how to transfer Messages history from Mavericks to Yosemite clean install

Make a proper backup, a clone or Time Machine will do that easily, and it won't forget anything.

I managed to finally get mine to work, but not after a bit of trouble and losing new messages since my time machine back up (about a days worth since my backup replaced my current. I backed up and upgraded last night, and I figured out how to restore messages this morning, so anything in between that I got on my phone was lost. no big deal).

Much of the below is from other discussions, so I don't want to take credit for it, but wanted to make it easy for you, and there was one small change.

• First make sure you can see hidden files by opening terminal and inputting: defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES
• QUIT YOUR MESSAGES APP
• Replace the following files from your backup to your current clean install. Pretty much all the files should be in the same spot, except for one folder that I'll explain further below.
• Same File path
  • /users/<name>/Library/Messages-------> /users/<name>/Library/Messages/

    this folder should include 4 files:

    • chat.db
    • chat.db-shm
    • chat.db-wal
    • the folder "Attachments"
  • /users/<name>/Library/Preferences----> /users/<name>/Library/Preferences

    copy any file that includes iChat or Messages in the .plist

• Different File path

  I am not sure if this matters, but it's something I noticed when I got a message in my clean install before trying to restore my history. In Yosemite, I noticed that that "Attachments" and "Archive" folder are both in /users/<name>/Library/Messages, whereas in Mavericks, the "Attachments" folder is in that file path, but the "Archive" folder is located in /users/<name>Library/Containers/com.apple.iChat/Data/Library/iMessages/Archive, and within this same folder there is a shortcut to the Attachments folder. (I'm not sure if this matters, but this worked for me). I hope I didn't confuse you there!

  • /users/<name>/Library/Containers/com.apple.iChat/Data/Library/Messages/Archive-------> /users/<name>/Library/Messages/
• Restart your computer
• Open Messages and it will rebuild your database.
• Ta da!
  

You're welcome!

That's a great question...and to be honest I don't know the answer to that. I'm not too advanced of a Mac person, but I looked it up and found the following:

http://www.cnet.com/news/about-the-os-x-byhost-preferences-directory/

It seems that byhost preferences may be from major changes to your system? I'm unsure, but I did not take this step and have had no problems with my Messages on Yosemite.

I agree about the importance of making it easy to backup. It should be as simple as Contacts where you just export a full backup.

Glad this helped...this was my first time posting an answer on the forums so I'm now 1 for 1 🙂

This is awesome thank you. However, I wondered you can then help on this one (sorry to hijack thread).

Upgraded to Yosemite and tried to bring over my Messages history like I used to do on Mavericks by copying the "Messages" folder in "Library" only—that didn't work and that's okay. However, now every time I restart the laptop I keep loosing all the history i Messages and it's completely blank! I can see all the .ichat history files in the Library folder, but not keep them inside the app (if that makes sense- http://cl.ly/image/38273W1Z222M)

Is there ANY way I can rebuild the DB or somehow make it work again? I tried to delete the chat.db etc, also, but didn't work.

Thank you

To be honest I'm not sure how to rebuild the database. It seems like the file directory changed slightly when compared to Mavericks. Can you try going through the steps I laid out exactly? Looks like you might be missing a few files/folders if all you did was copy the "Messages" folder from only
Library". This will mean that you will lose any new messages, but seems to work.

I don't have the old computer anymore, hand to deliver it back to work—hence I just tried to overwrite. That didn't work, and then I tried (after copying out on desktop) to delete and let it rebuild itself. Now it just doesn't really work and it doesn't make sense to me, as it rebuild the chat.db by itself. So there's nothing to do it seems?

Yes I'm not sure...hopefully someone else can help?

Me too, searched and searched 🙂

Thanks!!! I was updating from my very first install on my old 2007 mac all the way to my new mac with El Capitain.

Ichat/imessage where all over the place.

Even if my TM backup was from Elcapitan when I did a clean install I had to dig the iMessage stuff from maverick file path. Weird!! but now Its all there

Thanks

Hi,

The By Host folder normally contains versions of the .plists that might be used if your were using a Network boot.

That is to say they try an identify you even more closely as there may be other User who use your computer.

Generally if you are not in a server set up then they can be ignored.

9:47 p.m. Wednesday; October 14, 2015

Hi,

If you moved a folder from another computer to this one you may not "Own" the Folder or even have Read and Write permission to it.

The same applies to individual Files as well.

So even if your called the Mac User account on the newer computer to match the old one the Ownership might still be an issue.

Open a Finder Window.

Hold down the ALT key whilst using th Go Menu

Select the Library that appears.

Navigate to Messages

Right Click on one of the Chat.db items and choose Get Info from the Menu

In the Panel scroll to the bottom.

It should list the User's Shortname (which should be the one you use on this Mac).

Unlock the Padlock then which the User name highlighted open the Cogwheel type icon under the List.

It should read "Make (yourShortName) (me) the Owner" but it should be greyed out if you already Own it.

Example:-

Repeat for the other database items.

In the Finder use the View Menu and choose "Show Path Bar"

Right Click the Messages folder icon and double Check your Own that and have Read and Write Permission to that as well.

9:57 p.m. Wednesday; October 14, 2015