Two networked macs with identical user folders...

Situation: my wife and I each own our own Mac, but 2 isn't always enough. Often a friend will come over and snarf one up for extended periods of time. When this happens, one of us can't access our own account (we have a guest account on each) on our computer.
Solution: Is there a program that will completely and safely synchonize our users folders across both macs? It would be great for us to be able to sit down at either machine, anytime, with all of our preferences/bookmarks/documents instead of having "his" and "her" macs.
Anybody have a suggestion? There's a myrid of backup/sync software out there, and I've tried many, but thus far none have fit the bill. BTW, we have mostly all the same software/apps installed, and in the App. folder vs. our home folders if this helps at all...
TIA!
24" iMac, Dual 2.0 G5 Mac OS X (10.4.9)

Off the top of my head I'm thinking of this solution:
create the same account on each mac.
Start sharing on each mac
create an applescript that will see if the other mac is available, and if so connect to the home folder on the other mac
have another script or workflow that will check for changed files on logoff and synch those files to the other mac.
There are also links out there on how to use flash drives as portable home directories. That might work for you.

Similar Messages

2 macs with identical user folders?

Situation: my wife and I each own our own Mac, but 2 isn't always enough. Often a friend will come over and snarf one up for extended periods of time. When this happens, one of us can't access our own account (we have a guest account on each) on our computer.
Solution: Is there a program that will completely and safely synchonize our users folders across both macs? It would be great for us to be able to sit down at either machine, anytime, with all of our preferences/bookmarks/documents instead of having "his" and "her" macs.
Anybody have a suggestion? There's a myrid of backup/sync software out there, and I've tried many, but thus far none have fit the bill. BTW, we have mostly all the same software/apps installed, and in the App. folder vs. our home folders if this helps at all...
TIA!

At a technical level it's a bad idea for both of you to have separate computers with identical accounts. This sort of violates the privacy concept of a multi-user system such as OS X. What may be a better solution in the long run is to have two external Firewire hard drives. Each of you can clone your system to an external drive. Each of you can use backup software to maintain the clone by doing regular incremental backups. Because these backups are done on a regular basis each of you has the benefit of keeping your data safe, and because the external drives are bootable each of you can boot one another's computer from your external drive. Your data are safe, your privacy is protected, and you can use each other's computer with your own individual systems. I can suggest the following:
Get an external Firewire drive at least equal in size to the internal hard drive and make (and maintain) a bootable clone/backup. You can make a bootable clone using the Restore option of Disk Utility. You can also make and maintain clones with good backup software. My personal recommendations are (order is not significant):
1. Retrospect Desktop (Commercial - not yet universal binary)
2. Synchronize! Pro X (Commercial)
3. Synk (Backup, Standard, or Pro)
4. Deja Vu (Shareware)
5. PsynchX 2.1.1 and RsyncX 2.1 (Freeware)
6. Carbon Copy Cloner (Freeware - 3.0 is a Universal Binary)
7. SuperDuper! (Commercial)
The following utilities can also be used for backup, but cannot create bootable clones:
1. Backup (requires a .Mac account with Apple both to get the software and to use it.)
2. Toast
3. Impression
4. arRSync
Apple's Backup is a full backup tool capable of also backing up across multiple media such as CD/DVD. However, it cannot create bootable backups. It is primarily an "archiving" utility as are the other two.
Impression and Toast are disk image based backups, only. Particularly useful if you need to backup to CD/DVD across multiple media.
Visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQs on maintenance, optimization, virus protection, and backup and restore. Also read How to Back Up and Restore Your Files.
However, if the above isn't something you're willing to do then you will need to provide more specific information on just what you want to be able to do that the backup/sync software you've tried has been unable to do.

Network accounts with local home folders

First of all sorry for my bad english.
I want to obtain network accounts with local home folders.
I have found this post very interesting to solve my problem.
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=2140595#2140595
Following this indications I have obtained it but I dont see the Public folder of any home folder from the network.
How I can solve this? I must share the Public folders manually? How? I have proven with SharePoints 3.5.4 and I have not obtained it.
Thanks
iMac Intel Core Duo Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Hi
Clients should be bound to Open Directory and be using the OD Master for their DNS. Launch WorkGroup Manager and authenticate to the LDAP node. If you have only a few Users you can do it at that Level if hundreds do it at Group Level. Select Preferences > Mobility. It's fairly obvious thereafter.
After the home folder has been created you can make that account a local administrator if you wish.
This assumes the Server has been configured as Advanced. Please don't take this advice if you've used anything else.
Tony

Multiple Macs with multiple user accounts

I have a Mac computer connected to airport and use Time Machine for backups. This works well.
I have now purchased a second Mac and would like to include this second Mac so that I can move between Macs and work. There does not appear to be any mechanism to allow this.

After searching the web and the discussion here, here's my minimal impact solution for multiple Macs with multiple users in a household:
1) Set up Mac1 for myself only
2) Set up Mac2 for the wife and kid
3) Set up each Mac to backup to the Airport base station using Time Machine (this would create two separate backups on the Airport base station's drive, which from what I've read has its own problems)
4) On Mac1 setup "empty user accounts" for the wife and kid. These will not have any files in them - just an access mechanism. If they want to access their files, they can use Time Machine's "The Browse Other Backup Disks Option" to get their file from Mac2, work on it and then drop it in the Shared Folder. Next time they are on Mac2, remember to copy the updated/created file from the Shared Folder into their Mac2 user account. If possible, get Time Machine to not backup the "empty user accounts".
5) Do the same for me on Mac2.
Not the most elegant solution, but until Apple get off their backside and make this seamless, I can't think of anything else :-( .
P.S. iCloud is not a soluton since it costs hundreds of dollars a year, uses up intenet data allowance and is slow.

I have itunes on a mac with 2 users but the library only shows on the main user how can both users have the same library?

i have itunes on a mac with 2 users but the library only shows on the main user how can both users have the same library?

Hi,
Have a Look at these Links on Home Sharing:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4620
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3819
Could be what you need...
Cheers,

HT204053 i RECENTLY PURCHASED ANOTHER IPHONE. MY INTERNET IS NOT WORKING. I JUST CREATED AN APPLE ID. WHAT'S NEXT? I NOW HAVE TWO DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS WITH DIFFERENT USER NAMES. HOW CAN I USE ONLY ONE ACCOUNT FOR ITUNES, ICLOUD APPLE ID ETC???

I RECENTLY PURCHASED ANOTHER IPHONE. MY INTERNET IS NOT WORKING. I JUST CREATED AN APPLE ID. WHAT'S NEXT? I NOW HAVE TWO DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS WITH DIFFERENT USER NAMES. HOW CAN I USE ONLY ONE ACCOUNT FOR ITUNES, ICLOUD APPLE ID ETC???

Welcome to the Apple community.
iTunes and iCloud and different accounts, you will need to delete both accounts from your device before adding the new details in their place.
For iCloud go to settings > iCloud, scroll down and hit the delete button. You can then sign back in using your correct details. For iTunes go to settings >store, tap your account ID and then sign out, you can then sign back in using your correct Apple ID.

Can you just sync playlists across 2 macs with identical libraries

can you just sync playlists across 2 macs with identical libraries. i have done a carbon copy of my home mac itunes library to a work mac. i'll then switch itunes match on on the home mac, and i am assumign i won't need to redownload everything to my work mac. my question is though, is it possibnle to use itunes match to just sync playlists as really i dont want to have to upload my contetn to the cloud as its nearly all not goign to be on itunes match in the cloud (obscure stuff). so if i keep libraries in sync myself, can i jsut use match to sync my playlists?
cheers

No you can't. Match is an all or nothing service.
However, depending on the size of your library and your upload speeds, you may be surprised at how quickly the match/upload process takes, and by the amount of stuff that does match.
Depending on how big an issue the subscription fee is to you, it may be worth giving it a go. I use match mainly to keep my iTunes libraries in sync and it is the solution that I've been looking for for years.

Why in Windows 8.1 do I have 2 different Profiles with identical default folders but each with totally different contents?

I want to backup my email messages and archives. I intend to them put into my 'Documents' folder for 'Cloud' backup and also into an external hard drive which I have always used in the past and, as a 76 year old with a new computer, 8.1 in place of XP and TB instead of Outlook Express, I just feel more confident about my external hard drive! I have TB 31 and Windows 8.1. I have set my computer to show 'hidden files and folders'. In username/AppData/Local there is a TB folder with 'Profiles' and it has my XXXX.default folder - but it only has a limited number of files and folders (Cache/cache2....). In username/AppData/Roaming there is also a TB folder with 'Profiles' and it has my same XXXX.default folder - but this contains a completely different and far more extensive collection of files and folders (4 different folders plus several MAB and SQLITE files and others). Why do I have two identical default folders with different contents? Do I have to save both of them? Can someone please explain/help, preferably in words that this 76 year old might understand.

Thanks Matt. Reassuring to this elderly user! I'll make sure I back up my Profiles xxxx.default folder from the Windows Roaming directory - but should I back up the (different!) TB contents from the TB Profiles directory in Windows Local as well?

HELP! Trying to network Macs with Windows PC is making me crazy.

I've been trying without success to network my Macs with a PC running Windows XP Home for longer than I care to think about. Here's the set-up: iMac G4 and PC are connected to Linksys router via ethernet. iBook and Mac Mini connect to internet via Linksys wireless access point connected to router. iMac is connected to an Epson photo printer; PC is connected to an HP laser printer. The Macs and the PC all happily share DSL internet access through the router/access point, but I've been unable to set up a true network that would allow for file- and printer-sharing. There's no problem getting the Macs to make nice (no suprise there) but getting the Macs and the PC to do so is another matter. The iMac and PC can ping each other (albeit only when I turn off the firewall in my PC security program) but do not "see" each other in their respective network set-up utilities. Nor have I been able to connect one to the other via IP address. I've found and followed instructions from a variety of sources on setting up a cross-platform network, all to no avail.
I'd love to get the whole set-up working as is, but would also add or switch hardware if it would make things easier. Among other things, I've wondered whether it would help any to add wireless cards to the iMac and PC for an all wireless set-up, or to get a print server, or to substitute an Airport for the Linksys gizmos. Any suggestions or advice will be profoundly appreciated.
iMac G4; iBook G4; Mac Mini Mac OS X (10.4.9)

Thanks for your reply and the terrific lucid instructions you've posted on your website. Yes, all the computers are on the same subnet. I followed your instructions for printing from the Mac to the PC and vice versa but unfortunately it's not working in either direction. On the PC, when I put in the URL of the printer connected to my iMac, I get an error message saying, "Windows cannot connect to the printer. Either the printer name was typed incorrectly [it was not] or the specified printer has lost its connection to the server." On the Mac, on putting in the account name and password for my administrator account on the PC, I get an error no. 256 that says, "Unable to connect to server with the provided password and user name."
I guess this goes back to the PC's and the iMac's not being able to "see" each other on the network. I have no idea why that is or how to fix it.
Thanks again for your help.

Is there any information about using iCloud on a Mac with multiple user accounts (Mountain Lion)

When upgrading to Mountain Lion, you are asked to sign in using your iCloud ID. I don't understand how to set up the proper synching of "stuff" if your Mac has multiple user accounts, and they each have their own iCloud ID.
The whole issue of supporting multiple users on a Mac and making everything easy to understand with regard to iTunes and iCloud is, in my opinion, currently in a state of disaster. Apple needs to address this. They have conveniently made it a non-issue on iPads by not allowing multiple users. I can tell you that as one of the resident iOS and Apple experts in my office, most of the questions I get from others (not work-related) are on this topic. It needs to be easier to understand and accomplish.
Thanks in advance for any information you have on this subject.

CS7981 wrote:
is "Is there any benefit to using my Airport Express with my wireless router
no.

Migrate itunes from pc to mac with multiple user accounts

I've read the numerous articles on transferring one's itunes library from a windows machine to a mac and I *think* I've got the details sorted (have itunes copy everything and then organize my library, then copy whole folder to external drive). I only have one itunes account but it my full library and itunes account is used across different windows user accounts.
My mac is setup with multiple user accounts and I'd like to have a single library and single itunes account (same apps, etc.,). I'm not quite sure how to migrate the library from windows and then set it up on the mac such that all mac user accounts are sharing the same library and itunes account. Any guidance?
Forgot to mention, have 2 iphones and 1 ipad as well, all attached to the same apple id.

See these support documents:
How to share iTunes between multiple accounts on a single computer: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1203
How to use multiple iPods, iPads, or iPhones with one computer, http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1495

Enable and Disabling the Network Adapter with domain user (Standard User)

Hi Guys.
We setup a active directory in our organization. Added client systems(Windows 7 and Windows 8) to the Domain. Domain users are accessing the system with standard users permission. I don't want to give Administrator permissions. But user should able
to Disable and Enable network Adapter without giving the administrator permissions. Please suggest .
Thanks in advance for the help :)

Hi,
According to your description, my understanding is that you want the standard user has the permission to disable/enable network adapter.
I recommend you to implement this function by group policy:
User configuration - Administrative Templates – Network - Network connections
Enable this policy:
Ability to enable/disable a LAN Connection
Besides, you may consider of joining users to Network Configuration Operators Group, detailed information you may reference:
A Description of the Network Configuration Operators Group
http://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/297938
Best Regards,
Eve Wang
Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help and unmark them if they provide no help. If you have feedback for TechNet Support, contact [email protected]

Mac: With my user profile, it is not possible for me to announce me to the Creative Cloud, with a different user profile, it goes without problems.

With my user profile, it is not possible for me to announce me to the Creative Cloud, with a different user profile, it goes without problems. Creative Cloud Desktop has been uninstalled and reinstalled. There is no error message.

john beardsworth wrote:
John Waller wrote:
However, Adobe will soon introduce Cloud only features into Lightroom CC for which LR6 (perpetual license) owners will have to wait until LR7 (paid upgrade).
That is possible, John, but it is only speculation on your part. Might, not will.
kwdaves wrote:
There is a "Lightroom 6" upgrade available for US $79 if you have a valid license for any of the earlier versions. From what I can tell, the only difference between Lightroom 6 Full, Lightroom 6 Upgrade and LightroomCC is in the license. The download file is the same.
Other differences - with CC you get LrMobile/LrWeb and they throw in a free copy of Photoshop too.
Yes, but when I bought my standalone license and clicked on the "Download" button it took me to the LightroomCC page. The downloaded file is named Lightroom 6, but in the CC app the installed program is LightroomCC (2015).

Sharing between two macs with one user account?

Is it possible to connect two macs to share documents and music if they are both logged into the same user account?
I recently bought a Mac Mini and when setting it up, I transferred everything from my Macbook Pro to it, including my user profile which I now also use on the Mini.
Since setting up the Mini, I've been using both machines so the content on both is no longer identical. There have been occassions where I have wanted to transfer something from the MBP to the Mini or vice-versa over wi-fi and have encountered problems. I suspect this is because I am using the same user account and they get confused.
I don't need the two macs to be identical in their content, however there are times when I want to share or quickly transfer music, documents or Garageband files from one to another. Would I be better off setting up different profiles for the Mini and the MBP to achieve this? Is there a better way to do what I'm trying to do?

There have been occassions where I have wanted to transfer something from the MBP to the Mini or vice-versa over wi-fi and have encountered problems. I suspect this is because I am using the same user account and they get confused.
Could you please explain, what kind of problems exactly you encountered? Error messages? Corrupted files? And why do you think the problem is caused by the same user profiles?
Like markwmsn I have no problem with sharing using the same account name on all my macs. Only since upgrading to Mt. Lion I usually use AirDrop to send single files. That saves the trouble to copy the files to a public folder.
Do both your macs support Air Drop?
OS X Lion: Share your files with others near you
and the requirements: HT5444
Regards
Léonie

Help two macs with identical setup and one does not receive phone calls using Yosemite and iOS 8.1 on iPhone 6. What is going on Apple?

Ive got an imac from 2008 and MBPr from 2013. the imac does indeed receive regular calls but the newer mac, the MBPr from 2013 does not.
what is going on apple?
MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013), iOS 8.1

i got it. I fixed it by setting Time Zone in automatically in both iphone and MBC
From the Apple () menu, choose System Preferences > Date & Time > Date & Time.
Enable "Set Automatically".
Click the Time Zone tab and confirm the closest city is correct.
do the same in the iphone and it will work

Two networked macs with identical user folders...

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for