction. They said this only about connecting to a FW 800 HD, and we didn't speak about daisy chaining the adapter cables to connect my current iMac in Target Disk mode.

So any experiences or good advice anyone has about which of these three possible source drives I should use for the setup migration would truly be greatly appreciated : ) (I've done some research on this question and couldn't find info about which would be the best to use as the source).

The second issue/question is about connecting my FW 400 MOTU 828 Mk II to my new iMac once I get it set up. To do that, I'd daisy chain as per the above the two Apple Thunderbolt adapters that would then connect to two daisy chained FW 800 external HDs and the second one would connect via a FW 800-FW 400 cable to the 828 Mk II. Apple said they thought (but did no know for certain) that that should work ok and the throughput reduction would not be large enough to cause cause drop outs or clicks etc. My research showed only one web board post where someone wrote that daisy chaining the two Apple Thunderbolt adapters "should" work in terms of connecting an audio interface (it wasn't a MOTU interface he was talking about) as long as it didn't draw more than 10 watts (which shouldn't be a problem with the self-powered 828 Mk II). Does anyone have any thoughts or experiences about daisy chaining the two Apple Thunderbolt adapters and then connecting to a 828 MkII via a FW 400-FW 800 cable?

Many thanks in advance. I'm really concerned about the migration going smoothly without stalling or hanging, and about minimizing reauthorization of my plugins and programs that would be required after the migration. So I really appreciate and need your advice/experiences about that (and also about the second issue re: connecting my 828 Mk II).

Thanks everybody! :D
iMac 3.0 GHz, 8 GHz ram, OS 10.6.4, MOTU 828 Mk II, MOTU MIDI Express-XT (x2), KRK Rokit 6's, Novation Remote Zero SL, Radikal SAC-2k, Triton rack maxed out, Matrix 1000, Handsonic HPD-15 drum pads, tons 'o VI's.....
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mikehalloran
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Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 5:08 pm
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: Sillie Con Valley

Re: New computer, need migration advice please : ) .......

Post by mikehalloran »

Easiest way? Hook both up to ethernet. When Migration Assistant pops up, move everything over from your old Mac.

Second easiest way? Do the same from Time Machine — might be slower.

Do not do a clean install. Many old apps can be moved over to a drive running Sierra that can't install after Mavericks, Yosemite or El Capitan. Office 2008 is a good example of one that I still use in 10.13 but won't install in 10.11 or later.

It will depend on your legacy apps and any 32 bit plugins whether the move to High Sierra will be something you'll want to do eventually. The OS 10.13 will install but the new APFS file system will not work on Fusion drives and the installer knows this.

See the other recent threads on this.
DP 11.31; 828mkII FW, micro lite, M4, MTP/AV USB Firmware 2.0.1
2023 Mac Studio M2 8TB, 192GB RAM, OS Sonoma 14.4, USB4 8TB external, M-Audio AIR 192|14, Mackie ProFxv3 6/10/12; 2012 MBPs Catalina, Mojave
IK-NI-Izotope-PSP-Garritan-Antares, LogicPro X, Finale 27.4, Dorico 5.2, Notion 6, Overture 5, TwistedWave, DSP-Q 5, SmartScore64 Pro, Toast 20 Pro
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dbender
Posts: 321
Joined: Thu Apr 27, 2006 1:10 pm
Primary DAW OS: MacOS
Location: San Francisco

Re: New computer, need migration advice please : ) .......

Post by dbender »

Thanks Mike.

Ended up using a Time Machine back up on a USB 2 5900 rpm HD. The Preparing phase plus copying over only took about 6-7 hours, went to sleep and let it do its thing. A lot of the related files in Application Support folders didn’t make it over, so have to manually restore those. Surprised that my Contacts data didn’t come over, but my Calendar data did.

I'm finding that almost all of my programs need to be reauthorized. Guess that would happen no matter which source I used.

This new machine is worth the hassle. Can't wait to try it on DP and audio.
iMac 3.0 GHz, 8 GHz ram, OS 10.6.4, MOTU 828 Mk II, MOTU MIDI Express-XT (x2), KRK Rokit 6's, Novation Remote Zero SL, Radikal SAC-2k, Triton rack maxed out, Matrix 1000, Handsonic HPD-15 drum pads, tons 'o VI's.....
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