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Confusion about 'Library' folder(s)?

Catalina. New MacBook Pro. There was corruption in the original install, so I've just done a 'clean' install of Catalina (deleting everything on the drive first). Now I'm migrating from my older MacBook Pro to the new MacBook Pro -- just the data not the apps. I see I have 2 'Library' folders (see attached screenshot), one at the base level, the other in the Users folder. I migrated over the Users folder, but nothing else (because of the clean install). Now I have that Library at the base level that needs to be migrated over, but on the new Mac there is already a Library folder at the base level; it's missing a lot of files that are in the original Library (base level) from my older Mac. What do I do? Do I just replace the entire Library folder (base level) with the one from my original Mac backup drive? Or does this new Library (base level) have critical elements installed by Catalina that I need to keep? Then what do I do?


By 'base level' I mean on the same level as the Apps & System folders.


All ears, Ben





Posted on Jun 28, 2020 8:43 AM

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Posted on Jun 28, 2020 9:32 AM

There is a third Library, /System/Library. All of the apps that are installed with MacOS are now installed there rather than the /Library. Only third party apps would appear in /Library and ~/Library.


Have a nice day.

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Confusion about 'Library' folder(s)?

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