For some reason OSX ONLY copies files- never moves them. Any suggestions?

By default OS X "moves" files when you copy from one location to another on the same volume. It "copies" files when transferring from one volume to another volume. To "move" files from one volume to another use COMMAND-Drag.

OS X keyboard shortcuts

It sounds like a permissions issue. For instance, if you try to move a font out of the /System/Library/Fonts/ folder, the OS won't do it. It will always be a copy because the font belongs to the OS and you don't have direct permissions to move it.

So what may be happening, for whatever reason, is every user on that Mac doesn't have the correct permissions for their own desktop and files, so the OS is copying everything.

To test, drag and drop a file between one folder and another with the Command key held down to force a move. Does the OS pop up an admin password box to confirm the move? If it does, permissions are screwed up.

anyone know how to change the default from copy to move without CMD key so that the reverse would happen (copy) if the CMD key was held down?

That's a basic, built in function of the Finder. I don't believe there's a way to change it.

If you're dragging files or folders on the same drive without holding any modifier keys, it's going to be a move anyway. You only need to hold down the Command key if the items are going to a different drive or partition.

This same thing was happening to me.

One thing I noticed while debugging is that for some reason, even though both files are on the same drive, they looked like they where on separate drives.

For example, my HD is called HD. But the moving from folders name was under MacintoshHD for some reason.

I followed the folders path from HD and then was able to move normally.

hope that helps someone.