Merging two Snow Leopard user accounts after migrating files.

You have very good timing! Regular contributor to Discussions Pondini has recently prepared a tutorial for this situation on his website at Transferring files from one User Account to another.

This should explain what is & isn't possible & the basics of how to merge the two accounts. If you have any more questions about it, post them here & I'm pretty sure someone will be able to offer specific advice. Be sure to include as much info as you can relevant to the questions. That will speed up & simplify the responses.

Go to +System Preferences > Accounts,+ click the padlock at the bottom and enter your Admin password, select the account you want to delete, and press the Delete key.

Then you'll get a prompt for handling of the user's home folder.

I always forget -- select the account, then click the minus sign at the bottom.

bruthen wrote:
Thanks heaps. All solved and more hard drive space..

Cool!

Thanks and merry xmas

You're quite welcome; have a nice holiday too.

I've read this discussion and tried to follow it, but I'm still left with a question...

I clicked the Padlock, then selected the Old Account I want to delete (but have it's data on the new Account that was set up with new computer), then I hit Delete and get these options:

"Are you sure you want to delete the user account "xxxxxxx"? To delete this user account, select what you want to do with the home folder for this account, and then click OK.
1) Save the home folder in a disk image
2)Don't change the home folder
3) Delete the home folder"

Which one should I choose? I don't want to lose the data, just the additional/old User Account.

Thanks!

Delete the home folder only if you are sure there is nothing in that account you want. If saved as a disk image, you will find it under Macintosh HD. Do this if there is stuff in the home folder you want and wish to migrate later or aren't sure if something is there you may need. Better safe than sorry. The disk image can be deleted at any time.

RM

I'm still confused. My question is, I want to keep all my old data/files/etc but I don't want the additional User Account, so you're saying that if I choose option "Delete the Home Folder" I'll get what I want?

Thanks for your help.

Jim

If there are files on the account you wish to delete and you haven't migrated said files to the user account you wish to keep or you have no backups then absolutely do not delete the home folder! You can save it as a disk image and all files will be saved. You will not see the deleted account after you do this in system prefs/accounts yet everything is saved on the disk image on your hard drive.

RM

Ok. You've said something that makes me think, I'm going down the wrong path. You said, "If there are files on the account you wish to delete and you haven't migrated said files to the user account you wish to keep"

How can I migrate files from my old user account (that I want to delete) to the new user account (I want to keep)?

I'm assuming you do not use Time Machine and have no backup. If not, follow Pondini's link as posted above and below. It describes transferring data from one user account to another.

RM

http://web.me.com/pondini/AppleTips/Transfer.html

5154Carr wrote:
I've read this discussion and tried to follow it, but I'm still left with a question...

If you wanted to transfer (copy) everything from your old Mac to a new one, your best bet may be to simply start over. Erase the internal HD on the new Mac, reinstall OSX, then use +Setup Assistant+ when your Mac starts up again. That will set the new one up just like the old one.

See [Setting up a new Mac from an old one or its backups|http://web.me.com/pondini/AppleTips/Setup.html] (or use the link in *User Tips* at the top of this forum). Start with the green box there.