How to transfer data (minus my Aperture Library) from a Mojave iMac to a new Monterey iMac ? ‘Conflicts Detected’ issue?

Dear Apple Community,


This is a bit of an Odyssey so my apologies. What with one thing or another over the past few years, I have not been able to commit myself seriously to finding a new home for a sizeable Aperture (3) Library which I currently keep on a 2017 iMac, using OS Mojave (10.14.6) and backed up with Time Machine. A couple of weeks ago, however, the ISP anti-virus software update failed the compatibility test saying that it was suitable only for OS 12 or later. So, in the meantime, I have bought a 2020 iMac which came with 2 TB SSD storage and OS Monterey installed on it. The plan is to use - temporarily - the 2017 iMac solely for my Aperture Library while I update my life! to OS Sequoia. 


Realistically, due to the ‘fragile’ state of the Aperture Library, I did not think that transferring my data from the 2017 iMac to the 2020 iMac was going to be as straightforward as any transferring I had done in the past. That said, I imagined that the 32-bit AL would be transferred over as usual but that it would be unusable in the 64 bit system from Catalina on and so I could delete it after the transfer. As in the past, I used Migration Assistant (this time via Thunderbolt) which divided the data to be transferred in to four folders: Applications, User, Other Files and Folders and System and Network. All four accompanying boxes were ticked and I saw the notice that there were ‘conflicts’ to be fixed. I was instructed to make sure that all the info I wanted transferring had been ticked and to then click on ‘Continue’ which I duly did. I was prepared to let the ‘Getting Started’ stage run for a while on the basis that it would take extra time to process the library but after about nine hours of leaving and returning intermittently to check if it had, I cancelled the process.  Is it the Aperture Library in the data being transferred that is triggering the 'Conflicts Detected' message during the Starting Up?


After cancelling, I clicked on the ‘back’ button and noticed a couple of things: i) the ticked Applications folder (1TB) was not openable; ii) the ticked User folder (345 GB) could be opened and this folder contained separate ticked folders for: Applications, Desktop (63 GB), Documents (5 GB), Downloads (11 GB), Dropbox (2 GB) but the ticked Applications folder had no accompanying GB data count.


On Thursday, I contacted the Apple Community after I had copied my Aperture Library back to its default folder; Pictures, from the Library folder in the Macintosh HD location. My question then, to which Neil responded Yes, was whether or not it would be OK to delete the AL in the Library folder. 


This morning, (Saturday), before contacting the Apple Community again, I decided to give migrating one more try. My main observation this time was how the 1TB data count for the Applications folder had dropped to 121 GB. Fair enough, I thought - the AL info calculation being 880 GB – but… I couldn’t see an equivalent increase in data in any other of the four Migration folders. I have checked and the AL is still in there, which, I suppose, begs the question? Is Migration Assistant programmed to detect the Aperture Library and to stop its transfer on to a new(er) iMac?  


After that, I came across an Apple Community response explaining how the ‘Conflicts Detected’ notification was linked to the account number and password of both computer being identical so I changed the password on the new iMac. However, ‘Conflicts Detected’ notification still persists. What's causing the Conflicts detected message?    


So, finally! What is stopping me transferring the data between the two computers? The Aperture Library?Thank you.

iMac 27″ 5K

Posted on Mar 22, 2025 2:06 PM

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Mar 23, 2025 11:57 PM in response to GraeneyMac

Re: :What is stopping me transferring the data between the two computers?"


Thank you for providing all the details of the issue you face, in your post to this community.

Am no expert in this area, yet your question to the community deserves some response, even if it just serves to get your discussion under way. Those with more expertise may have more opportunities to share.


Wondering whether you realize the complete incompatibility of 32 bit apps with the more recent MacOS versions.

If any, could all remaining 32 bit apps be the cause underlying the migration difficulty.

.

Apple Support's online article {link below} says that macOS Mojave was the last version of macOS to run 32-bit apps. "Starting with macOS Catalina, 32-bit apps are no longer compatible with macOS".

See: 32-bit app compatibility with macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 and later - Apple Support


A third-party (non-Apple) app was available way back when, to help with the process of moving MacOS from 32 bit to 64 bit apps. I notice that the article about the app now mentions MacOS Sequoia, so it may be the app has been kept up-to-date. Wondering if anyone has experience in using this app recently, as I'm unable to vouch for it from my own experience. For what it is worth: See: https://www.stclairsoft.com/Go64/

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Mar 24, 2025 6:25 AM in response to GraeneyMac

  1. Don't migrate Applications. The best course with them is to install them anew from their original source or more current versions.
  2. Is your Aperture Library a managed one - that is, are all the images stored within the Library Package. If so, then all you need to do is drag and drop the Library from the old machine to the new one. Done.
  3. There is no way of telling what the source of the error message is.
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Mar 24, 2025 4:30 PM in response to GraeneyMac

Thank you kindly for your thoughtful reply, GraeneyMac

... grateful too, to Yer_Man for joining the discussion :-)


For when the time comes: Am remembering it has been considered wise, in the past, to upgrade MacOS gradually from one version to the next, moving towards the most recent MacOS in steps.

Eg: Monterey 12 > Ventura 13 > Sonoma 14 > Sequoia 15

Wondering whether the process is still considered necessary fir a 2020 iMac ?

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Mar 25, 2025 4:23 PM in response to Yer_Man

Hello!


Thanks again for your very helpful expertise and experience. Apologies that I couldn't get back to you a bit sooner. I had tried a few times already about half an hour ago, using the History link but Safari couldn't make contact. Fortunately, however, replying via an email from Apple discussions has worked.


  1. This makes sense although it has taken me a while to arrive at that. Surrounded now by a genuinely helpful Apple community, the task does not appear to be as daunting as it had for quite a while back. After having compared the applications on both of the iMacs, I spent the rest of yesterday - using 'Get Info' mostly, but also visiting websites - looking at each one in detail before deciding either: i) to delete it, ii) to delete it but to keep a copy on an external hard drive or iii) to leave it as it is, in the 2017 iMac Applications folder. In the latter batch there were apps that were identical, or a recent version, with those on the 2020 iMac. When I've finished doing that, I will try migrating without Applications and see how that goes. Anyway, it needed sorting out. There was even a version of AppleWorks from ancient times in there! As you say, downloading the most recent versions of the few remaining applications which are not on the 2020 iMac is probably the most practical way of dealing with it but I wonder if there is a way of linking the two computers together and dropping the few remaining applications on to the 'new' iMac.


2. The Aperture Library is managed. That bit is OK. However, it's only alive because I have not moved it from Mojave. After Mojave it's 64-bit and the AL will not operate on that. I will probably decide to drop it on to the external hard drive. Plus it's also on the hard drive that I use with Time Machine.


3 Thank you for that. After the 'Conflicts Detected' message, it finishes by adding that 'it' will fix them. I've been thinking today that that might apply to applications which are a close version of the most recent ones already the newer iMac and 'fixing' would mean the older being overridden by the newest version.


Best wishes,

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Mar 24, 2025 3:56 AM in response to brbo

Thank you for taking the time and trouble to intervene.


Your reply has taken my understanding of the migration issue on to a new level. Plus the Apple Support links you provided bear out your own thoughts on how extensive the 32/64-bit issue might be.


After reading your response and links, I realised that it is a blessing that the previous (one careful) owner of my new(er) iMac left Monterey installed on it. Maybe I could start trying to migrate some document files. I am also going to contact the St Clair people and enquire about the Go64 software. From now, the new iMac will be my go to workhorse so I will have to work my way piecemeal through the migration as systematically as I can!


Best wishes,


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How to transfer data (minus my Aperture Library) from a Mojave iMac to a new Monterey iMac ? ‘Conflicts Detected’ issue?

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