Read-Write Permissions After Migration Assistant

Question

Read-Write Permissions After Migration Assistant

I just installed a new 500gb HD in my MB Pro (15" early 2008). I installed Snow Leapard on the New HD then used Migration Assistant to get Applications, Users, Documents etc. off the original 200gb HD which I connected to the MB Pro via a USB cable.

So far so good. I have two user accounts now on the New HD. When I go the the User Acct that got transferred over from the old HD, all of the Folders, Sub-Folders & their contents are inaccessable because of permissions. In order to look at it I have to R-Click, "Get Info", go down to the bottom and click the paddlelock icon, click the "+" sing, and Me as a User, and change Privilege to "Read & Write".
I have to do this for every Freaking Folder, sub-folder, and file.

So is the any way I can "GLOBALLY" set premissions for EVERYTHING in the old User Account so the New User Account can Access it? Otherwise, I'll be here for years.

MacBook Pro early 2008

Posted on Feb 4, 2011 9:08 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

probe_droid

Level 3

519 points

Feb 6, 2011 11:00 AM in response to Courtlandmcdonald

On the folder that you would like to changes the permissions also for all subfolders, do the Get Info thing again and then click to the cogwheel at the bottom of the Get Info dialog.
Click on the menu pick "Apply to enclosed items ..." and confirm the warning message.
The the same read & write permissions are applied to all the subfolders of the selected folder.

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Answer 2

Király

Level 6

10,025 points

Feb 6, 2011 10:16 AM in response to Courtlandmcdonald

Do you still have the old HD containing your old system? If so, I think that it might be easier to start over than to try and fix this mess. Boot up from your OS X DVD, and instead of reinstalling, open Disk Utility under the Utilities menu. Use the Restore button to copy the old drive to the new. Reboot and you should then be good to go, without all the headaches.

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Answer 3

Kappy

Level 10

362,017 points

Feb 4, 2011 9:55 AM in response to Courtlandmcdonald

You have to log into your old account to gain access. You will not be able to access the old account files when logged into the new account.

Log into the old account, then check in Accounts preferences to be sure you have Admin status enabled. Set the old account for Auto Login. Delete the new account.

DO NOT fidget with permissions or you will screw up the old account.

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Answer 4

Feb 6, 2011 10:44 AM in response to Király

Well, Thank you Guys. I am 3 days into this so don't want to start over. I think I can solve this. I like the fact that I installed a fresh Snow Leapard OS on the new HS after creating a volume. This may be a hangover from Windows XP where I usually did a clean install of the OS at least once a year.
Anyway, that said. I have a new 500gb Seagate 7200rpm HD w Snow Leapard on it.
I put the the old Fujitsu 200gb 5400rpm HD in an external case that is has a USB Interface. I can Boot to the NEW HD or Old by holding the Option Key during Bootup (very cool).
Having booted to the new HD, I plugged in the Old HD and ran Migration assistant, which brought over the Old Applications and, with few exceptions, the Licence Keys were not needed when I tried to load the Applications (the entire Adobe CS4 Suite runs normally) Thank You Apple because I have lost the product keys!

However, Music, Photos & all my documents failed to migrate even though I checked these off in the Migration Screen Menu.

So I Loaded iTunes and told it to add to the library music from (I pointed it to the USB HD: USERS/[username]/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music/Music. It took a couple of hours (63,000 songs), but it worked.

I Basically did the same with iPhoto and all my photos are on the new 500gb HD.

I Manually copied the contents of Documents from the old HD to the New. In order to edit, file, save any of thes files I have to R-Click, Get Info and add the new User w/ r-w permissions.

So, all of the sub-folders under Documents, and their respective contents; are "read only". The new user cannot work with them unless the New user is added and permissions changed to r-w.

All I am really looking for, I suppose, is a script I could run that will effectively make ALL the Files and Folders in DOCUMENTS have the NEW USER with r-w Permissions. I am not UNIX savvy but I follow directions very well.

Any feedback or alternate solutions would be extremely appreciated. You guys Rock!

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Answer 5

Feb 10, 2011 6:41 AM in response to probe_droid

Probe-Droid:
Thank you. That did it! I Pointed to MacBook Pro (my internal HD)/Users/[olduser] and did what you said to do. Now all folders, sub-folders & files under [olduser] are accessible and have r-w permission for the [newuser].

I knew there must be an easy way out of this. Thank you for finding it for me!
Mac OSX Rocks. How could I have suffered for so long with Windows? When Vista came out and was such a complete and utter cluster F%C$, I was in St. Maartten, Neth Antilles and said, I cannot take this anymore. I paid full retail for a 15" MacBook Pro and I've never looked back. I love it. All of the private yachts I put nav computers on, even new installations are, unfortunately Windows but, I always install Windows XP Pro with SP-1 and stay away from SP-2 and later. Still hate it. Wish All the Nav vendors would port to MAC OS X.

Regards - Courtland

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Answer 6

Feb 6, 2011 10:12 AM in response to Kappy

Why Delete "New Account"

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Answer 7

Kappy

Level 10

362,017 points

Feb 6, 2011 10:32 AM in response to Courtlandmcdonald

You don't have to but you only want your old account usable, correct? That's where your files are located. But if you wish to keep the other account that's OK.

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