Copy user data from Desktop HD to external HD

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Copy user data from Desktop HD to external HD

This is for a customer; I fix PCs and MACs for a living. Please answer all 3 questions below if you are able.
Old PowerMAC G5 has non-working mouse (i.e new mouse in different USB connector fails too) PLUS Other problems too. It does boot to an account with no login Password. However Login password for user account with admin privleges has been forgotten by customer. Customer wants to get a new MAC to replace G5.
So my job is to copy user data ONLY from PowerMAC HD to a NEW external usb HD for later copy to a MAC to be purchased later.. My plan is to use Target Disk to access the PowerMAC G5 HD (i.e G5 never boots with this approach; we are seeing G5 as it's HD ONLY.
So we have a MAC laptop in the middle running OS 10.4 or higher (unknown at the moment) and I connect via firewire cable and Target Disk to the G5 and ALSO connect the new usb external HD. It then use Disk Utility to reformat the external usb HD to Apple OS extended. And also wipe out all permissions on the external HD.
And then I drag and drop user home directories (and subfolders) from the G5 to the external HD.
HERE IS MY QUESTION: When I try to copy the user account with admin privleges which DOES HAVE A LOGIN PASSWORD OR the admin account home directories will OS X on the MAC laptop in the middle ASK ME FOR THE CORRESPONDING ACCOUNT PASSWORD or in some other way (PLEASE SPECIFY) get in the way VS just doing the copy ??
Because customer forgot the login password AND since mouse fails on G5, I cannot use an OS X install CD to wipe out the account password by booting from OS X Install CD etc etc.
SO IF THE MAC IN THE MIDDLE ASKS FOR THE LOGIN PASSWORD I am dead, I have no way of backing up the customer's data, can only back up from the user accounts with NO login password.
(2) I am also wondering if the MAC laptop will object to copying the home directories for user accounts with NO login password.
(3) And if the MAC in the middle objects or asks for passwords PLEASE PROVIDE A WORKAROUND if you know one. Please provide step by step instructions or a link to same as my MAC knowledge is much inferior to my PC knowledge and I probably can not "fill in the blanks"
Mike

PowerMac, Mac OS X (10.5)

Posted on Dec 29, 2011 6:27 PM

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Answer 1

Niel

Level 10

726,935 points

Dec 29, 2011 6:35 PM in response to mgross333

You will be asked to provide an administrator password for the computer you're working at during the copying process. The login passwords for the accounts aren't needed to copy the data, but if any account is protected by FileVault, that account's password will be needed to decrypt it.

For example, if you're on a computer which has an administrator password of '1234' and are trying to copy the home folder of an account for which the password is '5678', you'll need to provide '1234' to copy the home folder, but not '5678'. Opening that account's FileVault-protected disk image home folder will require '5678'.

Additionally, if the numeric UIDs of the accounts match, no password will be needed to perform the copy. This generally only applies to one account per computer, and is independent of account passwords.

(62724)

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Answer 2

mgross333 Author

Level 1

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Dec 29, 2011 6:39 PM in response to Niel

Niel,

Thanks for your reply. However if I am logged into a user account with Admin privleges on the MAC laptop doing the copy WILL IT STILL ASK.

Also by admin password do you mean the password that must be entered the FIRST time you boot a brand new MAC and which must be entered later to install new SW and make major changes to settings or update the OS

or

Do you mean a login password for an admin account which REQUIRES a login password to be entered before logging in.

Mike

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Answer 3

Niel

Level 10

726,935 points

Dec 29, 2011 6:40 PM in response to mgross333

1. Yes.

2. The password when you entered when you set up the Mac.

(62725)

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Answer 4

mgross333 Author

Level 1

0 points

Dec 30, 2011 7:20 AM in response to Niel

Neil,

I am new to the Apple Support Community forum. How do I assign points to you for your valuable assistance.

Mike

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