Can I enable file sharing of an admin session from another admin session using the Terminal?

Question

For an unknown reason all the system features of my mac (macOs High Sierra, Mbp late 2012) are inaccessible and it is impossible to launch the applications. An error message shows that the application is incomplete or damaged. All documents are intact. It seems to be a problem in the root of my administrator user account. I managed to create a second admin user account from which I can use my applications. But, since the file sharing of my first admin user account has not been enabled, I cannot access my documents from the new admin user account.

Is there a Terminal command addressed from the new admin user account, which allows to enable file sharing from my second user admin account?

This will allow me to overwrite the first corrupted admin account and use my 32bit!!!!!!! applications with my files without having to completely reinstall the system at this point in my backup.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Can I enable file sharing of an admin session from another admin session using the Terminal?

The short answer to this question is “yes” but this is not the answer that addresses your actual problem.

This is a file ownership issue

…since the file sharing of my first admin user account has not been enabled, I cannot access my documents from the new admin user account

File sharing isn’t a per user setting; it’s systemwide. Once file sharing is enabled, it’s enabled for all accounts. The issue you’re having is an ownership issue.

You can fix this by taking ownership of the files with your new admin account.

1. Copy (or move if you’ve got good backups) your fikes from your old account to the new account

2. Take ownership with the command where user = new admin account and the directory is the folder where you copied the files

   sudo chown -R user:staff /Users/user/folder
   

Once you have ownership, you’ll have access to your files once again.