Can I merge two accounts in one?

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Level 1

9 points

Can I merge two accounts in one?

Hello, I just install OS X Lion on a new drive (I put a bigger drive on my MacBook Pro) and used migration assistan to get all my files from a Time Machine HD into this new account but now I have two admin accounts on my MacBook pro (it is the back up from my old G5 computer)

Is there an easy way to merge the accounts, so that my files all merge into their respective folders? Meaning that, for example, both of my "Documents" folders would become one "Documents" folder with everything in it under just one account?

Thank you for your help in advance.

MacBook Pro Intel Core two duo 2.26 Ghz

8 GB Ram

Fresh Install of OS X Lion

New 750 GB Internal HD 7200 rpm

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7)

Posted on Aug 22, 2011 10:54 AM

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Answer 1

Aug 22, 2011 11:21 AM in response to digimont

digimont,

Nice question, I'd never thought of this issue before and an interesting one.

After careful consideration the one way I can think of solving the problem is to use something like Carbon Copy Cloner to back up both accounts to the same folder on a seperate disk (user attributes off) with a setup that doesn't delete files, then to "restore" them back afterward and blat the ownersip permissions.

I'm sure others of a devious persuasion may have other alternatives but as a starter for 10 that's mine.

Regards,

Shawn

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Answer 2

baltwo

Level 9

62,386 points

Aug 22, 2011 11:31 AM in response to digimont

Wrong approach. Erase the new HD, reinstall Lion, and, on first boot, use the Setup Assistant to do the migration. That eliminates the need to merge and resolves any permissions issues. See Pondini's Tips for details.

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