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Reformatted...where is my stuff?

callmemike20

callmemike20

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
I just did a clean install of leopard. I made a copy of my whole mac HDD before I did this. Where can I find my iChat preferences that give me the names instead of screen names of my buddies? Also, where are my mail settings so I don't have to add all my inboxes? I also need my address book. I tried to just copy the whole Library folder over, but it only gave me back my safari favorites.
 
MisterMe said:
What do you mean by "copy of my whole mac HDD"?
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I copied my applications folder, desktop folder, library folder, system, and users. I mainly wanted to see the app folder for reference to see what I need to install. But I copied the rest to get all my information back. I decided to do this instead of archive and install because I over personalized my mac and I didn't want some of the stuff back on here.
 
callmemike20 said:
I copied my applications folder, desktop folder, library folder, system, and users. I mainly wanted to see the app folder for reference to see what I need to install. But I copied the rest to get all my information back. I decided to do this instead of archive and install because I over personalized my mac and I didn't want some of the stuff back on here.
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well that was an extremely silly mistake on your part.


you will have to navigate to everything manually from your backup and copy them into their respected files (for your preferences panels anyway).

goodluck!
 
DoFoT9 said:
well that was an extremely silly mistake on your part.


you will have to navigate to everything manually from your backup and copy them into their respected files (for your preferences panels anyway).

goodluck!
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That was my plan! I was just asking where those few things were located. That's really all I need replaced. iChat Names, Address Book, Mail (probably don't really need this), and thats about it...
 
callmemike20 said:
That was my plan! I was just asking where those few things were located. That's really all I need replaced. iChat Names, Address Book, Mail (probably don't really need this), and thats about it...
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OH! ok im sorry im with you now.

give me a few minutes and i shall find the files your after 🙂
 
callmemike20 said:
Found my mail!
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ok good, your very close to your address stuff.. a picture view is provided below for both mail & address books stuff.

many other settings may also be found in here..
 

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Got it all! Thanks a lot! I never reformatted a mac before (just switched it in August of 2007). I learned a lot over the past few months, but reformatting was always something I was scared of. I think I would rather mess with terminal than reformat.
 
Every now and then I'd copy the entire User Folder onto a new install and the first user created would match that user folder.

Sometimes it works for most things, other times not.
 
callmemike20 said:
Got it all! Thanks a lot! I never reformatted a mac before (just switched it in August of 2007). I learned a lot over the past few months, but reformatting was always something I was scared of. I think I would rather mess with terminal than reformat.
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yay nice work man.

yea i had to format once, because i accidentally stuffed up my permissions hahaha. formatting is pretty easy if u learn about it and backup!!!

good luck man cya 🙂
 
Sun, thats what I did and I figured it would all be alright. The thing is, I replaced the new mail folder, for example, with my older one, but nothing changed even after my first restart. Then, all of a sudden, my emails showed up after I closed and opened mail a few times.
 
callmemike20 said:
Sun, thats what I did and I figured it would all be alright. The thing is, I replaced the new mail folder, for example, with my older one, but nothing changed even after my first restart. Then, all of a sudden, my emails showed up after I closed and opened mail a few times.
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hahaha that doesnt make any sense!!!

you do realise that in mail there is a "import mail" option from other mac os x mail folders.

i think there is similar in address book.
 
callmemike20 said:
Nope...didn't know that. I thought I needed time machine or a firewire drive to actually do a copy.
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I guess you could do an Export on all of your apps and then an Import once you had reformatted and installed OSX. I do this with iPhoto to transfer photos between my MBA and MP but I also use .MAC to Sync Mail, Address Book, and iCal. I guess you could do it that way and you would only have to do it one time instead of Exporting and Importing for all apps.
Just a thought.
Alan
 
callmemike20 said:
Nope...didn't know that. I thought I needed time machine or a firewire drive to actually do a copy.
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any hard drive, either via USB FW or time machine can have an image/selection of folders put onto it. just choose what you want to back up (either automatically via time capsule or manually drag & drop)
 
DoFoT9 said:
any hard drive, either via USB FW or time machine can have an image/selection of folders put onto it. just choose what you want to back up (either automatically via time capsule or manually drag & drop)
Click to expand...

Thats what I did...I thought you were just talking about something else.
 
I really wouldn't recommend copying the whole Library folder. Specific files/folders, yes, but not the whole folder.
 
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