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pls help how to move Mail to new MacBook Air via thunderbolt

V

ValeVale

macrumors newbie
Original poster
My iMac HD failed. I have been able to back up most of my stuff onto an external hard drive starting up with my Macbook Air in target mode, but I cannot find a way to rescue all my old emails

Pls help as I must bring the iMac to get a new HD

Thanx
Vale
 
Your mails are stored there :

Macintosh HD / Users / yourusername / Library / Mail

Or : ~/ Library / Mail

Backup that "Mail" folder.

If you are running Lion or Mountain Lion, that ~/Library is hidden by default.

What system is running the iMac ?
 
I cannot find/see the library 🙁

on the laptop is the latest
on the iMac I cannot be sure... 10.6 plus all the updates (I believe montain lion but I could not ever get my head around the Mac names) 😱
 
If the iMac was running Snow Leopard you would see/find the Library.

So I assume its running Lion or Mountain Lion, hence the hidden Library.

The ~/Library can be unhidden.

Launch the Terminal (Applications / Utilities), and run (copy/paste the command):

chflags nohidden /Volumes/"Macintosh HD"/Users/yourusername/Library/

Use the actual name of the iMac disk (if not Macintosh HD), and replace yourusername to your actual user name on the iMac.

For instance :

chflags nohidden /Volumes/"iMac HD"/Users/valevale/Library/

You can also let me know the actual disk's name and the actual user name and I will let you know the appropriate command.
 
ok I am trying right away
pls dont goooo stay there back in a minute

----------

actually
am I supposed to lunch the terminal from my startup system (laptop) arent I?
 
Are you looking at the right Library ?

Macintosh HD / Library is no the user Library and does not have a Mail folder.

Look at :

Macintosh HD / Users / yourusername / Library / Mail.

You do have a Mail Folder if you were using Mail.app on the iMac.
 
following the path I get these folders

desktop
dowloads
documents
applications
pictures
movies
dropbox
music
sites
public
 
i cannot see how to PM you
maybe because I just registered?
no 10 msg yet?

anyhow
HD is called giangia
and user is annagori
 
Copy paste this in the Terminal :

chflags nohidden /Volumes/HD/Users/you/Library/

First write HD the same way as it shows in the Finder, then copy paste the command, this will unveil the Library.

EDit : modified the command, please check.

Edit 2 : I have MPed the right command.
 
The easy way:

In Finder, click on the 'Go' menu at the top of the screen, then press down your alt/option key. Now click on 'Library'.
There is your Mail folder.

ur welcome.
 
Once you have your home Library folder open you can drag the icon in the title bar to your sidebar, for permanent access.
 
d0nK said:
The easy way:

In Finder, click on the 'Go' menu at the top of the screen, then press down your alt/option key. Now click on 'Library'.
There is your Mail folder.

ur welcome.
Click to expand...

yep that works but it shows me Mail on the Laptop
the HD for the iMac (which is used as an external hd really, its no there...)

maybe the string you gave me only works with the start up system but I cannot start up from giangia (defunct hd)
 
d0nK said:
The easy way:

In Finder, click on the 'Go' menu at the top of the screen, then press down your alt/option key. Now click on 'Library'.
There is your Mail folder.

ur welcome.
Click to expand...
This does not work for an external hard drive.

His iMac in target mode is an external hard drive.
 
Last edited:
yep that the case, sorry I thought it was clear

the iMac will not start up

its connected via thunderbolt

so no chance to find the hidden library / hard copy of mails? 😕😱
 
ValeVale said:
yep that works but it shows me Mail on the Laptop
the HD for the iMac (which is used as an external hd really, its no there...)

maybe the string you gave me only works with the start up system but I cannot start up from giangia (defunct hd)
Click to expand...

Ah k.
Yeah.. do what Bruno sez.
 
ValeVale said:
yep that works but it shows me Mail on the Laptop
the HD for the iMac (which is used as an external hd really, its no there...)

maybe the string you gave me only works with the start up system but I cannot start up from giangia (defunct hd)
Click to expand...
The string does work for an external hard drive.

But if the hard drive is dead, it's to late.

Just to be sure : do the iMac hard drive and the laptop hard drive have the same name ?

Do you actually see the iMac hard drive in the Finder ??

(sorry I must leave, good luck).
 
Bruno09 said:
The string does work for an external hard drive.

But if the hard drive is dead, it's to late.

Just to be sure : do the iMac hard drive and the laptop hard drive have the same name ?

Do you actually see the iMac hard drive in the Finder ??

(sorry I must leave, good luck).
Click to expand...



Yes I can see the iMac HD on the desktop, I have been able to copy little by little, manually most of important stuff

They have different names

i ll cancel the genius appointment for today, maybe there is still some hope?!?

thank you so much for your time

----------
inscrewtable said:
Once you have your home Library folder open you can drag the icon in the title bar to your sidebar, for permanent access.
Click to expand...


thank will do that for future ref
 
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