I have two similar but not identical MacBook Pros (a 2012 13" i5 and a ~2011 15" i7). The 15" died today with a video problem that has affected machines of that generation (possibly a solder problem; this is the second time the same thing has happened to this machine).
Anyway, I pulled the SSD out of the 15" before sending it in for service, and I have it connected to the 13" through a USB/SATA adapter. The data is intact, and I can access everything that was on the 15" machine.
However, I have some passwords in the 15" login keychain that I would like to view somehow on the 13". I can access the files that probably have the keychain data, but I don't know how to open those files using Keychain Access on the 13" system. The passwords were automatically unlocked when I logged in on the 15". I don't know the details of that process.
Is it possible to open the 15" keychains somehow, given root access on the 13" and knowledge of the login password for the 15" system (whose disk is now sitting on my desk, connected to the 13")?
Other options I've considered:
- Put 15" disk in main drive bay of 13" and try to boot it.
- Make a new Parallels VM and attach it to the 15" disk as a physical drive.
I'm a bit nervous about those, because the machines are different, and I don't want the 13" to screw up the 15" drive. (I do have a write-protect switch on my USB/SATA adapter, but I had to connect the 15" disk in writeable mode so that the journal could replay. However, the filesystems were/are all intact, so I don't think any damage was done.)
Best Answer
You can just copy your old keychain to your new keychain:
Now you have your old keychain in your new one.