Transfer old mac files from external hard drive back onto my mac

I just had my logic board replaced by Apple, out of warranty, on my 2008 Macbook pro. As advised by Apple, I had another computer store copy my entire hard drive onto an external drive as a backup. The guy at the other computer store wiped the hard drive on my computer and I sent it away for the repair.
I have my laptop back but for the life of me can't figure out how to copy my external hard drive back onto my macbook. Please help??!! I have already been without my computer for the 10 days it took Apple to do the repair and need to get my work done. The guy at the computer store said he made an exact copy of my hard drive. He also said that since my external hard drive was a little older (never used but purchased a few years ago) it might take a few hours to copy because it took him a few hours to get the files off my mac. Thanks to anyone who can help!

Why don't you attach the HDD with your data on it to your MBP and then drag and drop your folders to your restored MBP.
Ciao.
When you say that he made an exact copy of your MBP HDD, is it a clone with the OS on it? If so you can use Disk Utility>Restore to copy the information to your MBP.
Message was edited by: OGELTHORPE

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I able to copy and paste files from external hard drive to mac, but not the other way around. Please suggest. Thanks

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The same is working fine with USB flash memory.
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Vijay Raymond Daniel wrote:
The only thing is we need to buy this software. if there is a free solution to inter change files between NTFS and HFS it would be better,
Don't use NTFS, remove your data off it first and change the format to something the Mac and PC can read, but doens't cost money or require software.
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How to transfer my ITunes library from External Hard Drive to Mac Book Pro

I recently had an issue with my Mac Book(OS X Yosemite) Had to take it to the store and they fixed it (replaced graphics mother board or something like that) Before that I backed up the whole laptop on an external hard drive. When I connect the external hard drive I can open all my files, not sure how to transfer it, I see the External hard drive and can drag it but where do i drag it because on my Mac Book I can't find Music. Should I drag it to the desktop and then drag it to the music when I disconnect the external ? Thanks

Choose Home from the Finder's Go menu, double-click the Music item, and drag it there.
(123001)

How do I transfer files from external hard-drive onto Macbook Pro?

How do I transfer files that were put on my external hard-drive (from my old Macbook Pro) via Time Machine onto my new Macbook Pro?

I've already set up my new MacBook (which is Lion, I think the other mac had the snow lepoard version)...so I guess I'll have to use the Migration Assistant, not the Setup Assistant? I know if I do that it'll set up a new user account instead of synching it up like I wanted but that's OK. But when I plugged my external drive into the new mac, it just backed up the mac and didn't give me an option to transfer files. I guess I'll study this link and see if I can't figure it out...thanks for the link! If you have any other advice about specifically migration assistant, let me know...

Transfer files from External Hard Drive to PC?

Sadly, my iBook g4 1.2 GHz (2005) is on the fritz (see my other question on Apple Discussions if you're curious as to why) and so I must get a new laptop. Unfortunately, I can't afford any of the Macs available, and so will be purchasing a PC. I have been using a 250GB external hard drive to store my iTunes library (about 25GB, too much for my iBook's 30 GB HD to handle) and as a Time Machine. I need to know how to be able to put all of my music and docs onto the new PC. Would it be best to not use TM and just put everything I want on the external HD and then access it from the PC? Alternatively, I do have a small home wireless network (using an Airport Express)...if that's the better option, how do I use it to transfer files? Any help would be wonderful!

The easiest solution is to erase the external hard drive and re-partition it to use on the PC:
Extended Hard Drive Preparation
1. Open Disk Utility in your Utilities folder.
2. After DU loads select your hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
3. Set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Set the format type to MS-DOS. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to MBR then click on the OK button. Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed.
Open iTunes and de-authorize your computer.
Copy your iTunes library in it's entirety (/Home/Music/iTunes/ folder) to the drive along with any other data you wish to transfer.
See the following about how to convert your iTunes library for the PC:
Macworld - How to transfer iTunes libraries between PC and Mac;
Geek to Live- How to move an iTunes library from a PC to Mac (and back).

Files transferred from external hard drive (backed up from pc) are locked. Can't unlock & can't delete them from Mac now.

I just picked up a new Mac and have been trying to transfer files backed up to an external hard drive from a PC. I was able to transfer some of the files without issue, but most of the files show that they are locked. Now that they are on the Mac I can't unlock or delete them.

Try http://www.apple.com/ie/support/macbasics/
This will explain Mac in PC terminology
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Select the drive (on the desktop), press Command-I (I for info), at the bottom of the info panel check Ignore ownership on this volume

Recovering files from external hard drive

My external hard drive stopped working. Everytime I tried to access it, I'd get one or more of the following messages: "Time Machine Error. The backup disc is not available. Time Machine couldn't complete the backup to "My Passport for Mac. The backup disc is not available. Your Time Machine backup disc can't be found."
That didn't cause me to worry, because my computer was in good working condition, so I just bought another external harddrive. However, I later discovered that I needed much of the information in the old external hard drive, because I had lost a great number of files from my computer. [I have to add that I partitioned my computer's harddrive about the same time under the step-by-step instructions of a second-level Apple technician.] Anyway, my problem now is to extract the files from my old external harddrive.
Data recovery is out. It's just too expensive. Ideally, I would just like to get my external hard drive working again. If that's not possible, I have to find another way, or just give up. Anyway, today I came to ask about Disc Warrior. I have read some reports that it can be used to do what I need done. Does anyone have any experience, successful experience, with it? Oh, I just discovered and downloaded StellarPhoenixMacData, but I haven't tried it yet.
Finally, judging by sound and vibration, my old external hard drive seems to be working. There is no clicking or other unusual sound, which I understand is a good sign.

Kappy wrote:
In any case if you connect the drive to your computer, then open Disk Utility, does the drive appear on your Desktop? If not, does it appear in DU's device list in the sidebar?
The new external hard drive appears in disc utility, but not the old external hard drive with which I'm having problems.
If you stop using the drive it's possible to recover deleted files that have not been overwritten by using recovery software such as Data Rescue II, File Salvage or TechTool Pro. Each of the preceding come on bootable CDs to enable usage without risk of writing more data to the hard drive. Two free alternatives are Disk Drill and TestDisk. Look for them and demos at MacUpdate or CNET Downloads.
So, I guess you're saying that any of those you mention are better than Disc Warrior for my problem. Is that right?
The longer the hard drive remains in use and data are written to it, the greater the risk your deleted files will be overwritten.
Okay, I have now disconnected the external hard drive. I hadn't realized that there was the possibility of overwriting files on the EXTERNAL hard drive.
Also visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQ on Data Recovery.
Okay, I'll do that, but what about just repairing the external hard drive? Isn't that possible? I mean, couldn't it be something like a loose connection? However, I have certainly noticed that hard drive repair is not mentioned nearly as much as data recovery. There must be a reason for that.

Moving files from external hard drive to library

Hi,
I have recently bought a mac and transfered my library from my old laptop to it. There are a number of songs missing from the library though.
I have a number of them on an external hard drive and want to move them from this to the library on my mac.
As there are around 97 missing I don't want to this individually for each one and wondered if there was a way for itunes to look on the external hard drive and then copy the file to the library by itself. I can point the library to look to the external hard drive but obviously once i disconnect it, it can no longer play.
Is it possible for itunes to look in the extrnal drive and then move the files itself?
Thanks in advance

And after you relocated the files, did you trash the 'originals' on your internal drive?
(dumb question, I know, but I gotta ask...)
Clinton

Permissions problem when copying files from external hard drive

Hi.
I have recently reinstalled leopard (wiped the hard drive clean) on my macbook pro. (10.5.4). I had used Time Machine so I have a complete backup. But I only wanted a few of the files so I didn't do a backup restore. I went into the file directory of the backup on my external hard drive and dragged the folders I wanted back over to my laptop.
But I'm in permissions **** though! When I want to copy them over I get an alert saying you may not have privilege to do this and asks for my password. I enter my password and it copies fine. But every time I want to do anything with those files (like move them, or delete them) I have to re enter a password.
So, inside of the terminal I do a "ls -al" command to see whats going on and find that everything is the same as a natively created folder except for a '@' on the permissions column. I do a "ls -al@' to see more details and I get this:
drwxr-xr-x@ 6 xenition staff 204 Jul 20 17:08 Assets
com.apple.metadata:_kTimeMachineNewestSnapshot 50
com.apple.metadata:_kTimeMachineOldestSnapshot 50
I did run repair permissions from Disk Utility and it didn't solve it. How can I resolve the permissions on these files?
Message was edited by: risingtiger

run ls -aleO on the copied files and see if there are any ACLs or flags.
BTW, another (and possibly better) way to restore files from an old TM drive is via TM interface. control-click on TM in the dock and choose "browse other TM disks" select a disk to browse and go at it. when you try to restore something you'll be prompted for a location to restore it to and maybe a password.

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Hi,
Mac OSX can read and write/delete files and folders on harddisks that use the FAT32 file system.
Mac OSX can only read and not write/delete files and folders on harddisks that use the NTFS file system.
Use Disk Utility to check what file system your HD uses.
To enable write access from OSX to NTFS drives, you can either use NTFS-3G http://www.ntfs-3g.org/ or buy Paragons NTFS for OSX http://www.paragon-software.com/home/ntfs-mac/
Regards
Stefan

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My hard disk crashed, but I think (at least I hope) that I'm backed up. I had copied all of my Itunes music onto an external hard disk before the crash, although I'm not sure I copied everything that you are supposed for a full backup (i.e. all files in the Itunes folder). I'm uncertain as to the process to get everything restored.
Right now, Itunes is not installed on the new hard disk. Obviously I need to download and reinstall Itunes, which I'll do. But from here I'm confused, and I haven't seen a straightforward explanation of the next steps. Is it then as easy as copying all the old music from the external hard drive into the new Itunes music folder once Itunes is reinstalled, then synching? Or, do install itunes, then reopen it while the external hard drive is attached, and "consolidate" the old library into the new? Or do I first have to plug in the Ipod, authorize the new drive, and move the purchased music from the Ipod to the new drive through the manually managing music process that I've read about? Is there a relatively straightforward "step by step" process someone can point me at?
I'd appreciate any guidance anyone can provide, or any directions to some materials that I can read. Thanks very much.

If you copied the entire iTunes folder to the external, then all you have to do is install iTunes like normal, then start up with these instructions and point it to your backup on the external...
How to open an alternate iTunes Library file or create a new one
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304447
Assuming that works, you can either leave everything as is and continue to use it directly off the external. Or close iTunes, then again copy the entire iTunes folder back to your internal drive, then reopen iTunes with those instructions again and re-point it back to your internal drive's copy.
Patrick

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I receive an error "You're trying to import a file from a DVD or Removable Media. Please use Video Importer for importing Videos..." however when I try this I still cannot import video files. This is extremely frustrating as we have 32 copies of this software and this is sarting to become a common issue. Please help and many thanks.
Attached is a screenshot...

jasonkmtr
Premiere Elements 12 Mac
A few more questions for now.
Taking your particular .avi files out of the equation, can you import any other format from Add Media/Files and Folders pointed to this external hard drive? What is the format of the external hard drive? NTFS or FAT32?
It is my recollection that AVCHD.avi has always been reported as highly problematic. Yet you seem to be saying that you have no problem importing them in to the project from the desktop with the program's Add Media/Files and Folders/Project Assets to Expert workspace Timeline.
Did you purchase your Premiere Elements 12 from the Mac App Store or from Adobe? If Mac Store, what do you have Adobe Premiere Elements Editor or Adobe Premiere Elements Quick Editor or some variation thereof?
You wrote
A number of users are experiencing this issue - they connect their hard drive, load Elements, start a new project and go to add media (from the ext hard drive) using the files and folders option.
Could you supply more information on this via link(s) which have reported this issue.
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I just got my Macbook Pro and want to move some files from my external hard drive to my Mac but this message keeps pooping up: "There are some locked items in the Trash. Do you want to remove all the items, including the locked ones, or just the unlocked items?" and my options are "Stop" or "Continue". I selected "Continue" but the same dialogue appears with only the option "Okay" so when i click on it, nothing happens (i.e. nothing moves)
However, my trash is empty so i don't get what the "locked items" are.
Can someone please advise me on what to do?
Any help would be really appreciated.
If this helps, i have a macbook pro with retina display, 13-inch, Early 2015 (OS X Yosemite - Version 10.10.3)
(3.1GHz Dual Core Intel Core i7, 16GB 1866MHz)

Have you tried reformatting the drive with Disk Utility?
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Hi, I hope you can help me here. My macbook (the silver 2010 model) has become horrendously slow so I wanted to move all of my photos and music to my external drive. Come to plug it in I found out that I only had 45GB left on it and located an old system backup that's probably taking up a loooot of space. I tried to delete it but I guess that just gets rid of the image but not the actual files. Tried plugging it into my PC at work but the drive (WD MyPassport) is formatted for Mac and so the PC won't recognise it. Is there any way to erase these files or partition the disk without completely wiping the whole disk, which seems like my only option at the moment? Copying the files back to my laptop is not an option unfortunately.

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Transfer old mac files from external hard drive back onto my mac

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