2 partitions

[Seanog]

I tried to transfer files from a 2010 iMac running OS High Sierra to a 2017 iMac running Os Montery. Tried using "Migration assistance" on both, but they could not find each other. Then I did "Restore" and tried to restore from a "Time Machine", but it said it was wrong file format. Erased disk, then found I had 2 partitions, one called "Update" and the other MacOs, both 1 GB in size but the Drive is only 1 GB in total. I cannot delete either. When I try to in install Mac OS. it will only let me install High Sierra. If I do this everything seems Ok but I cannot update the Os to Montery

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello,

A few notes/questions:

• The iMac (21.5-inch or 27-inch, Mid 2010) only supports up to macOS 10.13.6 High Sierra
• The iMac (2017) supports anything from macOS 10.12.5 Sierra to the latest maOS Monterey
• How did you try connecting the iMacs using Migration Assistant?
• Which iMac dod you erase and attempt a restore on?
• How much storage in the 2010 and 2017 iMacs?

C

 

[Seanog]

Hello,

A few notes/questions:

• The iMac (21.5-inch or 27-inch, Mid 2010) only supports up to macOS 10.13.6 High Sierra
• The iMac (2017) supports anything from macOS 10.12.5 Sierra to the latest maOS Monterey
• How did you try connecting the iMacs using Migration Assistant?
• Which iMac dod you erase and attempt a restore on?
• How much storage in the 2010 and 2017 iMacs?

C

They would not recognise each other over Migration assistant.
the 2017 machine with Monterey would not load from a Time machine back up, it would say it was preparing to restore.......for hours. I could even disconnect the Backup....made no difference.
I got advice on how to restore with the 'R' key.
I set the 2017 machine back to High Sierra with shift-option-cmd-R.
I was then able to load the Backup.
Then I installed Os Monterey again with option-cmd-R.
Worked a treat.....only problem.....this 2017 iMac is a lot slower than the 2010 machine....

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello,

Glad you got it sorted and working. Does the 2017 happen to have a standard 1 TB 5400-rpm hard drive, as those have been known to be very slow. Not sure why Apple would put a 2.5" 5400-rpm notebook drive in an iMac, but they did. The 2010 iMacs had a standard 7200-rpm desktop class drive in them, which is much faster.

C

 

[Seanog]

Yes, unbelievably slow asked around about installing an SSD but they wanted too much, so I bought an external 500GB SSD and the Mac is a different machine. Well pleased...

 

[Cory Cooper]

Great solution...glad you are good.

Be well,

C