Use a soft link to move /Users to another volume

I'd like to move /Users to another volume, so that I can have the OS and applications on an SSD, without having to get an SSD of several terabytes.
Users log in to a Mac Pro using Active Directory accounts. Consequently, they do not have accounts on the Mac, and I cannot use Mac user properties to move their home directories. Also, the set of users who can log in is limited only by the AD user base, which has tens of thousands of entries. Of course, I cannot change the AD schema. So it has to be a solution that happens automatically. If a new user logs, her home directory must be automatically created on a volume which is not the startup.
I made a soft link from the startup volume to the new volume where I want the homes to go. This seems to work. After a restart, all the applications I tried had no problem following the soft link.
Is there any danger here? Or is there some better solution? I tried, following a suggestion which apparently worked in older versions of the OS, to make an entry in /etc/fstab to mount the new disk as /Users. This did not work in Mavericks (my test machine). The new disk appeared in Disk Utility, but could not be mounted. Perhaps it would work on Mountain Lion, which is the machine where this change ultimately needs to be implemented.
I will be obliged for any suggestions or warnings.

Reading through the article you referenced, I noticed they talked about downsides to moving home directory.
The issue about non-boot drives not being as protected as the boot drive.
Specifically related to permissions. I'm not exactly sure what they mean. If you ignore permissions on the non-boot drive that means that others can browse any of those files?
I'm assuming they mean you would have to change the permissions on the non-boot drive? But does that mean that only the original owner can change those permissions? Or can any user change permissions on a non-boot drive?
How is this different from user files on the boot drive? Can't you change permissions on your home directory?
I'm interested in moving my directory to the non-boot drive, so I'd like to understand the downsides. Especially anything related to user security.
Thanks.

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On 10.4.11 Mac Mail I get this: Mail cannot update your mailboxes because your home directory is full. You must free up space in your home folder before using Mail. Delete unnedded documents or move documents to another volume. I can't open mail.

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Found this on the "more like this" Worked like a charm!
With the Mail.app quit and using the Finder, go to Home > Library > Mail. Copy the Mail folder and place the copy on the Desktop for backup purposes.
Go to Home > Library > Mail > Envelope Index. Move the Envelope Index file to the Desktop.
Launch Mail and you will be prompted to import mailboxes. Select OK and allow the import process to complete.
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Issue using ADSI in powershell to load users from another domain into a group

I am trying to load users into a domain local security group from another domain using ADSI and powershell. For users who have an existing foreign security principal I can load that without issue, but the users who do not have a foreign security principal
I am unable to load.
These work fine, assuming the group domain is fabrikam:
$Group.psbase.invoke("Add",[ADSI]"LDAP://CN=$external_user_sid_who_has_a_FPN,CN=ForeignSecurityPrincipals,DC=fabrikam,DC=com")
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These does not:
$Group.psbase.invoke("Add",[ADSI]"LDAP://CN=$externaluser_sid_who_does_not_have_a_FPN,CN=ForeignSecurityPrincipals,DC=fabrikam,DC=com")
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Thank you

Thank you for your reply,
I started with that thread and it ultimately recommends using the [ADSI]"LDAP://<SID=$hexsid>, this bind is not working for me. The page it points to for conversion of sid to hexsid is in VBS, but I have used the below powershell to duplicate its function.
$sid = "S-1-5-21-2127521184-1604012920-1887927527-72713"
$parts = $sid.Remove(0,6).Split("-")
foreach ($part in $parts)
$hex = ([Convert]::ToString($part, 16)).ToUpper()
While ($hex.length -lt 8)
$hex = "0" + $hex
for ($i=1; $i -lt 5; $i++)
$reverseEndian = $reverseEndian + $hex.substring($hex.length -2, 2)
$hex = $hex.Remove($hex.length -2, 2)
$hexSid = "0105000000000005" + $reverseEndian
For example SID S-1-5-21-2127521184-1604012920-1887927527-72713 needs
to be turned into raw hex sid 010500000000000515000000A065CF7E784B9B5FE77C8770091C0100 according to that article and
then put in the ADSI bind like this: [ADSI ]"LDAP://<SID=010500000000000515000000A065CF7E784B9B5FE77C8770091C0100>".
When I put that bind in (with an actual sid and not an example sid) I get the following error:
format-default : The following exception occurred while retrieving member "PSComputerName": "There is no such object on
the server.
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [format-default], ExtendedTypeSystemException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : CatchFromBaseGetMember,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.FormatDefaultCommand
For users who are on another domain but already have a foreign principal name created, I can add them easily enough by converting their sid to the appropriate foreign principal name format. I haven't yet had any success adding someone who doesn't have a
foreign principal name though, even after trying the solution referenced in the article.
Thank you in advance for any help.

Can a Photo page be used as thumbnail links to movie pages?

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In iWeb, when I "make links active", everything works properly. But once it's uploaded, the thumbnails/buttons, when clicked, open up a new browser window with just the jpg thumbnail.
Any ideas to get this to work? Or do I have to start over, and lay it all out maually?
G5 DP 1.8 & PowerBook G4 15" Mac OS X (10.4.6)

I think the problem may be related to the Photo page template. When you click on the thumbnail, I think there is some built-in functionality to open a new slideshow window or something.
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==> www.DirtDoog.com <==</a>
Place A Virtual Pin On Putt-Putt's GuestMap!

Sharing album artwork with fast user switching and soft links

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And just like that I may have found the solution! IT suddenly occured to me that one of the settings that got changed when we imported my wife's profile was a change to the sleep settings. Previously, I had had my iMac set to never go to sleep, since it shares our media with the rest of the house and runs eyeTV to record TV shows and such. For a little while after my wife's account was imported the settings to changes so that the computer would go to sleep after 15 minutes. I'm not totally sure why, but I think having that set up somehow meant that when we switched accounts my other account just "went to sleep" and therefore stopped sharing the iTunes library. After I noticed the change and switched the computer back to "never" for sleep the problem seems to have stopped.
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Quick link for anonymous user

People,
Can somebody tell me how to use a quick link for anonymous user
I'm able to access this
http://<server>:<port>/irj/servlet/prt/portal/prtroot/pcd!3aportal_content!2fcom.caritor.Student!2fcom.caritor.iviews!2fKMNavigationview
but http://<server>:<port>/irj/servlet/prt/portal/prtroot/<quicklink> is not working.
Krishna Murthy

HI Michael,
I have one more qn for you.
Normally, when an iView set to anonymous users is opened(with the full pcd path), it opens up in a page directly without the role being displayed. (Like wat happens in the preview of an iView)
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Regards,
Krishna Murthy

Move user between two pool in Lync 2013

after Adding Your Second Lync Standard Edition Server 2013 & Creating an Associated Backup Pool for Resiliency, when i am log in to Lync Server Control Panel when go to Once the LSCP is open well click Users | Find | Select [email protected]
| Action .
I cant see Move Selected Users to Pool… |
what do i do?
help

Hi,
Please check if CMS replication update to the latest status with the following cmdlet:
Get-CsManagementStoreReplicationStatus. If the status not to the latest status, you can invoke by the following cmdlet:
Invoke-CsManagementStoreReplication
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More details you can refer to the part of “To move users from one pool to another using Windows PowerShell cmdlets” below:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg182600.aspx
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Eason Huang
TechNet Community Support

If I get a user to enter their name as a variable and I am linking one movie to another using a button, is there a way to carry the user name forward into the second movie?

If I get a user to enter their name as a variable and I am linking one movie to another using a button, is there a way to carry the user name forward into the second movie?

Hi there
See if the link below helps
Click here
Cheers... Rick
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Captivate Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form
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Hi, While installing XQuatrz-2.7.7, the installation blocks at the "destination" level. It asks how to install this soft, "Install for all users" is shadowed, but frozen: i cannot select anything and move on. Any idea how to get that fixed? Thanks!

Hi,
While installing XQuatrz-2.7.7, the installation blocks at the "destination" level. It asks how to install this soft, "Install for all users" is shadowed, but frozen: i cannot select anything and move on. Any idea how to get that fixed?
Thanks!

It says above 2 relevant and 1 correct answere available .............
I'm new here so could anyone direct me to these answeres?

Can I move the common library or use a symbolic link so that Dropbox can sync it?

A team of us are now using Fireworks for interaction design, and need to synchronise the common library so that the elements we use are up to date.
1. Is the common library the correct method?
2. we use dropbox, and I don't think I can tell dropbox to synchronise just the common library folder (as an isolated path from the rest of the dropbox tree...) - so, is there a trick using a symbolic link we could use so that dropbox thinks the common library is actually in it's own tree? (OSX is BSD afterall...)
We're on Mac OSX 10.7.X, running FW CS6 and using the latest dropbox for Mac.
I look forward to hearing some ideas. The question of teams using fireworks has been raised several times since 2009, and Adobe still hasn't got a solution. The mind boggles as to whether or not Adobe takes Fireworks seriously - I hope they do...
All the best,
Dylan

Thanks groove25.
I did find that it is possible to use symbolic links and Dropbox to synchronise the common library across computers. It does come with its idiosynchrasies though (excuse thepun).
I'm going to have a go with what this thread recommends:
http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20120803093247391
and leichter's explanation and walkthrough (nested in the thread) looks very helpful:
There's a subtle point that, once you understand it, makes symlinks much more useful in Dropbox.
The whole design of symlinks in Unix tries to make them invisible to programs that don't specifically try to manipulate them. So suppose 'sym' is a symlink to 'file'. If a program opens 'sym' for read, it actually gets the data in 'file'. If it appends to 'sym', it actually appends to 'file'. However, if it deletes 'sym', what disappears is the link 'sym', not the file 'file'. Opening 'sym' for writing as a new file - not appending to it - is equivalent to deleting the old file and creating a new one: It leaves 'file' unchanged and creates an entirely new file named 'sym' which no longer has any connection with 'file'.
A link to a directory follows the same rules. Looking a file up using the symlink as the name really searches the linked-to directory. Creating a file through the symlink is like appending: It creates the entry in the linked directory. And so on.
A program that wishes to do something special - like change where a symlink points - has to be aware that it's dealing with a symlink and use special OS calls for that exact purpose.
Dropbox works with symlinks *but it doesn't do anything special with them*. So suppose you put that 'sym' linked to 'file' in your Dropbox directory. Dropbox comes along, finds a new file, and sends it to its servers. What does it send? Well, first the name 'sym', and then the "contents" - i.e., what it gets from reading 'sym' which is exactly the contents of 'file'. On the server, and then later on other clients, what you will find is a normal file named 'sym' with the contents of 'file'. *There is no connection with a file named 'file'.* If you change 'file' on the system where 'sym' links to it, the changes propagate. If you change it anywhere else, the changes propagate back - but Dropbox doesn't modify files in place, it writes entire new ones. So the effect back on the original system is to break the link and write a new file named 'sym' with the latest contents - but no connection to 'file'.
I know of no way to keep a link to a *file* as a symlink across updates. But the story is different for *directories*. Unlike ordinary files, directories are normally updated in place (unless you explicit delete and recreate them). So you can do the following:
1. Create directory 'dir' anywhere you like.
2. Create symlink 'dirlink' pointing to 'dir' in your Dropbox folder.
3. Wait for 'dirlink' to appear on all other clients. It will appear as an ordinary directory, not as a symlink. If the original 'dir' had files in it, those will now appear as files on the clients, too.
4. On each client, rename 'dirlink' to 'dir' *in the place you want it to appear in your directory tree*. (Renaming only works if you are staying not the same device. Otherwise, you need to create 'dir' and move all the files.) This need not be the same on all clients, though it's easier to keep track of if it is.
5. On each client, create symlink 'dirlink' pointing to 'dir'.
Now you have a 'dirlink' on each client, which will to Dropbox look like a subdirectory - and it will sync all the files in that "subdirectory". Changes made on any client to any file in 'dir' aka 'dirlink' will be synced to all the other clients as well. Files created or deleted in 'dir' will be created/deleted on every other client as well.
It's probably easiest to do all this while there are no files in 'dir'. Otherwise, Dropbox sometimes repeatedly syncs the same files until everything eventually settles down.
The limitations here:
- Some platforms (e.g., iOS) don't support symlinks. To them, 'dirlink' will just be an ordinary subdirectory.
- Any time you add a new client, you have to go through the process for that client. Certain reset operations in Dropbox - anything that requires re-syncing every file in the Dropbox folder on a client - will require the same, because Dropbox doesn't know how to *create* symlinks - it'll just create an ordinary subdirectories.
I've used this configuration for a couple of years. You have to watch out for the reset situations and such, but generally once you have it set up, it "just works".
-- Jerry
All the best,
Dylan

Best way to move Users folder off the boot drive

I read a couple of old threads regarding this topic, but I have some lingering questions...
I'm awaiting my Mac Pro. I ordered it with one drive. I plan on adding two drives in a RAID 0 array for data (which will be backed up regularly, of course) as soon as I get the Mac.
This is my first Mac, so I've got some questions (long time PC user as well as AIX & Linux user):
1. Is it better to move the entire /Users folder or just selected /Users/<user_name> folders? I'm thinking it's safer to just move selected /Users/<user_name> folders (e.g. my "everyday" accoun'ts home directory, other family members' home folders, and the /Users/Shared folder). That way, in the event that I have a problem with my data drive (a RAID 0 array), I can login as an admin whose home folder is still in the boot drive and I won't have any problems logging in as that user when doing maintenance.
2. Is it safe to move (and delete from the boot drive) the /Users/<user_name>/Library folder? Note that I plan on moving the home folders on a brand new Mac, but will things get messed up if I delete /Users/<user_name> folders from the boot drive once I've moved them to the RAID array?
3. Are there any ill-behaved programs that expect Users to be in the boot drive, so I have to create a /Users/<user_name> soft link that points to the actual folder in the RAID array?
4. I believe I found the steps suggested in Pogue's Mac OS X Missing Manual book (although it's in the context of moving the folder to an external drive). Basically, it entails running:
a. sudo ditto -rsrc "/Users/<user_name>" "/Volumes/<thenewhome>"
b. Then, in Accounts pane of System Preferences under Advanced Options, enter the new Home folder.
c. Reboot and delete the original /Users/<user_name>
Does this sound right? Seems really simple (much easier than in the Windows world).
Thanks.

Just wanted to clarify:
1. Mike Bombich's method entails moving the entire /Users folder to another drive so everyone's home is moved?
2. David Pogue's method (as described in the Missing Manual) only entails moving individual, selected home folders to another drive (and no soft links needed)?
3. It sounds like Pogue's method is preferable anyway (for the paranoid at least), so if the 2nd drive dies or needs maintenance, I can still login as a user whose home folder is in the boot drive?
4. So, if I use Pogue's method, all that is needed are the steps listed in my original post above, and nothing else?
Thanks.

Best way to move users

what is the best way to move user data and settings from one system to another? and how about backing up users? thanks in advance...

Just wanted to clarify:
1. Mike Bombich's method entails moving the entire /Users folder to another drive so everyone's home is moved?
2. David Pogue's method (as described in the Missing Manual) only entails moving individual, selected home folders to another drive (and no soft links needed)?
3. It sounds like Pogue's method is preferable anyway (for the paranoid at least), so if the 2nd drive dies or needs maintenance, I can still login as a user whose home folder is in the boot drive?
4. So, if I use Pogue's method, all that is needed are the steps listed in my original post above, and nothing else?
Thanks.

How do I? (involving links and movie files)

#1. How do I get a movie to close after it has played?
#2. In my menu I have 8 links. I'd like to have 7 links disappear when the user rolls over the 1 link. How would I make the other 7 disappear when the user is rolled over 1?
Thanks.

1. I am not well-versed in video matters, so the best I can offer is to tell you to look at the FLVPlayBack component in the help documents to see what kinds of events it can provide indications for. It seems as though when you start a new video, it closes out the existing one, so you may want to look into that code to see how it is closing the player, and then use that code when a movie completion event is detected. If you are using AS3, then the help docs tabulate all of the properties, methods, and events separately, so they should be easy to find. YOu'd be looking for an event that signals the movie is done playing.
2. As I mentioned already, to control the visibility of things dynamically you need to assign instance names to each of your links, each of which needs to be either a movieclip or a button. Then you can use actionscript to set the visibility to true or false as needed. What I will usually do is have a function that does this for things as a group, make all the buttons invisible/visible at the same time, while keeping the selected one visible. You still haven't divulged which version of actionscript you are using.

Model using the DB Link

Hi,
My source & Target are both Oracle DB. I have a DB Link from my Target DB to Source DB to access the Data.
I created 2 Data Servers in my Topology. In my Source Data Server I gave the DB link name against the ‘instance/dB Link ‘.
When I reverse Engineered the from Designer I expect the Source objects in my Source Data server, but, I am getting the target structures only. Can anyone please tell me how do I get my source structures in to the model using the DB link?
Thanks in Advance

Hi,
I think the problem you might have, is that to reverse engineer, the user needs access to ALL_TABLES, ALL_TAB_COMMENTS and ALL_PART_TABLES etc on the remote. Users only normally have select access to the tables on the remote so that could be an issue.
As I mentioned before, the use of the DBLINK/Instance is for LKM Oracle to Oracle (DBLINK) knowledge module. You could start amending the RKM to use the DB Link, but then you will still face the issue above, that the user will not have the correct privileges to the system tables to get the metadata.
If you cannot create the jdbc connection directly to both the source and target via ODI, then you have a problem.
One possible way, is to create views in server B of the tables in server A and reverse engineer those and then move them to the correct model and change the type to table, or you could just leave them as views in the target db, as that's basically what the LKM Oracle to Oracle (DBLINK) does. Have a look at the code for the LKM.
Cheers
Bos

How to move users, groups and access rights to new envronment

Hi,
I have existing 9.3.1 shared services, I created new environment with 9.3.3 .
Can some one suggesting me how move the existing 9.3.1 users to another server where it has 9.3.3 shared services.
is there any way move all at a time with some migration or we need to create manually?
thanks,
sudhakar

You can use the cssimportexport utility.
Even though this link is for 11.1.1.3 and states that its only for native users, you can in fact use the utility to migrate the provisioning of users both native and external: http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E12825_01/epm.111/epm_security/ch09s08.html
FWIW, I prefer the .csv format because its ease of reading and editing.
Regards,
Cameron Lackpour
P.S. The format is really confusing -- use the export functionality to show you what the format needs to be if you change anything (and I think that at least some of the names of the apps/projects you will have in 9.3.3 will be a little different).
P.P.S. I would imagine there's an upgrade path but that's beyond my expertise.
Edited by: CL on Mar 30, 2011 7:55 AM
I wish OTN had an alert system that indicated when JG was posting on the same subject. I would save my energy as I never get the answer out as fast. :)

Use a soft link to move /Users to another volume

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