Transfer startup/osx files from disk to HDD

Hey I'd really appreciate some help with this...

A few days ago my entire system crashed due to the osx failing or something...
I did a hardware check and everything was in order so, long story short, I ended up fixing my system by reinstalling OSX Maverick from a 32GB SanDisk thumb-drive.

I was happy until I found out that I had also lost all of my files. So, I began reinstalling my programs until I realized that the files were being downloaded on to the thumb-drive rather than the in-computer HDD.

Is there some way I can download new programs on to the HDD or, preferably, transfer the files from the thumb-drive to the HDD so I don've have to have the drive plugged in in the entire time?

Any help would be much appreciated, thank you.

Computer Specs:
Model Name: MacBook Pro
Model Identifier: MacBookPro9,2
Processor Name: Intel Core i5
Processor Speed: 2.5 GHz
Number of Processors: 1
Total Number of Cores: 2
L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB
L3 Cache: 3 MB
Memory: 4 GB
Boot ROM Version: MBP91.00D3.B08
SMC Version (system): 2.2f44
Hardware UUID: 1C694EAB-A886-5896-9BD1-363D20080A73

Airvent said:

Is there some way I can download new programs on to the HDD or, preferably, transfer the files from the thumb-drive to the HDD so I don've have to have the drive plugged in in the entire time?

Click to expand...

Sure there is…this is the way it's supposed to work. Simply unplug that USB drive…and any downloads will default to the computers internal HD.

My question is…why do you have that USB thumb drive plugged in all the time anyway?

- Nick

Surpriaed a 32GB drive is large enough for Mavericks.

With basic applications such as Office, a dozen or so photos and no music whatsoever Mavericks for me comes in at 50GB. An external hard drive would be better. Say a 1TB drive in a USB3 caddy and clone using CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper. The beauty of a cloned drive to external, the external is bootable in the event of internal hard drive problems.

pigoo3 said:

Sure there is…this is the way it's supposed to work. Simply unplug that USB drive…and any downloads will default to the computers internal HD.

My question is…why do you have that USB thumb drive plugged in all the time anyway?

- Nick

Click to expand...

Oh duh, thank you. It would be that simple.
I was just scared of removing the USB.
If I now remove it so that the files are transferred, would that prevent me from any files from being recovered if I use an HDD reader?

Airvent said:

Oh duh, thank you. It would be that simple.
I was just scared of removing the USB.
If I now remove it so that the files are transferred, would that prevent me from any files from being recovered if I use an HDD reader?

Click to expand...

Let's look at things this way. When you purchase a computer...does it have a USB thumb drive sticking out of it?? Answer:...No. Your MacBook Pro is designed to work 100% like it is out of the box (no USB thumb drive).

Now unless this computer is setup in some non-standard way...there is no reason to have that USB thumb drive plugged in 100% of the time.

Don't get me wrong...USB thumb drives do have their uses. Like as a way to back up important files...or as a convenient way to transfer files from one computer to another.

HTH,

- Nick

p.s. What is an HDD reader?

pigoo3 said:

Let's look at things this way. When you purchase a computer...does it have a USB thumb drive sticking out of it?? Answer:...No. Your MacBook Pro is designed to work 100% like it is out of the box (no USB thumb drive).

Now unless this computer is setup in some non-standard way...there is no reason to have that USB thumb drive plugged in 100% of the time.

Don't get me wrong...USB thumb drives do have their uses. Like as a way to back up important files...or as a convenient way to transfer files from one computer to another.

HTH,

- Nick

p.s. What is an HDD reader?

Click to expand...

Haha I guess that make sense. Thank you very much!

An HDD reader ( or I guess just a hard drive reader) I used to recover files when computers crash and it's not an HDD problem.
Now, because it wasn't any sort of hardware problem, will removing the USB stick overwrite anything that was previously on the hard drive?

Airvent said:

Now, because it wasn't any sort of hardware problem, will removing the USB stick overwrite anything that was previously on the hard drive?

Click to expand...

Why would removing the USB stick overwrite anything on the HD?? These activities are not related.

No…removing the USB stick will not overwrite anything previously on the HD.

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

Sure there is…this is the way it's supposed to work. Simply unplug that USB drive…and any downloads will default to the computers internal HD.

Click to expand...

Thank you for your help.

I tried unplugging the USB; no files were transferred and my computer crashed. Did I understand your advice correctly?

Airvent said:

Thank you for your help.

I tried unplugging the USB; no files were transferred and my computer crashed. Did I understand your advice correctly?

Click to expand...

Technically…the correct method to unplug any USB Thumb drive is to "eject" it first. This can be done in a number of ways. But since the USB drive has already been removed…"water under the bridge".

If your computer crashed when the USB thumb drive was removed…without more info…or without seeing your computer…I have no idea why it did this.

Remember what I mentioned earlier?? New computers do not come with a USB drive attached to it. And/or…unless you have this computer setup in some non-standard way…this USB drive does not need to be plugged in.

Without more info how your computer is setup…it is difficult to help you further.

All I can say is…restart/reboot the computer…and tell us what happens.

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

Technically…the correct method to unplug any USB Thumb drive is to "eject" it first. This can be done in a number of ways. But since the USB drive has already been removed…"water under the bridge".

If your computer crashed when the USB thumb drive was removed…without more info…or without seeing your computer…I have no idea why it did this.

Remember what I mentioned earlier?? New computers do not come with a USB drive attached to it. And/or…unless you have this computer setup in some non-standard way…this USB drive does not need to be plugged in.

Without more info how your computer is setup…it is difficult to help you further.

All I can say is…restart/reboot the computer…and tell us what happens.

- Nick

Click to expand...

I think I understand, but...

When I unplug the USB, the original problem reappears; the startup disk (the one that came installed on the laptop) crashed and ?disappeared?. I fixed this problem by downloading the OSX on the USB stick.

My experience with removing the USB stick (even after ejecting it properly) has not provided any progress...

EDIT: When the USB was unplugged and I started up the computer, a blinking folder with a question mark appeared.
There is no reason why my computer would be set up in any 'non-standard' way...

Sounds like your operating system is on the USB stick ONLY and has not been installed on the internal hard drive. Do you recall accessing Mavericks Installer in the Applications Folder and actually running it after selecting the internal hard drive?

harryb2448 said:

Sounds like your operating system is on the USB stick ONLY and has not been installed on the internal hard drive. Do you recall accessing Mavericks Installer in the Applications Folder and actually running it after selecting the internal hard drive?

Click to expand...

That sounds right. But my computer can not detect the internal hard drive.

I checked the SATA cable and it seems to be in working condition. Is it worth replacing the cable just in case?

With the USB drive connected, reboot and hold down 'C' which should boot from that. Then see if you can access the internal hard drive. If so format and clone what is on the stick to the hard drive. If no joy the hard drive may well have died. If replacing the drive then for sure consider replacing the cable.