Post by: Xairbusdriver on October 13, 2007, 04:25:39 PM
).I can use Judy's iBook for updating/editing the web site I work on. Adding a few email accounts to iy, also. Probably won't install all the third-party hacks that I've grown to depend on so much. But I won't (shouldn't) be incapacitated while waiting on the new machine to arrive.
I plan on getting the 24" 2.8GHz iMac, comes with a 500GB SATA drive and 2GB RAM. I'm buying it through my son who has tricked a major electronics company into hiring him! ;-) That will allow me a 15% discount, so I'll probably go ahead and get AppleCare and an extension on .Mac ($30 off when bought with a machine). But I'll ask him to wait until the 26/27 to place the order, hoping that it will come with Leopard installed or at least include the DVD in the box.
My major concern is that the Migration Assistant will not recognize the Tiger-based, bootable external drive.
I'm probably worrying for naught! But I really don't like the stories I keep hearing about the new machines even though most problems have been with the 'Books. Nor do I expect much sympathy for those needing to wait a while longer for Leopard. Truth be known, I'd rather wait until after the first update for it comes out! But that will probably be at least mid-November! 
Any (non-alcoholic) suggestions to sooth my nerves!
I haven't felt this nervous since my first check ride back in '67! 
Post by: Ken on October 13, 2007, 05:14:39 PM
I did have to authorize my iTunes account with the new computer, and most of my programs even showed up correctly on the dock abiet there were about four question marks that resolved by clicking on them. I guess some with the question marks just needed to be run the first time. Fireworks and Dreamweaver remembered their keys along with Acrobat and Office 2004. I had some programs like fetch, and entourage, ask for permissions to the keychain which went ok, and that was about it.
For the most part the migration assistant worked fine. I keep my documents externally in FW drives and my iPod as I do a lot of moving around so they weren't an issue, but I wouldn't have expected them to be much of a problem anyway. BTW, the "book" does a pretty good job as a desktop when hooked up to the 30" display and keyboard. It's perkier than the Quicksilver even with it's processor upgrade.
Take a big breath and go for the new computer with confidence. Of course, your mileage may vary, but we've moved my son's really old blue iMac over to one of the new white/black ones and the seven year old QS as related above without really much of a problem. The new migration assistant seems to have most of the bugs worked out of it. BTW all systems were running 10.4.10.
Hope it goes as well for you.
Post by: Xairbusdriver on October 13, 2007, 09:43:50 PM
Do I sound paranoid? You bet! If things go awry the 'old' computer will be 13 hours away and maybe with a completely wiped drive, anyway!Don't even mention serial numbers!
Whose things have a way of hiding under the drawers full of disks! At least I haven't run any of those apps that strip out one or the other versions of code, so the universal ones should start up just fine on the 'foreign' chips! 
Thanks for the encouraging words, however. Do you live where the buffalo roam all day?!
Excuse me, I have to go check something 
Post by: Ken on October 13, 2007, 11:34:12 PM
Regardless of which computer you use, the iMac or the laptop, you will be using the assistant on the new to you iMac. I guess I really don't see the problem if you are taking the old computer along with you anyway for the migration. If you need to wipe the drive before giving the computer away, use Carbon Copy Cloner to move it (a copy of your iMac) to a firewire external drive configured as a startup disk, and when you are starting up your new iMac, hook up the external drive instead of the old iMac. I've done this with CCC and the migration assistant from time to time.
I hope the migration goes well for you. I'm sure you will get through it smoothly. It's only a computer.
Best,
Ken
Post by: krissel on October 13, 2007, 11:50:01 PM
QUOTE(Ken @ Oct 14 2007, 12:34 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Why yes I do live on the range. Literally thousands of acres of corn and beans around me most of the year. We have a microwave also, and twelve cars in the barn. .
QUOTE
It's only a computer.
Well said.
That's something we tend to forget all too often. Need to remember it's not nearly as important as so many other things in our lives.
Post by: Paddy on October 14, 2007, 12:52:00 AM
See the last story on this page - it's exactly what you'll be doing (minus the toes-up equipment problems):
http://www.macobserver.com/columns/rantsan.../20050303.shtml
Post by: Mayo on October 14, 2007, 02:53:03 AM
Post by: pendragon on October 14, 2007, 06:11:16 AM
I have only used Migration Assistant once, and that was to migrate the data from a PPC DP/800 to an Intel 24” iMac core 2 duo (2.33 GHz).
While the procedure was not, in absolute terms, flawless, it was sure close to it. A few applications needed to be reinstalled and in a few other cases, serial/registration numbers needed to be reinput. Aside from that, all was perfect.
In a subsequent discussion with an Apple Genius, he (unofficially) suggested doing an Archive and Install (while saving settings of course) immediately after using MA. That way, you can ensure there is no damage to the OS as a consequence of using MA. How valid that argument is, I dunno. Maybe your son can check that out.
And finally, when I first ran DiskWarrior on my new system, there was much to be fixed, even though I ran it just prior to using MA. Nothing major was found and all discrepancies were repaired according to plan. Still, ‘tis probably worth doing (IMNHO).
Enjoy!
Post by: Mayo on October 14, 2007, 03:56:08 PM
I remember the pre-OS X days when it would take hours to configure a new Mac. If you kept your computer pretty much stock then it wasn't a big deal but if you customized it at all then it could mean hours of installing and tweaking software, preference settings, etc.
It's things like Migration Assistant that sold me on OS X, at least when it had matured to version 10.3... I have NEVER looked back at OS 9 and earlier operating systems with nostalgia. I know of Macs that have been smoothly running OS X for years with nary a hiccup, used by people who know little about computers and that don't need to know much about computers to keep on happily using their Macs. The same can not be said for the pre-OS X Macs.
Post by: Xairbusdriver on October 15, 2007, 09:33:56 PM
From what Ken, Paddy and Mayo state, my fears/worries were for naught!Unfortunately, I've spent a good deal of the day cleaning up loose ends around the house and other places for our week away. I don't think anything of significance will fall completely apart while we're gone!
But it just seemed I didn't have the time to make this all happen. So my Grandkids will pay the price for my lack of confidence! OTOH, they should be coming through here for Thanksgiving and the new hardware will have been well broken in by that time (negating even using the external drive with the MA). Hooking up the iGloo with their other hardware should be easy enough, the younger one is almost an electronics expert! She takes after her uncle!
Only hiccup might be the driver for their printer, that is finding that disks that have the driver! HA!So, hopefully, this thread will be of some actual help to those who follow! Great reports of how great the MA is and another round of accolades for a well designed OS!
