Re: Repairing a user account

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On Wed, May 5, 2021 at 3:54 PM Macs R We <[email protected]> wrote:

> If, as you say, the source of the problem is not at all indicated by log
> activity, I would resolve myself to do a manual migration activity. In
> outline form, the steps would be as follows:
>
> Make a folder in your home dir for saved mail; save every one of your "on
> my mac" mailboxes into it. If any of your mail accounts are still POP, do
> the same with the "live" (In, Sent, etc.) mailboxes for those accounts.
>
> Copy out your keychain files, likewise.
>
> Copy out the entire contents of your home folder to another drive.
>
> Destroy the original user and his data entirely.
>
> Recreate the user (making sure, if possible, to get the same Unix user
> number, which saves a lot of work)
>
> After you have logged in, copy every folder back in EXCEPT the ~/Library
> folder. This is where your gremlin is, guaranteed.
>
> Launch Mail, and import your saved mail. Stuff the keychain files back
> into your keychain dir and activate them. (You'll have to do a little
> do-si-do renaming to replace your login chain.)
>
> You're going to lose a lot of "user convenience data" like cookies, app
> preferences, system preference settings, and the like, just as if you were
> on a new machine. But at least you'll still have your data.
>
> I covered saving mail and keychain passwords, there are probably some
> other crucial user data in Library I didn't think of that other folks could
> add to this list.
>
>
First, thank you! This is a very helpful guide! I'll need it!

I'm trying to minimize loss of that "convenience" data - preferences,
cookies and the like, but also agree that the problem is in the ~/Library
somewhere. (Mail is not an issue - I don't use Mac Mail - I use Gmail in a
browser) I also know I can't save all the data I want to, so any other
suggestions on what can and needs to be saved is appreciated!

Thanks



> > On May 5, 2021, at 11:55 AM, Jeff Weinberger <[email protected]>
> wrote:
> >
> > Thank you all for your help over the past few months with my mac
> freezing, crashing, having applications crash and other miscellaneous
> crises.
> >
> > After some more testing, I've narrowed this down to my user account. In
> other words, when I create another user, log is as that, and work for a
> while, I've never had any of these issues. I'm not 100% sure this is the
> case, but there is a marked difference.
> >
> > Since I am the only user of this Mac, there is only the one account (now
> plus the test account). Obviously, I don't want to create a second account
> and delete this one - there is too much data, history, etc. in everything
> from documents to cookies that I'd lose.
> >
> > So, I want to repair my user account. I don't have specific causes of
> the crashes (the logs show different things each time). I am seeking
> suggestions on what I can do to repair this account (and diagnose if
> needed), so I can continue to use it.
> >
> > Also, I may replace this Mac with a new one soon, and I will want to
> avoid transferring a broken user to the new Mac.
> >
> > FYI: iMac 21" Late 2015 running MacOS 11.3
> >
> > Any help is much appreciated!
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Jeff
> > _______________________________________________
> > MacOSX-talk mailing list
> > [email protected]
> > https://www.omnigroup.com/mailman/listinfo/macosx-talk
>
>

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr">On Wed, May 5, 2021 at 3:54 PM Macs R We =
&lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>&gt; wrot=
e:<br></div><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" st=
yle=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:sol=
id;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">If, as you say, the=
 source of the problem is not at all indicated by log activity, I would res=
olve myself to do a manual migration activity. In outline form, the steps w=
ould be as follows:<br>
<br>
Make a folder in your home dir for saved mail; save every one of your &quot=
;on my mac&quot; mailboxes into it. If any of your mail accounts are still =
POP, do the same with the &quot;live&quot; (In, Sent, etc.) mailboxes for t=
hose accounts.<br>
<br>
Copy out your keychain files, likewise.<br>
<br>
Copy out the entire contents of your home folder to another drive.<br>
<br>
Destroy the original user and his data entirely.<br>
<br>
Recreate the user (making sure, if possible, to get the same Unix user numb=
er, which saves a lot of work)<br>
<br>
After you have logged in, copy every folder back in EXCEPT the ~/Library fo=
lder. This is where your gremlin is, guaranteed.<br>
<br>
Launch Mail, and import your saved mail. Stuff the keychain files back into=
 your keychain dir and activate them. (You&#39;ll have to do a little do-si=
-do renaming to replace your login chain.)<br>
<br>
You&#39;re going to lose a lot of &quot;user convenience data&quot; like co=
okies, app preferences, system preference settings, and the like, just as i=
f you were on a new machine. But at least you&#39;ll still have your data.<=
br>
<br>
I covered saving mail and keychain passwords, there are probably some other=
 crucial user data in Library I didn&#39;t think of that other folks could =
add to this list. <br>
<br></blockquote><div><br></div><div>First, thank you! This is a very helpf=
ul guide! I&#39;ll need it!</div><div><br></div><div>I&#39;m trying to mini=
mize loss of that &quot;convenience&quot; data - preferences, cookies and t=
he like, but also agree that the problem is in the ~/Library somewhere. (Ma=
il is not an issue - I don&#39;t use Mac Mail - I use Gmail in a browser) I=
 also know I can&#39;t save all the data I want to, so any other suggestion=
s on what can and needs to be saved is appreciated!</div><div><br></div><di=
v>Thanks</div><div><br></div><div>=C2=A0</div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_qu=
ote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-st=
yle:solid;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
&gt; On May 5, 2021, at 11:55 AM, Jeff Weinberger &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:jef=
[email protected]" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>&gt; wro=
te:<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; Thank you all for your help over the past few months with my mac freez=
ing, crashing, having applications crash and other miscellaneous crises.<br=
>
&gt; <br>
&gt; After some more testing, I&#39;ve narrowed this down to my user accoun=
t. In other words, when I create another user, log is as that, and work for=
 a while, I&#39;ve never had any of these issues. I&#39;m not 100% sure thi=
s is the case, but there is a marked difference. <br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; Since I am the only user of this Mac, there is only the one account (n=
ow plus the test account). Obviously, I don&#39;t want to create a second a=
ccount and delete this one - there is too much data, history, etc. in every=
thing from documents to cookies that I&#39;d lose. <br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; So, I want to repair my user account. I don&#39;t have specific causes=
 of the crashes (the logs show different things each time). I am seeking su=
ggestions on what I can do to repair this account (and diagnose if needed),=
 so I can continue to use it.<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; Also, I may replace this Mac with a new one soon, and I will want to a=
void transferring a broken user to the new Mac.<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; FYI: iMac 21&quot; Late 2015 running MacOS 11.3<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; Any help is much appreciated!<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; Thanks,<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; Jeff<br>
&gt; _______________________________________________<br>
&gt; MacOSX-talk mailing list<br>
&gt; <a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" target=3D"_blank">MacOSX-=
[email protected]</a><br>
&gt; <a href=3D"https://www.omnigroup.com/mailman/listinfo/macosx-talk" rel=
=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">https://www.omnigroup.com/mailman/listinf=
o/macosx-talk</a><br>
<br>
</blockquote></div></div>

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