I’m upgrading to a new Macintosh, how do I transfer my files over?
When you first start up the new Mac, the Setup Assistant will offer to transfer your old files from your old Mac. If both computers have FireWire or Thunderbolt, you just need a FireWire or Thunderbolt cable to connect them. (Although we sell a cable that will connect an older FireWire 400 port to a newer FireWire 800 port, you can’t connect a FireWire port to a Thunderbolt port.) You can use an Ethernet cable or wireless network to migrate files, as long as both computers are running Mac OS X Tiger 10.4.11 or later. (Unfortunately, the wireless network is the slowest method, so you’ll need to be patient.) The last option is to connect your Time machine backup disk from the old computer to the new one. For detailed instructions on all these methods go to Apple's How to use Migration Assistant to transfer files from another Mac.
After your files are finished transferring and your Mac restarts, you’ll want to install updates to most of your software. Printers, scanners, and other peripherals may require installing updated drivers from the manufacturer’s website.
We offer a setup service if you are buying a new computer from Tekserve. You can also transfer files after you’ve already set up your new Mac by launching Migration Assistant (in the Applications/Utilities folder).
Published March 24, 2009 12:00 PM
Last modified on November 25, 2011 1:02 PM
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