Help me use Migration Assistant correctly.

Question

Level 5

4,214 points

Help me use Migration Assistant correctly.

I used migration assistant, to I switch from a 2019 Mac Pro to a new Mac Studio. I transferred my user account only. However, it kept the old Home Folder name from the old computer. Because I am going to keep my 2019 Mac Pro I needed a new Home Folder and user account name for the new computer.

I used Apple's method, successfully changing my user account name and Home folder to what I needed it to be. However, the Dropbox application was very difficult to get working with the new home folder name. It involves several procedures, including using Terminal to execute 7 different commands. I did get it all working. But I'm thinking there might've been an easier way during the migration process to change the Home folder name at that time.

Posted on Mar 17, 2024 8:53 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,588 points

Mar 17, 2024 3:36 PM in response to Ziatron

I needed a new Home Folder and user account name for the new computer.

Why? I’ve used the same user account name on all of my Macs.

I used Apple's method, successfully changing my user account name and Home folder to what I needed it to be. However, the Dropbox application was very difficult to get working with the new home folder name.

I don’t use Dropbox, but from posts here, I can imagine most things are difficult.

But I'm thinking there might've been an easier way during the migration process to change the Home folder name at that time.

Leaving the account as-is would have been the easier way. If it encounters an existing user account name, I think it will ask to rename one of them (I don’t know which). Also, I don’t know how Dropbox would react if you managed to change the migrated account name. Likely the same.

Reply

Answer 2

Ziatron Author

Level 5

4,214 points

Mar 18, 2024 7:56 PM in response to Barney-15E

Thank you for helping me.

I have 5 Macs on the same network. It's nice to be able to look at the Home Folder name and be confident of the computer you are dealing with. I give the Home Folder, a name that coincides with the computer it is located on. Not my name.

Dropbox has a procedure for fixing this, apparently a lot of people are changing their account names and folder names.

Just to confirm, there is nothing in the migration process where one could change the home folder name, and account name?

Reply

Answer 3

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,588 points

Mar 18, 2024 8:03 PM in response to Ziatron

Just to confirm, there is nothing in the migration process where one could change the home folder name, and account name?

I don’t know. I have heard from posts here that if you try to migrate onto a system that already has the same account name, it will object and offer to change a name, but I’m not certain which one it will change. I would think it would ask to change the one you are migrating.

Reply