2

My 6 year old Macbook accidentally got soaked with water and I just bought a new one to replace it. Everything was backed up with Crashplan online so I restored my data using their instructions but instead of overwriting my new user folder, it just put the restored user folder inside of the new user folder.

After everything downloaded from their server, I moved all my documents and pictures to the proper folders but I am not sure what I should do about the library folder. I am thinking I should try to restore just the Library folder and direct the software to overwrite any duplicate files.

Is there any harm in just leaving the second library folder where it is?

Edit: I should also note that some of my installed applications were not reinstalled with the restore but I'm not too worried about those because there weren't that many to begin with and I plan to just reinstall them.

Improve this question
1
  • What about the installed apps? Are they restored properly as was in older MacBook? Please edit the question to add the information.
    – Nimesh Neema ♦
    Commented Aug 12, 2018 at 17:41

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
2

I like to make an admin user - new short name and then restore the files from CrashPlan to /Users before I create the Mac log in account. That way, you fix any permissions and user ID conflicts.

When you make a new account with a specific short name and the folder with that short name exists - macOS will then ask you if you want to reuse that folder and it proceeds to use / fix / upgrade any settings you have restored and then makes the new user active.

The harm in leaving the new folder in the wrong place is you don't get the files and settings used and your system will make up new settings and files in the proper location as you launch each app.

Code42 support for CrashPlan is also very good if you get stuck with restoring things and you want some individual help or have back and forth type questions that don't work well here.

Improve this answer
4
  • I'm sure your suggestion is valid but I'm a novice when it comes to computers and a bit confused. When you say create a new "admin user" before creating the "Mac log in account" are you saying that I should create an admin to setup the Mac and then restore to the /Users folder and then later create another separate user?
    – JM Chicago
    Commented Aug 12, 2018 at 19:19
  • Yes - if your account on the old machine was named JM - don't make JM when you set up the new Mac. Make an account "New JM" or "admin" or "restore" and log in to that throwaway account to do the restore. Basically, you can't over write the library files of the current account from the backup. it's too late to restore files if you already made a new account. You'll need to delete that and start over with a clean OS perhaps or do the work to review each and every file that restored in the Library and determine if you really need it and manually migrate. I wanted to propose an "easy" way.
    – bmike ♦
    Commented Aug 12, 2018 at 19:33
  • 1
    Ok last clarification. So I just create another user login called JM2 or something like that and then from the admin account restore to the JM2 user folder? Or would I restore to the admin user folder while signed into the JM2 "throwaway" account ? Or pull up my sleeves and manually migrate?
    – JM Chicago
    Commented Aug 12, 2018 at 19:47
  • 1
    Thanks for this, just restored a user on MacOS Monterey 12.6.
    – ckm
    Commented Aug 6, 2023 at 15:50

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .