[pbjudge]

I've been reading up on using Migration Assistant, but since I will continue to use both computers, I don't want to copy the user account from the older, smaller pb to the newer, larger (capacity) imac. But I do want to move over stuff that takes up a large portion of the harddrive: iTunes, Mail, iPhoto, documents.

Can move these things to a new user account? or If do I have to name the user account the same on both computers (and if I do name them the same, Can I opporate the same user account from two different computers?)

Thanks in advance for any input!

[Peter]

I believe Migration Assistant allows you to select what you move across? You could simply migrate the iPhoto and iTunes stuff.

[Abbas]

Is there a way to use the Migration Wizard using WiFi instead of firewire? The reason I ask is that my Mac Mini's Firewire port is already used for my external hard drive which also has the O/S on it so there's no way I can remove that and connect to my MBP as I wont have an O/S on the mini to start the migration wizard.

-a

[Nivag]

Originally Posted by Abbas 

Is there a way to use the Migration Wizard using WiFi instead of firewire? The reason I ask is that my Mac Mini's Firewire port is already used for my external hard drive which also has the O/S on it so there's no way I can remove that and connect to my MBP as I wont have an O/S on the mini to start the migration wizard.

-a

nope it only works via Firewire

[Abbas]

Is there possibility of copying files from my MBP to the Mini and then importing them? I only want to have the address book and Calender copied to the mini from the notebook.

-a

[Nivag]

address book is easy, just select all drag to desktop (it creates a group vcf card) and either email to self or copy across the network, then drag onto the Address Book icon and import.

as for iCal i think you can export then import each calendar, though i haven't tried this myself.

for the likes of iTunes and iPhoto copy them into the correct places on you new machine, launch the app, if they are from an older version, it'll say something like these were created with an old version would like to update the library? click ok and off it goes.

[JKT]

Originally Posted by Abbas 

Is there a way to use the Migration Wizard using WiFi instead of firewire? The reason I ask is that my Mac Mini's Firewire port is already used for my external hard drive which also has the O/S on it so there's no way I can remove that and connect to my MBP as I wont have an O/S on the mini to start the migration wizard.

-a

Doesn't your external hard drive have more than one Firewire port? If it does, you could just connect via that.

FWIW, if you go to the File menu in both Address Book and iCal, there is a Backup AddressBook... and Backup Database... option respectively. I assume that you could just "Revert" to these (also in the File menu) on your other Mac and this would provide you with all the details.

[Abbas]

Thanks for the suggestions- I shall try them and get back here with the answers.

One more question- is it possible to have just one folder for music that is shared by all users on the machine? Similarly, can I have one folder for iPhoto that is shared?

-a

[JKT]

Yes, for iTunes (not so sure for iPhoto), but what you can't do is have the same ratings etc for every user. When you set up the Mac, before copying the music over, set it up so that iTunes stores its Music Library in the Shared folder at the top level of your hard drive:



Import your music (I think dragging and dropping it from the Music folder on your other Mac into iTunes on your new Mac will import it for you). This will put all the music into the iTunes Music folder in the Shared folder. If you want to have the same ratings/no. of times played/etc as on your old computer, copy everything from inside the ~/Music/iTunes/ folder except the iTunes Music folder into the equivalent location on the new computer together with the com.apple.itunes plist files from your ~/Library/Preferences folder on your old computer to new.

When you log into the new accounts, point them at the /Shared/iTunes Music folder as the source of the content.

[Abbas]

Great-

How do I go about creating a shared folder? Or shall I simply create a "Music" folder in my root directory and use that under both the accounts in iTunes by pointing it to its location as per your screenshot?

-a

[JKT]

You don't need to. My post was a little inaccurate (sorry) - I should have said /Users/Shared not /Shared. All users have access to the contents of the /Users/Shared folder.