The Migration Assistant Is Stuck on My iMac

You might need to run updates before using Migration Assistant with an iMac.

All Apple computers running the Mac OS X operating system include a utility called "Migration Assistant" that will help you transfer files and programs from an old computer to a new computer. If you find that the Migration Assistant tool consistently freezes or fails in the middle of a transfer to an iMac, it likely means your new computer does not have the most current software or firmware. To resolve the issue, you must perform a system update and restart the migration process.

Instructions

1. Make sure both ends of your FireWire cable are firmly plugged in to your computers. If possible, replace the FireWire cable with a known working one, in case the Migration Assistant problems are being caused by a faulty cable.

2. Click on the Apple icon in the upper-left corner of the screen and choose "Force Quit" from the drop-down menu.

3. Highlight "Migration Assistant" from the list of programs and click the "Force Quit" button.

4. Hit "Force Quit" in the dialog box to confirm your decision to quit the frozen program.

5. Go back to the Apple menu and choose "Software Update." Your iMac will now connect to the Internet and look for the latest software and firmware.

6. Press the "Install" button in the lower-right corner of the window. After your iMac finishes downloading and installing the necessary software, it will automatically restart.

7. Continue running the Software Update tool until it reports that no new updates are available. Then try running the Migration Assistant tool again.

References

• Mac OS X Hints: One Way to Ease Migration to a New Mac
• Apple Support: Transferring Data With Setup Assistant