Fully copying an email account to a new Mac

[xcsic]

My family runs entirely on Macs, and I've recently ordered one of the new iMacs to replace my old black MacBook. I'm giving it to my mom to replace her MacBookPro, which she is giving to my dad to replace his Mac mini, which he is giving to my younger brother. I know how I'm going to transfer everybody's data over to their new computers, but I'm not sure on one thing.

Both of my parents have email accounts with our local ISP and have had them for years - neither one has any idea what the password to their accounts are. Of course, they can still access their emails, but that's only because the passwords have been stored in Mail.app since they got their computers. my question is if I copy a specific file or folder over to their new computers, can I retain the account setup? Meaning that when they open Mail.app, the same account will be in place, ready to use? Or do they need to get in contact with our ISP to retrieve their passwords? Thanks for any help.

By the way - I know how to copy existing email messages over - that isn't a problem. Just the accounts themselves.

 

[hughvane]

can I retain the account setup? Meaning that when they open Mail.app, the same account will be in place, ready to use? Or do they need to get in contact with our ISP to retrieve their passwords?

I think this would be a very good time to overhaul your parents' mail accounts. Regularly changing passwords for security reasons is recommended. Contacting the ISP would be the way to go I suggest.

The other thing that's needed here is to record and store the passwords in a safe place other than the computer.

 

[fcamilleri]

gmail = win. best email accts. ever

 

[finnschi]

My family runs entirely on Macs, and I've recently ordered one of the new iMacs to replace my old black MacBook. I'm giving it to my mom to replace her MacBookPro, which she is giving to my dad to replace his Mac mini, which he is giving to my younger brother. I know how I'm going to transfer everybody's data over to their new computers, but I'm not sure on one thing.

Both of my parents have email accounts with our local ISP and have had them for years - neither one has any idea what the password to their accounts are. Of course, they can still access their emails, but that's only because the passwords have been stored in Mail.app since they got their computers. my question is if I copy a specific file or folder over to their new computers, can I retain the account setup? Meaning that when they open Mail.app, the same account will be in place, ready to use? Or do they need to get in contact with our ISP to retrieve their passwords? Thanks for any help.

By the way - I know how to copy existing email messages over - that isn't a problem. Just the accounts themselves.

Look in your keychain the password is saved there and you can see the password....

you can also just copy the whole Keychain to the "new" mac ...

(just type keychain in spotlight , you'll find it) then type "mail" in keychain search field, select wanted password from list, open it(double click) then you will see a checkbox "show password" press "allow"(type password if needed) and voila there is your moms password

 

[finnschi]

gmail = win. best email accts. ever

+1 but you dont really answere the question

 

[dukebound85]

just copy

~/Library/Mail of the old computer to the same place on the new computer

will make it as if you never changed computers

 

[finnschi]

just copy

~/Library/Mail of the old computer to the same place on the new computer

will make it as if you never changed computers

NO it wont copy the password which is saved in keychain access

 

[xcsic]

gmail = win. best email accts. ever

Yeah, thanks, but that's really not what I'm looking for. Their email accounts work fine for what they need.

Look in your keychain the password is saved there and you can see the password....

you can also just copy the whole Keychain to the "new" mac ...

(just type keychain in spotlight , you'll find it) then type "mail" in keychain search field, select wanted password from list, open it(double click) then you will see a checkbox "show password" press "allow"(type password if needed) and voila there is your moms password

Now that is what I was looking for. Thanks!