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Porting data from older iMac to new iMac running Mavericks – best approach?

Hi,

Probably a simple job, but I just wanted to run it by experts. We have a user’s old iMac (about 4 years old) and we are putting in their replacement.
The new one has already been upgraded to Mavericks, but we won’t have a chance to do that on the old one before we go to install the new.

Is the migration process easy, even with Mavericks on the new one? What is the best way to achieve best and fastest results (E.g. iTunes libraries etc.). e.g. Time machine back of old and restore to new? Over network?

Do user accounts also come across as well?

Never done this before. Thanks in advance
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Eoin OSullivan
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This is very useful. Many thanks for this. Also you raised a good point. I think the end user's drive is a firewire one. So how are we going to connect this to the new iMac?

Do you think the external hard drive will have a USB port as well?
(we wont be able to check until we get onsite ready to do the job)
Bring your own USB external drive in case. If you get the make and model of their current external drive you can look it up and see if it has dual USB and FireWire ports. If not it's hard to use it with new Mac. You'd be better to put old Mac in target disk mode and use USB cable.
I don't believe USB to USB is possible in Target Disk mode. I would recommend using an ethernet cable and connecting the two machines that way. Or you can get a Thunderbolt to Firewire adapter, which will allow the client to continue to use the external drive on the new Mac.
@tgrell - that is a good point .. the Target Disk mode is designed for FireWire and Thunderbolt and NOT USB.

Getting a firewire to thunderbolt adapter may not be possible in the time available to the asker but that is an option.  Otherwise Ethernet cable is another option (set each Mac on same subnet with unique IP)
Used the Migration assistant from the time machine backup.

Thanks