Backed up restore problem

[faisal_sherry]

HI i have a macbook pro it was not working well so i decided to reinstall the os x. what i did is i copied my user folder which was faisal_sherry and copied everything from there to an external hard drive. I didnt make any time machine backup so now after installing new OS X I named the new user as I had before faisal_sherry and i have updated it. Now Its not allowing me to copy it back. Whenever i try to copy it back it gives some error . Any help because i have all my itunes and iphone backup there which i am more worried about
Regards

 

[bobtomay]

The error message would be?

 

[faisal_sherry]

The error message would be?

Hi thanks for you prompt reply. say i try to copy Library back to faisal_sherry it says "Library" can't be modified or deleted because it's required by Mac OS X.
Regards

 

[bobtomay]

I doubt you're going to copy the Library folder en masse to a system that is up and running. You're trying to over write stuff that is currently in use on the machine.

You should only be copying your documents, music, movies, etc. folders back.

There is no easy way to get back to where you were without a proper backup. You've created a pretty good size job for yourself just copying data to an external drive in lieu of creating a restorable backup.

 

[chas_m]

You'd either have to restart the machine and run as root (dangerous!) or boot from a bootable hard drive (not a disc) that has OS X on it and copy the old user folder (which MUST be *identically* named) from the external to where it goes on the new drive, which will of course erase anything you had in the "new" user folder.

For future reference, the right way to do this is to use Migration Assistant or Time Machine.

 

[faisal_sherry]

I doubt you're going to copy the Library folder en masse to a system that is up and running. You're trying to over write stuff that is currently in use on the machine.

You should only be copying your documents, music, movies, etc. folders back.

There is no easy way to get back to where you were without a proper backup. You've created a pretty good size job for yourself just copying data to an external drive in lieu of creating a restorable backup.

Yes you are rite i am trying to copy smething on the running system. Oh so can i not have my itunes backup back. Because i had iPhone connected with it and it had all the data.
Regards

 

[bobtomay]

Thanks chas - having a brain fart this morning.

Think I'd probably go with getting another external drive.

Create a bootable backup of your current system with SuperDuper! or CarbonCopyCloner.
As chas noted, you need to make sure the user account on the old copied file is exactly the same on your new install of OS X.

Boot to the external drive and then replace the user folder on the internal with that copy you made.

Reboot back to the internal, make sure it all works, then do another backup.
Can probably do it all in under 2 hours that way. Maybe a lot less depending on how much data you actually need to copy.
We're 'assuming' from the sound of it that you copied your entire home folder to that external before you reinstalled.

 

[faisal_sherry]

Hi thanks for you instant help let me try to do this and see what I can do thanks againd
Best Regards

 

[faisal_sherry]

Hi @bobtomay, and @chas_m, thanks for you support and great help. I have solved my problem with what you said to do. I am so grateful to you guys. Thanks Regards