How do I move to a new user account on the same Mac?

[dix]

Due to some weird bug, I've been working without benefit of being able to see any of DP's pallet or smart-tools for the last couple of months. The only way to get them back is to run DP in a new user account. However the fresh user account doesn't have any of my system preferences - which I now realize are endless! It's basically like starting fresh on someone else's Mac. Even apps like Stream Deck, Keyboard Maestro, Logitech mouse prefs etc. are unknown to the new user account.

Is there an easy way to migrate to a new user account on the same Mac? Or are would doing so defeat the purpose of creating a fresh user account?

Thanks!

[mikehalloran]

a) You can create a new User Account and copy/paste from the old to the new but I wouldn't.

b) You can also create a new Volume, download and install your current macOS and use Migration Assistant from your current Volume — this will force you to create a new User Account with a different name.

From there, you can try to find the problem on the copy, then apply the changes to the old one. You can now delete the new Volume which also deletes the new User. Your non OS volume will then be placed in a folder called Previous Data and I know how to deal with that (went through this a few days ago for something else).

c) I would do it differently. Run Disk Utility and have it check your System Drive. This will tell you if your APFS Snapshots are good. Run Time Machine and note the time when you ran it—this starts the clock. If your Snapshots are not there or corrupted, you have a Problem. I would create a new Volume and go from there.

Next, I would delete all MOTU Preferences — they have a list. Do not empty Trash. See if that fixes you up.

If not, delete everything DP including the Library Support files. Again, I wouldn't empty the Trash. See what happens.

If nothing is fixed, use APFS Snapshots to restore your Data Volume (Ventura & Sonoma) or your entire System. You have a 24 hour window to get this done.

If things now work, it will take time to restore all your Preferences but you will have found the culprit.

[dix]

Thanks Mike!

This is all good info, but it makes simply setting up a new account sound like an easier, more practical solution.

It's definitely not a DP pref issue. MOTU Support had me do the steps you advise, but even with fresh prefs the issue came back immediately....this all started when I upgraded to Ventura btw. Before that I never had this issue

[bayswater]

Do you have to option of backdating the whole kaboodle using Time Machine, to when the problem was not present?

I just did that on a Mac that had endless issues, and put it back 5 years. It took a few days. The first thing it did was ask me if I wanted to update Little Snitch.

[dix]

Do you have to option of backdating the whole kaboodle using Time Machine, to when the problem was not present?

I just did that on a Mac that had endless issues, and put it back 5 years. It took a few days. The first thing it did was ask me if I wanted to update Little Snitch.

I don't think so. It showed up when I updated to Ventura, which was in August I think. Does TM allow you to revert back to a previous OS? Even if it does, that too sounds like more work than setting up a new user account.

[bayswater]

Do you have to option of backdating the whole kaboodle using Time Machine, to when the problem was not present?

I just did that on a Mac that had endless issues, and put it back 5 years. It took a few days. The first thing it did was ask me if I wanted to update Little Snitch.

I don't think so. It showed up when I updated to Ventura, which was in August I think. Does TM allow you to revert back to a previous OS? Even if it does, that too sounds like more work than setting up a new user account.

You can restore a previous OS if you did a backup in TM that contains a complete system. But as you say, it’s a lot of time and futzing about.