[X4U] Upgrading G3 iMac to G4 iMac - Easiest way?

[Stroller]

On 17 Sep 2007, at 19:20, Rod Duncan wrote:
>
> His older iMac is running 10.3.9. The newer iMac has 10.4.10  
> installed. I would like to keep all his applications, preferences  
> installed and do the easiest transfer possible ... I am now  
> thinking it would be best to completely re-install Tiger into the  
> newer iMac and go the firewire computer transfer route during  
> installation. Then upgrade Tiger to the latest version. Obviously,  
> a number of his applications will require updating. Is there an  
> easier way? Suggestions.

The firewire method is pretty straightforward. I wouldn't upgrade  
Apple, Adobe or Microsoft apps this way, but I think most anything  
else in Applications can be dragged across to the new machine &  
should then work perfectly. Likewise his User folder - I tend to copy  
the whole contents of ~/Library/Preferences & ~/Library/Mail and then  
anything else (addressbook &c) selectively

Actually, on my own systems I tend to go through each file in  ~/ 
Library/Preferences and only copy those pertaining to programs I  
still use - no need to copy the preferences of programs I tried out  
only once and then never touched again - but for customers I just  
copy the whole lot; depends how much time you want to spend.  
Addressbook and iCal schedules I copy by exporting from within  
the .app - I'm pretty sure that in both cases this gives a single  
file which can easily be transferred - and then importing on the new  
machine

Copy the iTunes library into place BEFORE running iTunes for the  
first time on the new system. I would also run Software Update before  
starting iTunes for the first time. Same goes with iPhoto.

It doesn't matter about the order of copying data / upgrading iApps,  
but I tend to try to get all that done first and try to avoid using  
any programs on the new machine until those are completed. It's quite  
satisfying to open Mail for the first time, find all messages intact  
and watch as it connects to the correct mail sever & downloads new  
emails. If you have a lot of passwords saved on the old system then  
you should google copying the keychain across - that way you won't  
even be asked for the POP3 password to your mail account. (You will  
get a lot of "this program has been upgraded - do you want to allow  
it to access your keychain" messages, but those are OK and soon go  
away).

Finally: when starting a new thread on this list, please DON'T reply  
to a previous message, delete the contents & subject line and start  
again. When starting a new thread you may start with an existing  
message, but in this case you should right-click on the line which  
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thread as a new one, and not part of the existing "Word 3" discussion.

Stroller.