Archive and Install- Are Desktop Files saved?

I am considering doing an "Archive and Install" after a recent kernel panic but have a lot of important files on my desktop. Will all of the files on the desktop be saved? I have already ready this artice http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107120. I am just looking for a specific answer about the desktop folder within the /users folder.
Thanks for any help.

Thanks everyone, I actually used this method to fix the problem and everything is working great now...
http://www.macfixitforums.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=tiger&Number=828648&page=0 &view=&sb=&o=&fpart=1&vc=1&PHPSESSID=

Similar Messages

  • Archive and install error lost files

    My Powerbook G4 wouldn't boot up, when restarted it got stuck on the apple screen. I didn't have my install disks, however had an old install disk that came with an ibook G4. I inserted the disk, and the requirements read an apple computer with a G3 G4 or G5 processor. I ran the archive and install. A message came up at the end of the installation saying there was an error, however the computer started up on reboot. The problem is that the computer looks to be wiped out, the only thing on the desktop is the hard drive icon. When I went to get info on the hard drive the drive is almost full, so the information is still there. My applications are still in the application folder, however none of them will boot. My documents and music are all in the previous system folder. When a document was opened from the previous system folder it launched, and now word will launch from the dock. I tried to mount an external hard drive to back up all the files in order to run a erase and install, however the hard drive wouldn't mount. Any ideas?

    Back up your personal files from the Previous System Folder. You will need to erase the drive and reinstall OS X. However, you cannot use an installer disc for a different Mac model as these original installer discs are machine dependent. You need either a retail OS X installer for a version that will boot the computer or the original discs that came with the computer.
    I suggest doing the following before installing OS X:
    Extended Hard Drive Preparation
    1. Open Disk Utility in your Utilities folder. If you need to reformat your startup volume, then you must boot from your OS X Installer Disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Installer menu (Utilities menu for Tiger or Leopard.)
    2. After DU loads select your hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Note the SMART status of the drive in DU's status area. If it does not say "Verified" then the drive is failing or has failed and will need replacing. SMART info will not be reported on external drives. Otherwise, click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
    3. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID (only required for Intel Macs) then click on the OK button. Set the number of partitions from the dropdown menu (use 1 partition unless you wish to make more.) Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Partition button and wait until the volume(s) mount on the Desktop.
    4. Select the volume you just created (this is the sub-entry under the drive entry) from the left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
    5. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, check the button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.
    6. Click on the Erase button. The format process can take up to several hours depending upon the drive size.
    Steps 4-6 are optional but should be used on a drive that has never been formatted before, if the format type is not Mac OS Extended, if the partition scheme has been changed, or if a different operating system (not OS X) has been installed on the drive.

  • Archive and install: pb to find my old files

    Hi,
    I had a bad bug in my os x tiger, so I had to "archive and install" to fix the bug.
    When I open my "user" file, I find a file name : "Paul.sparseimage" image file 16Go(Paul was the name of the user I want to find the files), where there is all my files in. The problem is that I can't open it...
    Please help me...
    Paul

    Sounds like before you used Archive and Install
    you had File Vault enabled on your user account.
    If you remember your former password double click the image file
    and it should ask you for a password, when the correct password
    is entered it should open up like a disk image.
    Roam through it and copy your personal documents to a shared folder or
    a new users/current users Documents folder.
    I do not know if it is possible to restore everything from the file vault image
    and replace what is there right now.
    As far a preferences are concerned you may have to re-set the preferences for your personal applications all over again.
    If anybody else has other opinions, theory's, idea's, and/or suggestions feel free to post them.

  • Tiger Archive and Install Using External Disk for Archive?

    Any way to do an archive and install by moving the saved stuff to an external usb drive? My 10.4.3 install disk is offering me only erase and install, I was updated to 10.4.8 and quite invested with software, etc., would really like to at least try archive and install, but of course the main drive is too full for that.
    As an alternative, is there any way to use single user mode command line to locate and move files before doing the erase and install?
    Finally, I gather I cannot boot os 9 with my mini. Is there any workaround for that?
    Thanks for any help.
    Jud

    > One of the unexplained mysteries to me is what users are supposed to do about iTunes libraries?
    Create and maintain a backup saved to an external drive or media (used for backup purposes only) as should be done with all other data that is important to you - for this very reason and for other important reasons. It isn't a matter of if but when your hard drive has a partial or complete failure since none last forever.
    Since an iPod can be accessed/used via Disk mode as with any other external drive, many use their iPod for backup purposes which is a big mistake IMO since this isn't what an iPod is designed for. There are ways to retrieve music from an iPod but if you have your iPod preferences to automatically launch iTunes and update with iTunes and/or don't have Disk mode enabled, it makes it much more difficult if not impossible.
    Do you have access to another Mac that supports being connected to another Mac via Firewire Target Disk mode? If so, you can connect your Mini to another Mac this way to retrieve your data and then you should probably consider reformatting the drive (which completely erases the drive) and then re-install Tiger and all software.

  • Recover mail after archive and install

    Hey there good mac people,
    I recently archived and installed on my ibook g4. It was successful, my problem is that I forgot to backup all the mail I had in my osx mail app.
    The previous system folder (library<mail<mail accounts<com.mac.mailaccounts<English.lproj< file, but I don't know if this will help restore or not?
    Some of the mail is still on the server, but it is set to delete from the server once a week, and thus only a weeks worth at best is still on the server.
    Does anybody have any suggestions?
    In the future, what's the best way to back up mail?

    Hello art-is-work.
    I don't understand your problem. Archive and Install should have preserved all your data, unless you told it to do otherwise. Did you?
    Mail stores most preferences and all account settings in ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.mail.plist. Everything else, including all your messages and mailboxes, is stored within the ~/Library/Mail/ folder.
    If the problem is that you told the installer to not Preserve Users and Network Settings, then Archive and Install should still have saved a copy of your entire home folder in /Previous Systems/Previous System N/Users/, where N is a number. The old Mail folder and preferences file should be there. You can just copy them to the appropriate location of your current home folder, or follow the somewhat convoluted procedure described in the following article to safely restore them:
    How to get files from a previous home directory after Archive and Install (Mac OS X)
    Note: For those not familiarized with the ~/ notation, it refers to the user's home folder.

  • Files missing from library after archive and install

    Hi forum folk
    any help you could give would be much appreciated.
    I can't seem to verify my permissions on HD. I have run disk utility both from finder and from my OSX startup disk and consistently get the error message "Disk Utility has lost its connection with the Disk Management Tool and cannot continue." I then reinstalled the operating system all together making sure to archive and install as well as archive previous network and preference settings. This means I am running 10.3.4 at the moment (and I can't verify any of the software updates at the moment). After reinstalling I still cannot verify my permissions, so now I am trying to back up all my files so that I can reinstall the OSX again, erase everything, and start from scratch. But I'm running into some very strange problems while doing this. select files are missing from ~/library. there is no Safari file, for example. I tried looking in HD/previous systems/library where my library files were saved before I reinstalled the operating system but there is no such folder in there either. this means all of my bookmarks are gone. additionally, under library/preferences (in both the old and new library folders) there is no file named com.apple.itunes.plst. so all of my itunes playlists are gone as well. these are the only missing files I have found thus far and i can't explain why they selectively would not have been saved after the archive and install. Everything else seems to be intact. Any ideas?
    thanks
    jb
    powerbookG4   Mac OS X (10.3.9)   running 10.3.4 at the moment - can't verify permissions on 10.3.9

    jbeep:
    my HD has a capacity of 8.85 GB available. When I reinstalled panther I had little more than 3 GB available (I deleted a bunch of unneeded things since then)
    Thanks for this update. What is the total formatted capacity of your HDD? I ask because I suspected that you might be cutting it pretty close. The rule of thumb is that you should have 10-15% of your total capacity available as free space. My personal rule is 15%-20%. This allows for more efficient perfomrance of OS X.
    I am in the process of backing up everything on my seagate combo USB 2.0/firewire 200 GB external (I am using the firewire cord)
    Having an up-to-date backup is one of the primary rules, often observed more in the breach than not. Since you have an HDD that supports Firewire, I suggest that you make a bootable clone of your entire HDD using SuperDuper. You can then use this backup as an emergency boot drive. However, it must be Firewire, as PPC Macs don't boot from USB devices.
    I also have heard that it is advisable to reinstall the OS "every now and again" and I hadn't done this for at least two years. was I ill-advised?
    Most experienced Mac users never re-install, except under dire circumstances. Since installing my new HDD in this computer I have never re-installed. Re-installation is the utlimate intrusive measure, and it exposes one to all kinds of issues, from lost data, to flawed installaton, to installations that fail midstream. Re-installation is not an effective maintenace procedure. Here are some helpful links in terms of maintenance:
    Mac OS X 10.3/10.4: System maintenance
    Macintosh OS X Routine Maintenance
    Maintaining OS X.
    I'm going to restart now and try and verify my permissions again using the procedure on the above link. I'll let you know what happens.
    Instead of verifying permissions, just go ahead and Repair Disk Permissions. Verifying permissions does nothing, and wastes your time, as it is difficult to tell whether you need to repair, and you have to repair anyway.
    Do post back with an update of your progress and any further questions or comments.
    Good luck.
    cornelius
    Message was edited by: cornelius

  • .mov files won't playback in quicktime 7.2 after archive and install

    I just did an archive and install, because I was having a few problems with the Safari beta.
    However since doing so it has been a complete nightmare. So many things stopped working. I'm guessing I had them installed on the system and not on my user.
    So now after getting most thing back up and running, .mov files won't play in quicktime 7.2 an annoying 3ivx pop up appears which leads to a dead link.
    So I checked the .mov format and they are 3ivx, but how do I install and from where do I get the codec??

    Perian
    http://perian.org/#detail
    It's free and most people use this to play off the wall codecs...3ivx.
    Please read the information on the web page on how to install and use. In the download there a help page.

  • Aftewr Archive and Install of Leopard - how to recover files?

    After a long and frustrating day installing Leopard on my MacBook Pro (five months old), I finally have it up and running but don't know how I should recover settings and documents from my archived files. As per Apple's advice, I did the archive and install without preserving settings.
    Actually, documents are fairly straightforeward, but what about Entourage data (emails, addresses, etc.)?
    Also, will applications like Photoshop, Lightroom, etc. need to be reinstalled?
    Please advise.
    Thanks very much.
    Regards,
    Tom

    Having left my French in high school, I googled, and then read your description. That is the "Keychains" folder. Keychain Access is the program that manages the keychains, which store all of your passwords.
    There are a few places on the Mac you can look for translations. Each app will have embedded in it folders for each localization it supports. The .strings files usually hold the translations. To see inside an app, ctrl-click on the app and choose "Show Package Contents." You'll get a folder Called "Contents." Dig down into that folder and there will be a "Resources" folder. In there, will be the translation folders named with the language.lproj. You can poke around in these folders, but don't change anything or you might break stuff. I used QuickLook (select file and hit spacebar) to view the files, but any text editor will work--just ctrl-click on it and choose "Open with..."
    The Finder and the Core Services of the OS are in the /System/Library/ folder. The CoreServices folder has just that, including the Finder and Dock, which are the apps that drive most of what you see. Both of those are just apps, so you can view their contents and see what localizations they have. I searched through them for "Trousseau de clefs" but could not find it. In the /System/Library folder are two other promising folders, "Resources" and "SystemFolderLocalizations." Both have .lproj folders with some translations.
    Besides just googling for French localizations on Mac OS X, try reading about Localizations at the Apple Developer Connection.
    As where I've learned all of this: Mostly here on these discussions and MacOSXHints and MacFixIt and The X Lab. I've also found info on personal blogs by googling for an issue along with "Mac OS X" or "Tiger" or "Leopard."

  • Blank File Info panel after osx archive and install (CS5)

    Hi,
    After osx archive and install I get a blank File Info panel (into AI, PS, ID and other CS5 applications), how could be solved this??
    Best regards, Robert

    Hi,
    solved by full remove/install CS5.. but how could be restored correct access rights?
    Also replied me Vikas.Sharma:
    Create a new text file named XMP.cfg (make sure the extension is cfg and not txt).
    The only text that needs to be in that file is as below:
    /Library/Application Support/Adobe/XMP/Custom File Info Panels/
    Restart the Adobe application and check the File Info panel again.
    You need to copy that file to /Library/Application Support/Macromedia/FlashPlayerTrust (create the directory if not already there)
    but, why osx archive and install isnt working fine with flash?
    The only troubles (solved) are quicklook flv contents and XMP file info panes into all CS5 applications, could be solved next time by a short and fast procedure?
    Best regards, Robert

  • Lost files after doing Archive and Install

    After I did Archive and Install I went to the home screen and all my files were gone. Where are they save? I'm not talking about my applications, I'm talking about documents and iTunes music,etc.
    Please help.

    I assume you did not check the option to preserve users and network settings when you did the Archive and Install. You will find everything in the Previous System Folder.
    See How to get files from a previous home directory after Archive and Install.

  • Replacing files after Archive and Install

    Since I was receiving a kernel panic while booting up I did an archive and install.
    A good amount of files are no longer there. I have a backup of my entire system drive. I'd like to know if there are some good steps that are outlined somewhere that explain what files I need to replace for my user and also in the system wide folders?
    clues please?

    You can't, and don't want to move the system folder. If your kernel panics were software induced, that's a likely candidate for the problem, and again, you can't. The System folder has files that are in use by, well, the System, and you're going to have no luck with drag and drop here. Typically, I'd recommend copying your Documents, Music, Pictures, and Movie folders (one at a time) assuming you have files in those. You could then consider looking in your Library, and moving folders you need to move one at a time to make sure none of those were the culprit. Repeat the process if you have multiple users.
    hth
    Jeff

  • Where is the "Archive" file from "Archive and install"?

    I did an Archive and install when I upgraded to 10.5. I also made a bootable clone (external HD) of my Tiger.
    Now, I'd like to know where the Archive file is? And is it ok to delete?
    Need to free space on my internal HD.
    Thanks

    Open the folder Previous Systems on your hard disk, go through the highest numbered or most recent folder for items you want to keep; once done, throw it away and empty the Trash.
    (25395)

  • HT1710 If I click archive and install and it says moves existing system files to a folder named previous system , will this save my photos tol

    I have to restore my Mac mini and i want to click on archive and install and it says it will move existing files to a folder but I need to know wether my photos will be moved too because I have 5 years worth of photos on there. If my photos will not be moved could I take it too a store and they could put them onto a USB stick for me.

    "Archive and install" is an option in early versions of OS X installers. It moves some parts of the previous system to a folder called "Previous System" and installs the new OS.
    There is also an option to presever user data and settings. See this document. http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1710
    If you have 5 years' worth of photos and you do not want to lose them, then you NEED to have a backup. Hard drives can fail. Suddenly. Particularly on aging hardware. Computers can get stolen, set on fire or have drinks spilt over them.
    If you do not have a backup, you should EXPECT to lose your files.
    You should not need a store to make a copy of your files. Get an external drive, or use DVDs and move the files in the Finder. If you're using Leopard already, then you have Time Machine.

  • Performed Archive and Install now Previous System User File is Empty

    Performed Archive and install yesterday -selected the save users and networks option. When it was complete - the machine worked - but when I went into the previous system folders the user folder is empty. I have almost no space left on my drive - so i think my stuff is still out there somewhere - is it?
    Help!
    I do have backups of most things - but there is no room on my hard drive to restore from my backup.

    How much space DO you have?
    If you can boot from another fdrive for now, that;d be good.
    How much free space is on the HD, where has all the space gone?
    OmniDiskSweeper is now free, and likely the best/easiest...
    http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omnidisksweeper/
    Perhaps they are there but invisible!?
    If you want to try to recover them, you should quit using the computer asap. Possibility exists of losing everything. Backup if at all possible.
    Unfortunately DU can't fix all that much, your best bet is DiskWarrior, you need the CD though.
    http://www.alsoft.com/DiskWarrior/
    If DW can't fix it, you might try Data Rescue II...
    http://www.prosofteng.com/products/data_rescue.php
    (Has a Free Demo to see if it could or not, but you'll need another drive to recover to).
    Or FileSalvage...
    http://www.subrosasoft.com/OSXSoftware/index.php?%20mainpage=product_info&productsid=1
    to recover what you can.

  • Failed Archive and Install - Have I lost all my user files?

    In another thread I have reported printing problems while running OS 10.4.11 on a Cube http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1401894&tstart=0. Tonight I decided to do an Archive and Install to try to fix the problems. I got a message saying that the installation had failed and that I should try to reinstall. When I did so I was given the option to Archive and Install but the check box for Save Users and Network Settings could not be checked. Rather than trying to reinstall I quit the installer and specified an OS 9 system folder for booting. After booting into OS 9 I examined the Users folder and found no folders corresponding to my two user accounts, only a shared folder. The OS X Applications folder appears to contain all my applications.
    It seems that the failed installation erased my user accounts. Is that correct? If so, how can I recover them?
    Of course I did a backup of my user files before installing, right? NO!!!! My last backup was eight days ago.
    John Link

    Yes, an Archive and Install will not erase the disk or your files. If you use the option to preserve user accounts and preferences those will be transferred into the newly created system. However, your existing system is a failed installation so if you do another Archive and Install it cannot transfer your user account because it is not in the existing system. Plus you will need sufficient free space on the hard drive for yet another system - about 6-8 GBs.
    Once you backup your personal data and your Home folder, I would suggest you just erase the hard drive, reinstall OS X from scratch, then copy your Home folder backup to the newly installed system. These articles, How to get files from a previous home directory after Archive and Install and Mac OS X- How to recover a home folder (directory), explain the process. Although written for an Archive and Install scenario it is essentially the same procedure you would have to follow.
    How to Clone Using Restore Option of Disk Utility
    1. Open Disk Utility from the Utilities folder.
    2. Select the backup or destination volume from the left side list.
    3. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (journaled, if available) and click on the Erase button. This step can be skipped if the destination has already been freshly erased.
    4. Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.
    5. Select the backup or destination volume from the left side list and drag it to the Destination entry field.
    6. Select the startup or source volume from the left side list and drag it to the Source entry field.
    7. Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.

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