Merging User Account Settings

Question

Level 1

8 points

Merging User Account Settings

I just purchased a new 27" iMac running OS X 10.8.2. When I first turned the iMac on, I was guided through setting up a new user account, which I did. I then used Migration Assistant to migrate my files, and applications from my MacBook Pro, running OS X 10.7.5. By doing this, Migration Assistant created a second user account which contains all the applications and settings used from my MacBook Pro. Both user accounts on my iMac now can access all the applications I need. The settings and user information used by all the applications, however, are only available within the user account created by Migration Assistant. For example, if I open Mail, from within the iMac created User account, Mail doesn't have all the email accounts which I had set up in Mail from my MBP. If I open Mail from within the "migration assistant created" User account, all the email accounts are shown and available. Other programs, files etc behave similarly. All my old settings are availalble within the "migration assistant created" User account.

My question is: Is there a way to "merge" or transfer the settings, documents, downloads, Music, pictures from the "migration assistant created" User account, to the the new iMac created user account? I really don't to have both user accounts on my iMac. I guess I could delete the new iMac created user account, but I'd prefer not to for other reasons.

Thanks for any advice.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.4), 4GB RAM

Posted on Mar 10, 2013 10:18 AM

Reply

Answer 1

macjack

Level 10

111,242 points

Mar 10, 2013 10:28 AM in response to ELFritzen

See this article for help. It's not so easy.

If you don't do the migration in Setup Assistant the first time you turn on your new Mac, Migration Assistant will set up a seperate account. Sometimes with a new Mac, it's easier to do a clean install and just start over.

Reply

Answer 2

John Galt

Level 10

156,590 points

Mar 10, 2013 10:34 AM in response to ELFritzen

You fell into the very understandable trap of configuring a new user account when you first used your iMac. Then, you used Migration Assistant that migrated your old MBP's account information to yet another account.

The result is the creation of two user accounts. Migration Assistant will warn you that it will do this, but it is easily ignored until you understand the consequences. They cannot be merged since OS X is specifically designed to keep one user's personal information out of the hands of others. The fact they are both you makes no difference to the Mac.

There are a couple of ways to fix this, but the one that is least likely to cause problems is to delete the first account you created, and run Migration Assistant all over again while logging in to the second account: Log in to the account with the settings that you want to keep, then go to System Preferences > Users & Groups, and delete the account you do not wish to keep with the "–" (minus) button. You can elect to archive that user's Home folder or delete the account immediately. You will probably want to delete it immediately.

Then, use Migration Assistant once again and migrate the information from the MBP, but this time choose a user name you wish to keep - probably identical to the one on the MBP.

After the migration is complete, log out of the iMac's account, log in to the one you just migrated, and delete the redundant account.

Edit: the other way to fix it uses macjack's reference above.

Message was edited by: John Galt

Reply

Answer 3

ELFritzen Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 10, 2013 10:51 AM in response to ELFritzen

Wow that was fast. Thank you for your responses. It's more difficult than I realized, and somewhat confusing. I appreciate both your help. It took over 6 hours for Migration Assistant to move over the account, files, etc from the MBP and I'm hesitant to do that again. Everything seems to be working fine within the migration assistant created user account with the exception of Safari, which didn't transfer over the bookmarks and for some reason will not sync the bookmarks with iCloud despite all my efforts. The funny thing is though, if I launch Safari from the newly created iMac User account, all my bookmarks are there. Very strange. I'm not sure why one syncs the bookmarks and the other doesn't. This was really my only reason for wanting the keep the newly created iMac user account. I have a feeling that bookmarks created in the Safari version running within the migration assistant created user account will not keep. I'll have to think about his some more before I try to fix it as per each of your advice. Thanks so much.

Reply

Answer 4

John Galt

Level 10

156,590 points

Mar 10, 2013 10:58 AM in response to ELFritzen

ELFritzen wrote:

... if I launch Safari from the newly created iMac User account, all my bookmarks are there.

You checked Safari in System Preferences > iCloud and are using the same Apple ID for it as on the MBP.

Exporting Safari Bookmarks and importing them into any other account is simple.

Safari menu: Export Bookmarks...

Reply

Answer 5

ELFritzen Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 10, 2013 5:21 PM in response to John Galt

Yes, I'm using the same Apple ID for iCloud on my MBP and on my new iMac. I've tried to export and import the book marks into the Safari running on the iMac, but it doesn't keep any bookmarks. I've tried to add new bookmarks, but when Safari is re-launched all the added bookmarks are gone. I've turned off syncing Safari bookmarks with iCloud on the iMac, and it still doesn't keep newly added bookmarks. Some file must have been corrupted when migrating Safari to this new account. Very strange.....

Reply

Answer 6

macjack

Level 10

111,242 points

Mar 10, 2013 5:31 PM in response to ELFritzen

Do the clean install, I think you'll be a lot happier. Why start out with a brand new Mac with issues?

Boot up holding command-r keys into your Recovery Volume.

The screen should give you these choices...

Restore from TM backup

Reinstall Mac OS X

Get help online

Disk Utility

Choose disk utility and erase your volume Macintosh HD in the sidebar. Then follow the directions for Internet Recovery including the directions for restoring iLife.

Then, the first time you boot up into Setup Assistant follow the on-screen direction for migration from your old Mac.

Reply

Answer 7

lturner5

Level 1

0 points

Mar 11, 2013 6:25 PM in response to macjack

I am in the same boat. But I cannot simply delete either user account yet because I have too many files on each one. I have read in several other posts that when I delete one user account that I can save those files and then move them into my new account. Does anyone know how this works? I know how to delete one account but Im not sure where to look for those files once its deleted.

I have also read that you can move files into a shared folder and then access them in my new account. Is anyone familiar with this?

Reply

Answer 8

gasmac

Level 1

3 points

May 4, 2013 9:31 AM in response to ELFritzen

I am in same position--refurbished 2011 iMac came with Mountain Lion installed, I set up an account to see how it was working, then used Migration Assistant to transfer from my Power Mac G4

One problem with erasing the new HD and remigrating is that I installed a verion of Office for Mac 2011 that wouldn't install on the PM. Don't know if I could reinstall or if MS would consider that a second computer and refuse to activate. Could I simply transfer evrything to the new user account and then delete the old one?

Reply