2011 mini died, going to move in to a MBP for a while, what's the best way to do this?

[davidg4781]

Ok, my 2011 mini died. I pulled the SSD from it, popped it in an enclosure, and thought I'd just move some files over to a MBP I'm going to borrow. But all my folders have a red circle with a line through them and I can't open them.

I can boot in to the external SSD but it's running macOS very slow. This is why I was thinking of just pulling the files over. Do I need to go back in to it and change some permissions?

Would I be better off just creating a new profile on the MBP? I have one on here now, Photos are up to date but it doesn't have anything in iTunes. On the external SSD pulled from the mini, it was not updating Photos.

Any other options?

Both are running High Sierra. It's a 2010 MBP. This is sort of a temporary fix until I get another Mac but I'm sort of not in a hurry (I was hoping for some announced at WWDC). I'd rather run it off of the MBP if I can though, instead of carrying around the external SSD.

 

[Fishrrman]

Try this (in the exact order presented):
1. Attach the external drive to the Mac
2. Let the drive icon mount on the desktop
3. Click on the icon ONE time to select it
4. Bring up the "get info" box (type command-i)
5. At the bottom of get info, click the lock and enter your administrative password
6. In "sharing and permissions", put a check into "ignore ownership on this volume".
7. Close get info

You can now copy files from the external drive to the account you're using on the replacement Mac, and copied files should "fall under the ownership" of your [new] account.

You saw the red circles because the new Mac "sees" your OLD account-created files as "being from someone else".
That's why we needed to fix it (as above).

 

[davidg4781]

I’ll try that when I get home. Thanks!

I think I messed up my Office 11 though. I re-activated it on the mini SSD in an enclosure while booted in to it. Then I thought I should just activate it natively on the MBP.

Microsoft’s recording said the validation failed and gave me the choice of saying “Repeat” or “Good Bye.” I’m glad I left them years ago.

 

[davidg4781]

Wow. Thanks @Fishrrman!! So easy to do! Now I just need to figure out that Office thing.

 

[davidg4781]

I’m trying to boot in to the mini’s old SSD through the MBP. It boots up but I just get a spinning beach ball. Menu items like battery and WiFi aren’t showing. Apps aren’t opening. Any idea? I thought maybe Spotlight was doing its thing but I let it sit for 2 hours and nothing changed.

I really just want to sign out of iCloud and stuff. Maybe that isn’t even necessary?

 

[Fishrrman]

Have you tried a "safe boot"? (boot while holding down shift key continuously)

 

[davidg4781]

Have you tried a "safe boot"? (boot while holding down shift key continuously)

I’ll try that! So I should hold option to get the choice of the USB drive then Shift after I select it?

 

[Fishrrman]

First, POWER OFF.
Connect the USB drive.

Press the power button and immediately hold down the OPTION key and keep holding it down to invoke the startup manager.

Now you can see the USB drive.
Select that with the pointer, hit return, and IMMEDIATELY hold down the shift key to invoke a "safe boot". Keep holding it down a while.