This discussion is locked
bodzasfanta
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Copy (clone) a user account

Hi,

I have a user account and want to clone it. I mean that everything must be the same. I only found this solution:

"+you have to enable the root account. once you do that you can log in as root and copy everything from one user account to another. Once that is done change the permissions on the files/folders you just copied (open terminal and type chown -R <new_name> /Users/<new_name>+"

Is this work and safe? Are there any better solution for this?

Mac Mini C2D 2.0 Ghz, 4GB RAM, 320 GB HDD, Mac OS X (10.5.4)

Posted on Mar 9, 2009 6:31 AM

Close
bodzasfanta

Q: Copy (clone) a user account

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by V.K.,

    V.K. V.K. Mar 9, 2009 6:58 AM in response to bodzasfanta
    Level 9 (56,110 points)
    Mar 9, 2009 6:58 AM in response to bodzasfanta
    yes, that will work and is safe provided you enter the terminal command correctly. if you haven't created the new account yet there is another way to do it but if the new account is already there this method is as good as any.

  • by bodzasfanta,

    bodzasfanta bodzasfanta Mar 9, 2009 7:02 AM in response to V.K.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 9, 2009 7:02 AM in response to V.K.
    No, I haven't created the new account yet. What's the another way?

  • by V.K.,

    V.K. V.K. Mar 9, 2009 7:15 AM in response to bodzasfanta
    Level 9 (56,110 points)
    Mar 9, 2009 7:15 AM in response to bodzasfanta
    pick a short user name for your new account. then run the following terminal commands

    sudo mkdir /users/newshortname

    sudo ditto ~ /users/newshortname

    You'll have to enter your admin password (which you won't see) after the first command. that's normal. This will copy your current home directory to /users/newshortname. Then go to system preferences->accounts and create a new account with the short name newshortname. You'll get a popup saying that a home directory by that name already exists and asking if you want to use it. say yes.

  • by bodzasfanta,

    bodzasfanta bodzasfanta Mar 9, 2009 10:17 AM in response to V.K.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 9, 2009 10:17 AM in response to V.K.
    Thanks for your help! I really appreciate it!

  • by Nelson May,

    Nelson May Nelson May Apr 9, 2009 2:58 PM in response to V.K.
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Apr 9, 2009 2:58 PM in response to V.K.
    I want to see if you can help me. I have been searching high and low for an answer. I have a uswer account and apple compressor wont run properly. After there installs there are files missing per a white paper. Anyway, apple support told me to create another account and log into it and see if compressor is running. It works fine. Apple also told me to migrate everything over to the new account I created, but said they couldnt' tell me how since I was getting support for compressor/FCP studio. I have 10.4.11 and want to transfer all my preference and everything under my current user account to the new account I called admin for short. Can the terminal commands you gave this guy do that for me? If I can transfer everything, I would like to dump the old account, so I just have one. Let me know if you have any tricks.