How to Restore Apple Remote Desktop 3 Database

Apple Remote Desktop is a great improvement over previous versions, yet there still isn’t an easy way to back up your complete database. There is a way to export your computer list yet it doesn’t keep the passwords. If you are like me you won’t remember every password typed in the last year. Here is a quick and easy way to back up your whole database:

First open up Terminal inside your Applications Folder under Utilities.
In order to do back up your database we will be using command line commands.
The first command backups the actual database and then saves it to your desktop:

sudo cp -R /var/db/RemoteManagement/ ~/Desktop/RemoteMangement/

The second command back ups your Apple Remote Desktop 3 preference file to your desktop:

sudo cp -R ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.RemoteDesktop.plist ~/Desktop/com.apple.RemoteDesktop.plist

Back up the files to somewhere safe or burn them to a cd.

To Restore – reverse the commands

sudo cp -R ~/Desktop/com.apple.RemoteDesktop.plist ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.RemoteDesktop.plist

sudo cp -R ~/Desktop/RemoteMangement/ /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD/var/db/RemoteManagement/