Duplicate usernames migration assistant

I've been helping my wife set up her new MacBookPro. When we started, we did want to migrate her settings, music, etc., from her old laptop, but because it was on Tiger, it wouldn't connect via WiFi. At the time we thought we would be able to come back and migrate everything later, so we canceled migration and went ahead and set up her computer from scratch.
Later I realized I could start the old laptop as a Target drive and connect the two computers with a cable. The problem is this: Migration Assistant wants to migrate her old User files and settings into a new user on her new laptop. It won't copy any of it into the User profile she just set up. It did bring apps, but wouldn't bring over music or movies or anything else that is typically limited to one user on a laptop and not shared. Even though she named her new User profile by her name, the same as on the laptop, it doesn't recognize it as being the same User, but wants to create a new one with a different name.
The question then is, now that we have set this laptop up with one profile -- installed apps, etc. -- how do we consolidate her old User on her old laptop into this new User on the new one?

Just copy it over on your LAN, from one computer to the other.
Yes IMHO this is a Big Flaw with MA. I have the exact same Username and use the exact same password for ALL my personal computers, both Mac & Windows, and MA will not work when you use the same username, Foolish. That is exactly what it should do, IE copy your files, programs and settings into the Same Username.
What it does do, if you have a different Username, is create a second user that you then need to copy/move the data out of into your current working user account.
In Short MA is terrible, doesn't work most of the time and if it does seem to work it leaves you with unintended consequences.

Similar Messages

  • Duplicate Users Migration Assistant on MBP Retinal

    Just moving to a new MBP Retinal and unfortunately now have 2 user IDs.
    I had to stop the Setup Assistant and restart with the Migration Assistant. Instead of transferring settings, etc to the original ID, it required creation of a second, redudant ID. But all the settings, etc are in the secondary ID.
    What do I do? Delete the second one? Transfer contents to the original one first? How?
    Background: I cancelled the original transfer because doing it over WiFi was going to take an estimated 255 hours+ (not exaggerating).
    After buying a $40 Thunderbolt to Ethernet adapter, it then took 4 hours out of an estimated 1.5 <g>, but required the duplicate ID.
    There is apparently no way during the migration/setup process to 1) Pause 2) select the transfer method 3) Cancel or back out and 4) transfer settings to an existing ID.
    Thanks in advance to anyone who can provide some help.

    Yes, that is the unfortunate way MA works in contrast to SA. The first one doesn't have these issues since it gets the Mac in a totally blank state so it can create whatever IDs it needs. But MA gets an already preconfigure unit and can't overwrite what's already in there. So you can check and confirn that all your stuff is indeed in the second ID and then purge the first.
    Only way for SA to run again would require reinstalling the Mac from scratch. And I've always had the niggling suspicion that the reinstaller will only put in the standard base system. Not all the extra goodies you get with a new Mac, such as iLife. (Note that in all my Mac OS X Macs dating back to the year 2000, never had to do a complete bare drive install. Always had the fortune of migrating and not losing any of my fast accumulating stuff)

  • Can You Use Migration Assistant to Just Get Files and NOT the Username?

    Im wondering this because i don't want to tamper with renaming the home folder and losing permissions. So I'm wondering if I can re-install Leopard on my MacBook and then use migration assistant to import all my files from time machine? Or do i just reinstall leopard and go into time machine after its done and just hit restore.
    In the end i wanna take my files from my MacBook to my iMac without having to carry the username over, is this possible? If not then i need to freshly install leopard on my MacBook so its identical to the iMac. so they are both identical.

    it's possible but if all you want to do is change username I HIGHLY recommend you follow these instructions:
    http://www.macworld.com/article/132693/2008/03/changeshortusername.html
    reinstalling leopard is completely unnecessary for this. Alternatively, you can create a new user on the current install with the name you want. then migrate all your user data from the current user to the new one. when done, delete the old user. see this link on instructions about what to move besides you own files
    http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=6185507

  • Duplicate applications after using Migration Assistant

    I'm posting this because I haven't seen this topic addressed yet regarding using Migration Assistant for transferring data from old G5 to new Mac Pro.
    I used the Migration Assistant, which took hours to transfer data and stopped the first time due to a power backup overload. The second time I ran it, everything had transferred successfully, and I've been using my Mac Pro for almost two weeks now, with slight glitches that have been easily solved.
    Here's my situation: In my Applications folder, there are a number of applications that have "(from old Mac)" as a suffix. Specifically, all of my Adobe Creative Suite applications have duplicates, as does Cocktail Extras, Corel Painter IX, DiskTracker (Mac OS X), Extensis Suitcase X1, Fetch 4.0.2, Finale 20045 and 2005b, and FontDoctor X for Macintosh.
    Needless to say, I would like to recover the additional disk space that these duplicates are occupying, but is it okay to simply trash the ones that say "(from old Mac)", as I backed up my old G5 right before runnning the Migration Assistant, and I still have it sitting here, just in case something bad happens while I'm in the middle of a project? Or, should I trash the new ones? The Creative Suite apps have been activated on the Mac Pro, so I'm assuming that the "old Mac" ones could be deleted.
    Anyone having any experience with this? I don't want to reinstall a lot of things unless I have to, as I will be upgrading a lot of the apps as soon as Intel-native versions are released, and things are working well so far.
    Thanks for any advice you can give me.
    2 x 3 GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon   Mac OS X (10.4.8)   8 GB RAM
    1.8 Mhz G5   Mac OS X (10.4.2)  

    Yes, it's OK to trash them. You have transferred items that are from a PPC Mac to an Intel Mac that apparently had Intel versions of the same software already installed. You definitely do not want PPC versions (this does not apply to most Adobe software which is PPC-only.)
    Unfortunately, Migration Assistant doesn't always know when not to transfer PPC software to an Intel Mac. This is especially a problem for the /Home/Library/ and /Library/ folders because MA may overwrite Intel components with PPC components. This can cause the Intel Mac to run slowly or not at all.
    A Basic Guide for Migrating to Intel-Macs
    If you are migrating a PowerPC system (G3, G4, or G5) to an Intel-Mac be careful what you migrate. Keep in mind that some items that may get transferred will not work on Intel machines and may end up causing your computer's operating system to malfunction.
    Rosetta supports "software that runs on the PowerPC G3 or G4 processor that are built for Mac OS X". This excludes the items that are not universal binaries or simply will not work in Rosetta:
    Classic Environment, and subsequently any Mac OS 9 or earlier applications
    Screensavers written for the PowerPC
    System Preference add-ons
    All Unsanity Haxies
    Browser and other plug-ins
    Contextual Menu Items
    Applications which specifically require the PowerPC G5
    Kernel extensions
    Java applications with JNI (PowerPC) libraries
    See also What Can Be Translated by Rosetta.
    In addition to the above you could also have problems with migrated cache files and/or cache files containing code that is incompatible.
    If you migrate a user folder that contains any of these items, you may find that your Intel-Mac is malfunctioning. It would be wise to take care when migrating your systems from a PowerPC platform to an Intel-Mac platform to assure that you do not migrate these incompatible items.
    If you have problems with applications not working, then completely uninstall said application and reinstall it from scratch. Take great care with Java applications and Java-based Peer-to-Peer applications. Many Java apps will not work on Intel-Macs as they are currently compiled. As of this time Limewire, Cabos, and Acquisition are available as universal binaries. Do not install browser plug-ins such as Flash or Shockwave from downloaded installers unless they are universal binaries. The version of OS X installed on your Intel-Mac comes with special compatible versions of Flash and Shockwave plug-ins for use with your browser.
    The same problem will exist for any hardware drivers such as mouse software unless the drivers have been compiled as universal binaries. For third-party mice the current choices are USB Overdrive or SteerMouse. Contact the developer or manufacturer of your third-party mouse software to find out when a universal binary version will be available.
    Also be careful with some backup utilities and third-party disk repair utilities. Disk Warrior (does not work), TechTool Pro (pre-4.5.1 versions do not work), SuperDuper (newest release works), and Drive Genius (untested) may not work properly on Intel-Macs. The same caution may apply to the many "maintenance" utilities that have not yet been converted to universal binaries.
    Before migrating or installing software on your Intel-Mac check MacFixit's Rosetta Compatibility Index.
    Additional links that will be helpful to new Intel-Mac users:
    Intel In Macs
    Apple Guide to Universal Applications
    MacInTouch List of Compatible Universal Binaries
    MacInTouch List of Rosetta Compatible Applications
    MacUpdate List of Intel-Compatible Software
    Because Migration Assistant isn't the ideal way to migrate from PowerPC to Intel Macs, using Target Disk Mode or copying the critical contents to CD and DVD or an external hard drive will work better when moving from PowerPC to Intel Macs.
    Basically the instructions you should follow are:
    1. Backup your data first. This is vitally important in case you make a mistake or there's some other problem.
    2. Connect a Firewire cable between your old Mac and your new Intel Mac.
    3. Startup your old Mac in Target Disk Mode.
    4. Startup your new Mac for the first time, go through the setup and registration screens, but do NOT migrate data over. Get to your desktop on the new Mac without migrating any new data over.
    4. Copy the following items from your old Mac to the new Mac:
    In your /Home/ folder: Documents, Movies, Music, Pictures, and Sites folders.
    In your /Home/Library/ folder:
    /Home/Library/Application Support/AddressBook (copy the whole folder)
    /Home/Library/Application Support/iCal (copy the whole folder)
    Also in /Home/Library/Application Support (copy whatever else you need including folders for any third-party applications)
    /Home/Library/Keychains (copy the whole folder)
    /Home/Library/Mail (copy the whole folder)
    /Home/Library/Preferences/com.apple.mail.plist (* This is a very important file which contains all email account settings and general mail preferences.)
    /Home/Library/Preferences/ copy any preferences needed for third-party applications
    /Home /Library/iTunes (copy the whole folder)
    /Home /Library/Safari (copy the whole folder)
    If you want cookies:
    /Home/Library/Cookies/Cookies.plist
    /Home/Library/Application Support/WebFoundation/HTTPCookies.plist
    For Entourage users:
    Entourage is in /Home/Documents/Microsoft User Data
    Also in /Home/Library/Preferences/Microsoft
    Credit goes to another forum user for this information.
    If you need to transfer data for other applications please ask the vendor or ask in the Discussions where specific applications store their data.
    5. Once you have transferred what you need restart the new Mac and test to make sure the contents are there for each of the applications.
    Written by Kappy with additional contributions from a brody.
    Unfortunately, if you find problems with your new computer it may be due to problems that arise when migrating from a PPC Mac to an Intel Mac using Migration Assistant. If this be the case your only recourse is to reinstall OS X. You should also reinstall your third-party software (or update it) to be sure you are using universal binary versions (if available.)
    Why reward points?(Quoted from Discussions Terms of Use.)
    The reward system helps to increase community participation. When a community member gives you (or another member) a reward for providing helpful advice or a solution to their question, your accumulated points will increase your status level within the community.
    Members may reward you with 5 points if they deem that your reply is helpful and 10 points if you post a solution to their issue. Likewise, when you mark a reply as Helpful or Solved in your own created topic, you will be awarding the respondent with the same point values.

  • Migration Assistant created 4 duplicate accounts

    After using Migration Assistant to move my account from my Dual 800 G4 to my new MacBook Pro (both running 10.4.6), I noticed 3 additional copies of my account in the Accounts pane in System Preferences.
    Only one shows up in the login window at startup. In the Accounts pane, they all show the same name and short name.
    In NetInfo Manager, all 4 appear in the /users directory and all have identical information (name, home, realname, uid, generateduid, writerstimpassword, gid, writers_realname, picture)
    While this isn't causing any problems so far, I think I need to get rid of those duplicates. Is NetInfo Manager the right place to do that? I'm worried that deleting one might delete them all...
    Thanks!
    15" MacBook Pro & PowerMac G4 Dual 800MHz   Mac OS X (10.4.6)  

    Deleting the duplicate entries in the NetInfo Manager should not delete them all; if you find that it does, you can reset or restore the NetInfo database, and recreate a new account with the original short name if needed. To back up the current NetInfo database manually, open the Terminal in the /Applications/Utilities/ folder, and enter 'sudo periodic daily' without the quote marks. You will be asked to provide your administrator password, which won't appear in the window as it is being typed.
    (13236)

  • Can't Login to new username created by Migration Assistant.

    Brand new to the world of Macs and getting a bit frustrated.
    I started a discussion earlier about how Migration Assistant created a new account and wanting to get those files to my original account. I got no response but now I'm finding a bigger issue. I can't figure out how to log on to that new user account. Initially I went to the the Users and Groups settings, and reset the password for that new user. Now when I try to log in as that new user, I get a message that says I must reset the password before loggin in. So I enter the password twice, hit reset, the window shakes and nothing happens. I've tried 3 different passwords thinking maybe it just isn't log enough, but to no avail. It won't let me reset the password at the log in screen so how am I supposed to get into the account? FWIW, its listed as a Admin account under Users & Groups if that makes any difference.
    Assuming I can get in...what's the easiest way to get the files over to the original Admin account? I'm just transfering over iTunes (music and apps)...and nothing else. Is it easiest just to transfer files between the user accounts (which doesn't look terribly straightforward)? Should I delete the files and copy them over from a hard drive? Since the machine is only a few days old should I just wipe it clean and start again as if its brand new out of the box again? Again, just trying to get iTunes info copied over so my wife can sync her iPhone from the MacBook Pro instead of the PC.

    First, note the short name of the account. This is the same as the name of its home folder, but not necessarily the name that appears in the login window.
    Restart your computer, and while it is starting up, hold Command-S.
    This will start up your Mac in Single User Mode. Once it has started up, you will need to enter three lines of code.
    Enter sh /etc/rcand press return.
    Then enter passwd yourusername and hit return. Now you will have to enter a new password twice.
    What you type won't appear on screen, but it is working. Once you have done this, type reboot and hit return.

  • TimeMachine / Migration Assistant and a different UID, but same username

    Hello there,
    I am going to do a clean reinstall of my Macs with Mountain Lion (no need to discuss clean install vs. upgrade, please). During this shift the goal is to transfer all accounts into Open Directory. While keeping the account names, the UIDs will be different.
    Doing a clean install, I can see no use in restoring all stuff in a users profile, for some is old, useless and maybe the related application is long gone. But there are a couple of items worth to be saved, for sure: emails, contacts, calendar, favorites, iTunes library, the users documents and very important: purchased Items from iTunes or App Store and the keychain of cause. Users agreed, that they can rebuild settings of other applications, not listed before.
    Will the Migration Assistant the right path to go? Can I use a TimeMachine Backup and restore it for a user with the same name, but a different UID using the Migration Assistant? Will there be any pitfall for purchased items or the keychain?
    Thanx for your help
    COWegner

    COWegner wrote:
    Can I use a TimeMachine Backup and restore it for a user with the same name, but a different UID using the Migration Assistant?
    No.  Migration Assistant restores user accounts and data (although you can omit some broad categories).  It won't "merge" data into an existing home folder.  
    When it does that, it will preserve the UID on the backups if it can; if the same UID already exists, it will use a different one. 
    If a user account of the same name already exists, it will require you to rename one of them, or skip it.
    Note that, if you use it when OSX first starts up on a new Mac, or after installation on an empty volume, it's called Setup Assistant.  The windows are a bit different, but the only significant difference is, since there aren't any user accounts already, it can preserve all UIDs and user names from the backups.
    See How do I set up a new Mac from an old one, its backups, or a PC?

  • Migration Assistant doesn't appear to migrate all user accounts

    Just did a Migration Assistant run from a "plastic" Intel iMac to a Pro, running Snow Leopard.
    There is a duplicate user which didn't get migrated (that's what I want) with a name beginning with "n". But other accounts with names beginning with letters after "n" weren't migrated.
    Is there a way of making it migrate the other accounts? I suspect that it stopped when it found the duplicate user and didn't try to go on.
    I really only need one of these accounts, who was my standard login account on that box,
    I'll try to see if can copy a few items from that user's Documents folder to a new folder I create, <thatuser>'s Docs, and see if I have permissions to use them or not.
    This machine doesn't have a root account set up.

    That worked fine. I have one account (the Imight want to pull, that is, the account with the same username as what's on the machine I'm migrating to.
    But I'll do that only if I see signicant stuff on that account, nd I'll create a temporary account, yank everything I can get from that user's account, and then bring over "duplicate-main" (that's not its name).

  • Migration Assistant and User Names

    I'm about to take delivery of a new Mac Pro to replace the G5. I intend to just migrate my user data and install all apps from scratch so they're all Intel where possible. However, from memory, when you get a new machine and switch it on for the first time, you have to set up a user before you're asked if you want to transfer data. If I use the user name I'm used to from the previous machine, it won't migrate a user with that same name. I know I can set up a dummy user, migrate my data then delete the dummy but is there another way?

    I need help, and I'm definitely panicking. I need clear concise answers to things. I'm willing to try things on my own, but I don't want to keep getting deeper and deeper and it be spring, and I still haven't fully loaded my brand new i5 imac, and not be dong fun stuff. Between the flicker, migration assistant woes, and duplicate email issues, I'm 75% to being at 'wit's end' and taking the whole **** thing back.
    I did not migrate when first using set-up asst, and registered same user name on new i5 as I have on macbook (or close enough, I thought caps were diffferent in one place, but apparently not). So... later, when I went to migrate, it asked for different user name. I 1) picked a slightly diff name, and 2) migrated every thing (apps, network, etc). approx 35 gigs & 90 minutes. I go to look, nothing's there, obviously, and I have exactly my old macbook on a new user name. I don't want this.
    a) how do I get everything I need/want from old macbook (iphoto/movies, docs, etc) to my ORIGINAL user acct on new i5?
    a2) WHAT, exactly, of the 4 clickable buttons (user, apps, network, ?,) when I'm migrating, do I need to actually move?
    b) a friend said I can move these files/whatever to a shared folder from the addl user account to the original, then delete old one (or keep it as back up). Is this true?
    b2) I moved one pic this way, and it works I had to ("authenticate"), but let's say I move the "picture" folder (which includes 4,000 pics) this way, will there be any problems? in other words, will the iphoto or pictures folder that migrated to the user name I did not want, 'merge,' or 'replace' (or something else?) the handful of iPhotos and files I already have on my original/proper user name? are there any issues w/ doing this? keep in mind, when the old iPhoto6 migrated from macbook to username I had to create on new 'puter, it was upgraded, after promp, to iPhoto9, which is fine; just want to make sure that will be fine, moving this way (as well as iMovie, everything else.). And I guess, I need to keep 'authenticating.'
    c) also, one of the 4 buttons when migrating is "user accounts." that's different than the 'user' folder? Please tell me which 4 buttons I need to have clicked when I migrate from a 4-yr old macbook w/ ilife06, to a brand new quadcore i5. and again, please explain what 'applications' are again. I used to know, but my head is so wrapped around all this BS now....
    d) can I just migrate again, but the proper stuff, TO my orginal user account on the new i5, or no?
    e) If I eventually get all my stuff - whichever way - to the one and original user, can I simply delete the other user from this 'puter?
    Thanks for the help. Mac sellers REALLY should tell customers this, about doing it upon setting up. Or apple should simply rewrite the program to include just being able to do what you do at set up, anytime.

  • Migration Assistant Screw-Up

    So I seem to have somehow screwed up with Migration Assistant in trying to transfer data from my old MacBook Pro.
    On my MBA, I had two users: my actual, admin account (username = rhenriqu) and a new one I created to use in the migration process (because my MBA admin username was the same as my MBP one). While logged into the temporary account, I ran Migration Assistant which prompted me to either rename the account I was migrating or replace my MBA admin account (rhenriqu) with the migrated one. I selected the latter option.
    When Migration Assistant finished, a folder entitled "rhenriqu" was in the "Users" folder as it should be. However, there was no corresponding user in the Accounts preference pane. The only user on my Mac seems to be that temporary account.
    Here's the problem: that temporary account isn't an admin. Which means I can't re-run Migration Assistant, can't create a new user, etc. Tried to reinstall everything using the little USB drive and pressing "c" on restart, but it still retained my user info!
    What do I do?

    If you still want to "reinstall everything", what you first need to do is erase the HDD on the computer, usign Disk Utility on the restore drive. Then reinstall the OS.
    Whay you apparently did, is what is called a "Repair Installation", wherein the OS is simply reinstalled over the existing installation, only rewriting the OS files, but leaving all data and users intact.
    Once your installation is done, upon the first boot you have the opportunity to use "Setup Assistant", which is far better for your situation than Migration Assitant. You don't have to worry about duplicate or wrong user accounts. Setup Asistant copies all your information over to the computer and essentially duplicates all the users, settings, and applications from the source file (prefereably a Time Machine Backup), and leaves you with the same setup as the source computer.

  • When I use migration assistant it won't let me use my account name that I'm signed in with.  It requires me to select a different user name and then creates a separate account where my files live.  Why can't I select the user name and account name I have?

    I'm trying to migrate my music and pictures over to my new iMac.  When I use the migration assistant it connects to my PC fine but it won't let me use the account name and username that I have created as the admin.  It requires me to create a new user account - so then I have two separate accounts to log in to which i don't want.  How do I get it to let me use the current account that I have to move my files to?
    Thanks!

    Migration Assistant creates a new account and migrates all the information you have requested to that new account. There is no way around that. However once migrated you can move the data to the account you want to. Here are some instructions for doing so:
    Transferring files from one User Account to another.

  • I am having problems with migration assistant (windows pc to Mac 2011) When I get to the 'Quit other applications' box and click continue, nothing happens. There are no other apps running - any ideas, please?

    I am having probems with migration assistant. Trying to transfer data from a windows laptop to iMac 2011. It was working fine when I did the set-up yesterday, but it was going to take hours to transfer some videos so I quit the process with the intention of doing it again at a later stage. However today I find that everytime I get to the 'Quit other applications' box on the Mac and click 'continue', nothing happens. Have checked mission control and confirmed no other apps running. Tried several times with the same result every time. Migration Assistant running on my laptop with the 'Waiting for mac to connect' box displayed. Mac is connected to wi-fi OK as able to use Safari and access internet. Any ideas, please?

    Thanks for your suggestions. Have managed to get Migration Assistant working but now have a new problem, i.e. where does it save the transferred files?!! Searched a few forums and it seems it saves it under your old username, or suchlike. Anyway I tried logging on as a new user using my old user name but there were only a handful of files there, couldn't locate the majority of stuff from my old laptop. Anyway I don't intend to go through any more hoops with MA - will just save the important stuff to an external drive and transfer it that way. Not impressed with MA at all. I thought it was supposed to be a user-friendly tool to simplify the transfer from pc to Mac - not my experience, I'm afraid!

  • Migration assistant added second user did not merge data: iTunes

    I set up my new mac at the store then came home and connected my OLD iMac to the new via Firewire. I used Migration Assistant, and the migration took about 90 minutes. When it was done I had two parallel usernames; my old username with the old desktop look and stuff and the new computer's username I set up with the clerk at the Mac Store. Now I have two separate users on my computer, complete with two separate iTunes. When I look in the finder under Macintosh HD/Users, I see an icon for the new user (the little house) and a folder labeled with the old username but it has a red "negative" circle over it (like a push icon on an iPhone, but with a minus sign in the middle), plus a Shared folder.
    The weird thing is that all the documents and stuff merged, but I have to go to the old user to use iTunes. My old computer did also have 2 users (why? I have no idea) and it brought the iTunes library I did not use in, but not the massive library I do use in. I teach a fitness class and have about 100 unique playlists and ALOT of music on that thing - but the wrong library was brought in. Now I have to switch back to the old user to use iTunes and that just seems silly. I have tried 'add to library" to try to bring the stuff over but it can't see into the other user I guess.
    Any suggestions? It is so frustrating that my whole library is there but I can't access it on the new user after spending all that money.
    Thanks!

    Read here on why a second user was added and how to remedy.
    http://web.me.com/pondini/AppleTips/SetupAsst.html
    Regards,
    Captfred

  • Migration Assistant overwrote my life - can I get it back?

    Hi folks
    This experience constitutes my first real Mac burn, and I'm not going to lie, it hurts.
    Yesterday I used Migration Assistant to move from my Mac Pro to my new MacBook Pro.  I had already been using the MacBook Pro, and had gotten my media life up and running on it with 300+ gigs of music and about 50 gigs of photos.  My research on this forum before doing the migrate suggested that nothing would be overwritten.
    Instead, everything associated with the user account I'd been slowly building anew on the MacBook Pro was overwritten with whatever was in my old Mac Pro.  All I wanted was for the files, applications, and application settings to be added to my new system, not to overwrite it completely.
    Does anyone know if I can reverse this process.  I admit to foolishly not backing up the MacBook before migrating - I have always backed up my content manually, so have never used Time Machine to backup my actual system.  I have backups of everything that was overwritten, but I had intentionally removed it from the Mac Pro in order to start afresh on the MacBook.  Will I need to start afresh again, or can I somehow reclaim everything from the MacBook user account that was overwritten.
    In addition, the two computers had the same name, so when I was asked to rename one I chose to rename the old system with the suffix "crap" thinking I would have no further use for it, because I assumed the MacBook I was migrating to would never be overwritten.  Instead, I'm now stuck with a crappy name. I would like to change it.
    Any help with this mess would be great.
    I have to say that my experience with Migration Assistant was wretched. It took me a day to get the two computers actually communicating in order to do the migrate.  The estimates of time to completion were preposterously off - it took over an hour to complete the last "less than a minute".  And the purpose and actions of the program were very poorly indicated.  I did not just jump into this, but spent hours reading up, only to wreak utter havoc on my digital life.
    A sad day in my life with Mac.

    Sorry to hear about the mess - I had a similar experience last year. The problem with MA is that you have already established an account, etc, etc - so you wind up with overwritten or - in my case - duplicate accounts and/or folders, messed up permissions, and the list goes on.
    However, Setup Assistant, which is only offered once - right after the welcome screen when you first boot up the new Mac - will simply port over everything and should work just fine (althought they are both essentially the same procedure, the huge difference is that if you use SA, you don't have anything set up on the new Mac yet).
    So, the easiest would be (as long as you still have everything on your old Mac): insert install disk on the new Mac, after selecting language, to to Utilities at top, choose Disk Utility, and erase your hard drive. Once done, let Installer start and have a firewire cable ready. After the welcome screen, follow the on screen instructions for Setup Assistant and you should be fine.

  • Migration Assistant can't find External HD on MacBook Pro Mid-2012

    Hi, I have a MacBook Pro Mid-2012 running OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.2 and I am trying to use Migration Assistant to transfer Time Machine backups that are on my external hard drive, that I backed up from my old MacBook Mid-2010. The problem I am having is that Migration Assistant can't find my external hard drive. My MacBook Pro can find it when I plug it in (I see it in Finder), but Migration Assistant can't. Can anyone help or should I go to the Apple Store?  I need help with this problem as soon as possible.
    Thanks in advance,
    - Daniel 

    Since no one replied I figured out how to do it myself.
    1.) First I plugged in my external hard drive with my Time Machine backups on them, then I opened Finder and click on my external hard drive under devices.
    2.) Next I clicked on and opened the folder named "Backups.backupdb"
    3.) Once inside that folder I could see folders with the backups from Time Machine and all of the folders names were the date I backed up that backup. I clicked and opended the lastest backup folder.
    4.) Inside that folder, I clicked and opened the folder named "Macintosh HD"
    5.) Inside that folder, I clicked and opended the folder named "Users"
    6.) Inside that folder, I clicked and opended the folder named "Daniel" which was my Username on my previous Mac.
    7.) Finally I could see and access all my folders from my Time Machine backups from my previous Mac.
    Keep in mind this is only helpful if you are trying to access old backups (backed up from another Mac) on a new or different Mac. (Sorry for the blurry images)
    Hope this somehow helps someone else,
    - Daniel 

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