Q: How to sync iMessage conversation history on my new MacBook Pro
I just got a new MacBook Pro and against my better judgement I used migration assistant to send all of the information from my old pro to the new one, including all of the problems that plagued me. Among them was the common thread that iMessage was no longer synced on my old macbook pro and was only showing conversations up until May 20, 2015 at which point I'm assuming it got logged out.
Syncing iMessage is no longer the issue however as I was quickly able to move past this on both my new macbook pro as well as my old one (I had to delete some keychain certificates that were screwing everything up). I can now send (and presumably receive) iMessages from my pro; however, the message history is the exact same as it was when iMessage stopped working on my old macbook pro.
So my question is how can I go about getting all of my conversation history to transfer into Messages on my new computer? The app is only half useful to me if I only have outdated conversations, especially since if I had opted to go another route in transferring applications and data from my old mac I wouldn't be having this problem.
MacBook Pro, iOS 9.2
Posted on Dec 31, 2015 6:00 AM
Hi,
If one computer has a complete set, as it were, then move the following from that computer to the new one.
~/Library/Messages (the contents)
~/Library/Containers/com.apple.iChat/Data/Library/Messages/Archive (Contents of this folder)
Before you open the Messages app, check the Ownership and Read and Write Permissions of the items.
You will also need to "fix" the Alias in the Containers version of Library/Messages to the Attachments folder in in the ~/Library/Messages one.
The ~/Library can be accessed by using the Finder > Go Menu and holding down the ALT key as you do so to see the Library in the Menu.
For Ownership and Read and Write Permissions you do the following:-
Navigate to one of the files.
Right Click and choose Get Info
At the bottom of the Info panel that appears in Ownership and Read and Write permissions.
Highlight your account name.
Open th Padlock.
Below the list now use the Cogwheel type icon.
A info item should tell you "Make yourshortname (Me) the Owner" but it should be greyed out if you do.
Your account (shortname) should list Read and Write Permissions
There can be complications if the files happen to have the same owner on the original Computer. (i.e the Admin Account on all my computers is ralphjohns as the short name which can make it look like the item is owned by "me" no matter where it gets moved to.)
So it may show the "right:" name but not be Greyed Out.
You will also need to do the Folders you moved.
You can use Linc's green Marked Post in this thread for doing many items
Reset Home Folder permissions and ACLs Error
8:58 pm Sunday; January 3, 2016
G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
Mac OS X (10.6.8),
Couple of iPhones and an iPad
Posted on Jan 3, 2016 12:58 PM

