Account on Mac inaccessible

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mfirm88 Author

Level 1

8 points

Account on Mac inaccessible

Specs: MAC OS / upgraded to Mojave

Macbook Pro (mid-2012)

2.5 Ghz, Intel Core i5

4GB, 1600 MHZ

So I have a maddening problem. On our Mac we have a couple of accounts, my husband's and mine. So obviously we can each log into our own. Several months ago, my account became impossible to use. The color wheel just spins and I can't do anything, I can't quit, nothing, except do a hard shut down. At times, I could wait out the wheel and then I could do a keystroke or two and then the wheel would start up again. I would wait some more (like up to 1/2 hour or more) and then once it stopped, do a few more keystrokes and bam, wheel starts up.

I tried safe mode and to no avail. Just can't access it, so I just started using my husband's account instead, which seems to still work. I just stopped trying my account , however I have tons of stuff that I really need now from my account.

So two things, I can't seem to figure out how I can access my stuff from my husband's account or some other way. Is there any way? I am considered the administrator, so I am trying to figure out some other way to get at my stuff (photos, files).

Second thing, do you know why this is happening on this one account? Is there anyway to fix it? I tried some different things I found online. I tried to run some diagnostics at one point when I could access., but nothing worked.

After several months, I just tried to access my account today, but I didn't even get past the screen with the log in icon, it just spun. I had to do a hard shut down again to get it to stop as nothing else worked. I need the computer to access my work items which I can do with my husband's account and I haven't attended to this issue prior because I just don't have time for me to have anything get messed up with his account, lol.

So there is my sad story, does anyone have any advise on either getting to stuff via his account or any way really and / or how to get into my account to figure out what is tripping it up.

Thanks so much!!

Posted on Jun 7, 2019 1:04 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

macjack

Level 10

111,168 points

Jun 7, 2019 1:21 PM in response to mfirm88

Have you tried resetting the password?

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202860

If you have access to another Mac, you can use Target Disk Mode to copy over your files.

Use target disk mode to move files to another computer - Apple Support

In essence, TDM makes your Mac into a connected hard from which you can copy files over to the other machine or to removable media.

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Answer 2

Jun 7, 2019 1:39 PM in response to mfirm88

Hi mfirm88,

If you know the password for your administrator account, you could make your husband's account an administrator and then manually copy over your data.

Go to Users and Groups in System Preferences.
Click the lock icon in the bottom left corner. Authenticate with administrator credentials.
Select your husband's account and check the box next to "Allow user to administer this computer".
Restart your Mac and log into your husband's account.
Back up your Mac before continuing, just in case you transfer anything from your account that could damage your husband's account.
Open a Finder window. Navigate to your own user folder (the one belonging to your problematic account):
1. Press Command-Shift-G, then type a forward slash (/) and hit Enter (Return).
2. Open the Users folder, then open the folder belonging to your problematic account.
To access any folders with a red (-) icon:
1. Right click (or hold down Control as you click) on that folder, then select Get Info.
2. Click the lock icon in the bottom right corner of the info window. Authenticate with administrator credentials.
3. Click the (+) button, then select your husbands account. Set his permissions to Read & Write.
4. (Optional) Click the settings gear, then select "Apply to enclosed items".
5. Click the lock again to confirm the changes. You should now have access to the blocked folder, as well as the files inside.
If you wish to transfer any data from your user account to your husband's, open a second Finder window and navigate that one to his user account folder. Drag and drop any files you wish to transfer.

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Account on Mac inaccessible

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