Show user library on a Mac OS boot disk running as external drive

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Level 1

44 points

Show user library on a Mac OS boot disk running as external drive

I've had an internal Mac OSX Mavericks boot drive start to fail and am in the process of backing up the user data on this drive.

The HDD has been removed from the computer as it wouldn't start up. So far I have been able to mount this drive as an external drive on another mac and I'm in the process of transfering the data to a new drive.

My question is how can I access the User/Library on the failing drive when it's being run as an external drive on another mac?

I tried looking and the view setup for this user folder but there's no option to select 'show library', guess that's because the drive is not running as the normal boot drive!

Thanks in advance to anyone that can help.

Posted on Mar 28, 2014 6:16 PM

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Answer 1

Mar 28, 2014 6:27 PM in response to Toby Heslop

Using the Terminal....

Depending on the name of the external drive, select the correct option. Insert your User name for YOU.

Drive name: Mac HD Clone

chflags nohidden /Volumes/Mac\ HD\ Clone/Users/YOU/Library

Drive name 3TB Seagate Clone MTL

chflags nohidden /Volumes/3TB\ Seagate\ Clone\ MTL/Users/YOU/Library

Drive name Mavericks

chflags nohidden /Volumes/Mavericks/Users/YOU/Library

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Answer 2

Mar 28, 2014 6:33 PM in response to Toby Heslop

Try the following steps:

1. Under Finder, click on "Go" in the menu bar and select "Go to Folder..." (or press "Shift" + "Command" + "G").

2. Type in "/Volume/(drive name)/Users/(user name)/Library/"

- note the "(drive name)" should be the name of the hard drive from the old computer and "(user name)" is the name of the account you are trying to access the Library folder.

~fluffout

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Answer 3

Toby Heslop Author

Level 1

44 points

Mar 28, 2014 6:44 PM in response to fluffingbird

I tried Fluffingbird's response using my details but it did't work: 'The Folder can't be found"

/Volume/Macintosh HD/Users/pennywarneford/Library/

Tried Dianeoforegon's response using Terminal but it did't work: 'No such file or directory'

chflags nohidden /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD/Users/pennywarneford/Library

Don't think I've got anything wrong here, not sure where to go next!

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Answer 4

Niel

Level 10

741,911 points

Mar 28, 2014 6:46 PM in response to Toby Heslop

Open the home folder in question, choose Go to Folder, and provide Library/ as the path.

(103658)

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Answer 5

Mar 28, 2014 6:49 PM in response to Toby Heslop

Since you are connecting the drive to a nother Mac, it is possible that you both have the default "Macintosh HD" as the hard drive name. Try using the following path instead:

/Volume/Macintosh HD 1/Users/pennywarneford/Library/

~fluffout

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Answer 6

Toby Heslop Author

Level 1

44 points

Mar 28, 2014 6:49 PM in response to Niel

Niel solved it.

Thanks all for your input, much respect

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