Where best to keep my personal folders on my Mac

Question

Where best to keep my personal folders on my Mac

When I open the HD on my Mac, that is where I have about 21 folders. The 4 "System" folders are there: Applications, Library, System as well as Users. Then I have another 17 folders which are things like "Steve-1" and "Christmas Letters" and "Key Folders" and "Friends" etc.

What I have realized since upgrading to Mojave (but this was also true of Sierra where I was previously) I cannot save anything to this "root level" (I'm calling it that but not sure if that is the technical term -- I mean the first thing that opens when I click on my HD icon on the desktop) -- I get a message that says I don't have permission and also if I try to use Get Info to change the permission then it says I don't have the authority to do that. So I can NEVER save a WORD document to that "root level" (but any sub-folder yes, I can save WORD or any other document.

So from what I've read, this "root level" folder is "locked" as far as permissions are concerned and unless I want to use the Terminal to change the permissions by first shutting-off sip (I think that's what it is called) then giving myself "root" permissions then turning-on sip again via the terminal -- [and I really don't want to do that] -- then there are likely 2 ways to better manage my files:

Create a folder like "scschulte Main Fldr" in Users so the path would be: /Users/scschulte/scschulte Main Fldr and put everything (those 17 personal folders) in there OR………
Just create a folder in the root level called "scschulte Main Fld" (or whatever I want to call it) and move everything there and just don't use the root HD folder to save or store anything.

Appreciate any comments! Thanks!

Best regards,

Steve Schulte

Saturday 5 October 2019

MacONLY since 1989

(and still learning!)

MacBook Pro with Touch Bar

Posted on Oct 5, 2019 5:02 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

John Galt

Level 10

146,336 points

Oct 5, 2019 5:52 AM in response to Stephen Schulte1

You can do anything you want within your Home folder. That's your playground.

Desktop, Downloads, Music, Movies... all those folders are within Home. You can create as many additional folders within Home, including those you create, and name them whatever you like.

In other words,

Create a folder like "scschulte Main Fldr"1. in Users so the path would be: /Users/scschulte/scschulte Main Fldr and put everything (those 17 personal folders) in there OR………

Yes.

Just create a folder in the root level called "scschulte Main Fld"1. (or whatever I want to call it)

No.

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Answer 2

John Galt

Level 10

146,336 points

Oct 5, 2019 12:23 PM in response to Stephen Schulte1

"Synchonizing" two Macs is definitely advantageous, and yes you can do what you propose in the manner you describe.

The amount of data is large. That in itself doesn't impose a limitation, but in your case I suggest using iCloud. Read Store in iCloud, which will make immediately apparent the need to keep the folder(s) you need to synchronize within the Desktop and Documents folders, or folders within them.

You can purchase up to two terabytes of storage, more than enough to sync all your Macs.

As far as backups go the only solution I use and can recommend is Time Machine: Back up your files with Time Machine on Mac. I'm not familiar with "SugarSync" or other products. There is nothing than can offer Time Machine's unique capabilities.

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Answer 3

Old Toad

Level 10

210,527 points

Oct 6, 2019 10:50 AM in response to Stephen Schulte1

NO! Do not erase the target disk.

Let's start over from scratch on this: you have a MBP (the target volume) that you want to bring over user files from your Mac Mini (the source volume), right?

Do you want to replace the various sub-foldesr in your Home folder on the MBP with those from the Mini or just add those files in the Mini that you don't have on the MBP?

I'd try the following: connect the two Mac in Target Disk Mode with the Mini booted into Target Disk. With the two Macs connected as such the Mini will appear as an external HD connected to your MBP. You should then be able to access the contents of the various sub-folders in your Mini's Home folder and copy them to the same folder on your MBP.

Remember, you can't copy the actual Pictures, Documents, Music folders only they contents.

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Answer 4

Oct 6, 2019 2:21 AM in response to Old Toad

Thanks for the fine reply!

Now just to verify I understand: Copying just USER FILES -- great -- let me see if I understand:

For my MBP-2016 I instruct SuperDuper! to erase my target disk and then copy just the USER files. Let's call the target disk STEVEUSER-1
Next I connect STEVEUSER-1 to my Mac Mini and have SuperDuper! copy just the USER Files from STEVEUSER-1 to Mac Mini (which then becomes the "target" drive, right? BUT

- Don't I then have to instruct SuperDuper! to do an incremental backup of my Mac Mini? (Certainly I don't want SuperDuper! to fully erase Mac Mini

Thanks for any additional comment or feedback -- really appreciated!

Best regards,

Steve Schulte

Sunday 6 October 2019

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Answer 5

Old Toad

Level 10

210,527 points

Oct 5, 2019 1:03 PM in response to Stephen Schulte1

Can I simply copy the "scschulte" home folder from one to the other just prior to and upon return from my trips?

You can but it would be easier if you were to use SuperDuper to sync just the User files between the two Macs. SuperDuper will compare and only copy those new or modified files. Much quicker than copying the entire large folder.

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Answer 6

Oct 5, 2019 6:07 AM in response to John Galt

John,

Thanks for the super-fast reply and great information!!

I am going to make changes today-- I have a full "SuperDuper!" backup if something goes wrong and likely this will cause "SugarSync" to have to get reorganized but it seems putting all my "stuff" in the home folder as you suggest is the way to go.

But that brings up another issue: Soon I'll be purchasing a new Mac Mini and will want to make that my main Mac. But when traveling, I'll take this MacBook Pro-2016. I want the 2 to be in sync just before I leave and as soon as I return from my trips. How best to do this? Can I simply copy the "scschulte" home folder from one to the other just prior to and upon return from my trips? Even if that folder is 600 gb in size? (And of course I'd have to update the PICTURES folder -- but what else?)

Appreciate any comments here or I can start a new post if you think this follow-up question should be handled via a new post.

regards,

Steve

Saturday 5 October 2019

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Answer 7

Oct 5, 2019 12:44 PM in response to John Galt

Thanks for your reply!

2 tb of iCloud would likely cost me my retirement savings! (Just checked and $120/year - not bad!) A few HD and SSD drives and you really should discover not only SugarSync but especially SuperDuper! -- http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/SuperDuperDescription.html

Time Machine does not let you access the actual "files" like SuperDuper! does. Plus Time Machine really slows down my Mac……… CCC is another alternative-- but if you want to travel and know that if your Mac for some reason has a problem and you want to boot from (for example) an external X5 Samsung SSD: Have a bootable backup from SuperDuper! -- it has saved me more than once!!

I will explore the process and cost of an iCloud backup. I do use iCloud and have a 50 gb subscription for $0.99/month-- great for keeping things in sync!

Really appreciate your fast and professional information-- I'm going to look at iCloud and Time Machine again!! Can't hurt to have SuperDuper! AND a solid iCloud backup!! I have my life from 1989 on my Mac!!!

Thanks very much!!!

Best regards,

Steve Schulte

Saturday 5 October 2019

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Answer 8

John Galt

Level 10

146,336 points

Oct 5, 2019 12:52 PM in response to Stephen Schulte1

I'm going to look at iCloud and Time Machine again!!

I think you should. Time Machine absolutely, positively, should not slow down a Mac. It has been relegated to a low priority task since Sierra, and should impose a negligible performance burden.

I use a variety of inexpensive (hence disposable) external hard disk drives for Time Machine. They are all bootable. Everyone's requirements are different though, so any backup solution that works for you is better than none at all.

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Answer 9

Oct 6, 2019 12:05 PM in response to Old Toad

Thanks very much. It will be about a month+ before I actually have the Mac Mini so at that time I will follow your instructions and of course make a number of back ups of everything prior to doing that transfer.

Thanks again and I will post back in about five weeks.

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Where best to keep my personal folders on my Mac

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