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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Failed 'Archive and Install' - will CLI ditto or rsync save me?

I've done an 'Archive and Install' that ran properly, executed the restart, and then presented a message saying the installation can not be completed because of insufficient space on the target volume. To be clear, the computer restarts in the 'Installer' and displays the error message. I click 'OK' and it does a little loop and reappears. I can't properly quit the installer, force-quit, restart, anything. So I eventually power down.
More info :
I can boot from the install disk and in the system profiler I see 9.5 gigs free on the HD. The SMART status is verified. In fact the 'Hardware' section and 'Network' section seems okay, the 'Software' sections reveal the faults. Here I see no mounted applications, no extensions, no frameworks, etc. It's as if I can see where the install gave up. I have run disk utility and repaired the disk, the permissions, and it returns no errors and a nice green message. I ran DiskWarrior and it found nothing to repair. I was able to see my files in the preview, including my sparse image, but decided not to go ahead with a re-build, because I don't think that's going to save my system folder that's split in two. (From the failed A&I)
I am using FileVault and I am aware that these forums advise that I should have disabled it before trying the installation. Alas, the drive-space overhead was not to be found. I did, however, have room enough for the install, I thought. (And I do have my most critical data backed up, but not the whole system.) When I ran the install from the OS X DVD it indicated 15.6 gigs necessary for installation. I had in excess of 18. I know, I know, too close for comfort, and the FileVault image probably needed more overhead, and...
Chalk it up to knowledge and change.
So now I've got that external FW drive I should have had in the first place and I want to clone my whole HD over so I can start anew with an 'Erase and Install'. (Unless somebody thinks of something better. Bless the previous system?)
I'm not an idiot, but new to the command line (at least since the GUI has existed). I'm wanting to try this :
ditto source target
or
rsync -xrlptgoEv --progress --delete / /Volumes/target
Do I need to be in 'single user mode' (root - which I can access), or should I execute from the terminal via the install disk?
I just want to be sure I get this right, I'm confident that my data is there I just need to finesse it out.
Advance thanks to Kappy, your posts have saved me before...

Doesn't really sound like archive and install would be of much benefit to you, with as fubarred as everything sounds. However, you would at least have what you had before, just in case there's some unixy or other obscure thing that you did in the past that you need to reinstall because of the reversion to an OEM state. After 10.4.0 is reinstalled from DVD, then apply the OS 10.4.11 combo ppc update to get you up to the latest and greatest in one fell swoop. I believe that QT7.4 came out later than 10.4.11 release so that should be okay. Don't know about QT7.3, though.

After Archive and Install, will I lose all my contacts and apps?

I recently had to do an Archive and Install of OS-X 10.4 and I'm in the process of getting everything up to date.
I need to know if after this process when I try to sync my iPhone if I will lose all my contacts, music, and/or apps?
Can anyone help?
Thank you,
Matt

Hi JTatro
An Arhive and Install will keep your documents, photos, files, etc, in a folder called previous system, so no, you won't lose them.
But to be safer still, it would be even better to backup these precious files to another location, like to DVD or another drive.
If this answered your question, please consider awarding stars.
regards roam

Failed Archive and Install. Unable to restart from CD.

I could use some help solving a tricky problem. Please redirect me if I am posting this to the wrong forum.
My MacBook was having difficulty staying asleep. If I select sleep or close the lid, within a few seconds it makes a sound like it is testing the disk drive and wakes up. Oddly doesn't seem to happen as quickly if it just falls asleep from prolonged inactivity. This was causing severe battery drain so, unable to solve the issue on my own, I made an appointment with my local Genius at the Apple Store.
He told me I needed to do an Archive and Install, which he proceeded to try and do, but couldn't get the drive to accept the new OS. He therefore diagnosed me with a dying hard drive and told me I needed a new one. I groaned a bit since they seem to tell me this every 2 years or so, so they kindly offered to do this one for free.
I took the new machine home today and used Time Machine to restore my old settings/software. Unfortunately the problem was still there. However, this got me thinking. I have two backup clone drives with SuperDuper. One is current and regularly. The other I made 2 years ago shortly after we last replaced the hard drive and never touched. (Paranoid, I know.) When I boot from the current clone, the problem recurs but, if I boot from the earlier clone, the problem is no longer there. Clearly, I think, a software issue.
Happy, at least, that I did not pay for the new hard drive, I thought I might Archive and Install from my original 10.2 disks. Unfortunately I cannot get the system to boot from them.
I held down "C" on start up, but it still started from the HD. I clicked on the "Install" icon from the CD, but the restart again used the HD. I tried to select the CD as a Startup Drive in the System Preferences panel but the CD doesn't show up as an option.
I would be grateful for any ideas. Sorry about the length. Thanks.

It looks like your MacBook is one of these models, and that it shipped with Tiger:
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook/stats/macbook-core-2-duo-2.0-black -13-specs.html
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook/stats/macbook-core-2-duo-2.0-white -13-specs.html
The comment there about RAM is
1 GB of RAM is installed as two 512 MB modules, no slots free.
*Apple officially supports 2 GB of RAM, but third-parties have been "unofficially" able to upgrade it to 3 GB or 4 GB of RAM (it can hold 4 GB but cannot fully utilize the memory beyond 3 GB).
You will not want to run Tiger even if you find the original discs, so I would get Snow Leopard in any event. The original install discs do contain a machine-specific version of Apple Hardware Test which is not available elsewhere, and for this reason it is nice to have them around. Apple will usually send you a replacement set for a nominal charge if you call them with your serial number - you can decide if doing this is worth it, depending on the cost.
I do think it is worthwhile upgrading your RAM to 2GB, though your actual need will depend upon how you use your computer. If you don't do much multitasking or manipulation of of large media files you might be able to get by with your current 1 GB. Since your current Leopard system seems to meet your needs with 1GB of RAM, I guess you first could try running Snow Leopard this way also, and then add RAM if you find you need it. If you want to do it now, I think that a matched pair of 1GB modules would cost about $50.

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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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Try restarting everything and then try to sync or reactivate. Quit iTunes, reboot your computer, reboot your iPad and then try again.
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Is a copy of .xml file on the iPod too? If so, how can I copy ONLY the .xml file to my computer and NOT have to copy all my music files too?

I had to re-load my OS (Windows XP Pro) from a HD snapshot via Acronis True Image Server. I save my OS on my C: drive and all my data files on my D: drive. So when I re-loaded my OS, I still have all of my music files intact.
I have re-loaded the OS before and had to re-create iTunes library which I did by doing the follwing:
1. cut & paste .xml file in iTunes folder to desktop
2. delete .itl file in iTunes folder
3. import .xml file through iTunes file>library>iport playlist
4. navigate to .xml file on desktop and import
This worked last time I re-loaded my OS but not this time for some reason.
So I'm wondering if there is a copy of the .xml file on the iPod itself in the iPod_Control folder that I can copy and paste to my comuter desktop and import via the above steps?
I have seen all kinds of solutions on the web that include copying the music files from the iPod to the computer. I don't need to do that. I have the music files. I just need the .xml file so iTunes can talk to my iPod (5th Generation - 30G).

Backup your music library, that is the only way to ensure it does not go missing through theft, damage, operator error, machine breaks, upgrades go wrong, operator goes wrong .........

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I encountered the following problem: lost all descriptions to folders and files in the CM repository, which is connected to the FSDB mode. This happened as follows. At desired time connection to the server where the repository was broken, after some time the link was restored, but the repository was not available. After this portal has been restarted, and the repository to work, but lost all completed file properties, including the description.
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Hi Stanislav,
Has this issue been resolved?
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.:: Archive and Install saves my Data? ::.

Hello everyone,
During the installation of the Mac OS 10.9 update (Mine was at 10.3) there was a power cut in my area and when I tried to start of the mac, it wouldn't boot. It was stuck at the grey screen with the apple logo and the spinning gear. After booting into many modes, I found out that my system files were corrupt. I searched for my original installation disks, and found my Mac OS 10.1 discs that came with my mac. When I tried to install it, however, it said that there was a newer version on my hard drive and that it could not downgrade! I proceeded to buy the 4 CD edition of Tiger (arriving soon), and
+*THE QUESTION:*+
+*I as wondering whether if I install Tiger, will my user data and personal files be deleted? Could I use this "Archive and Install" Feature to keep all of my files?*+
Thank you so much for any help given,
Dexter

Hi Dexter!
Before you do anything else, I suggest that attempt to backup the existing system.
If you still cannot startup correctly, and you have access to another Firewire enabled Mac, you could try using Firewire Target Disk Mode to retrieve your data.
"During the installation of the Mac OS 10.9..."
Do you mean the 10.3.9 Combo Update?
"...found my Mac OS 10.1 discs that came with my mac."
Why are you not using the Full Retail Version, of the Panther Install CDs, that you would have had to have used, to install Panther 10.3.x?
...4 CD edition of Tiger..."
Are you sure that these discs, are a Full Retail Version, of the Tiger 10.4.x install discs?
May I inquire where you purchased them?
"Could I use this "Archive and Install" Feature to keep all of my files?"
If there is no functioning, uncorrupted system, presently installed, then this may not work exactly as expected, and you may, corrupt the system further.
At this point, there is no guarantee that your data is not also corrupt.
I really think you should first try to establish that your data is recoverable.
ali b

Archive and Install issue(s)

Good Evening,
I have owned my Macbook now for a little over a year and used it primarily for personal use, which would equal maybe an hour or two per day on this Mac. Just last week my Mac shut down for no reason so I turned it back on and thats when the trouble began. When I turned it on the gray screen came up with the apple logo as normal... then the little circle ticker starts going as it "loads" and "thinks" at start up, well it continues to think and then after about 5 minutes or so the computer shuts down and starts again with out me doing anything.
Out of sheer frustration and uncertainity of what to do I took it to Apple. The tech at the Genius bar was very helpful, ran diagnostics, etc. The good news was he could see everything thats on my hard drive so he said my hard drive wasn't completely shot... so he sent me home with instructions on how to do an "Archive and Install" which would grab all of my documents from my hard drive, put them to the side in a folder and then wipe my computer clean and reinstall my OS. I started this procedure and per the tech's notes he said it oculd take 2-3 hours for it to complete which it did. Then as the Archive and Install is down to its last 2 minutes of work I noticed it was "stuck" at the 2 minute mark and I could hear it keep trying to read the cd software. After it being stuck at 2 minutes for about an hour it finally stopped and gave me an error reading as follows:
"Install Failed" "Installer could not install some files in "/Volumes/MacIntosh HD"
"Contact Software Manufacturer for assistance"
It then gave me the option to restart and try again but I didn't b/c I am afraid I have already wiped my computer of all of my pictures and documents.
Can someone PLEASE help me with this? I take such great care of my laptop and for it to only be a year old with an issue like this leaves me very unhappy. The tech at the Genius bar said hard drives can die within 2-3 years which to me is a crock of sh** as I have had my Toshiba for 8 years and never ONCE had an issue like this and its the same hard drive that came with it. The price I paid for my fully loaded 13 inch Unibody MacBook to have this happen a year later is just unacceptable.

Hi beccal18,
I've seen three situations that cause this issue:
1.) The disc is bad and will need to be replaced
2.) The HD is failing the pre-install disk verification
3.) The RAM is failing the pre-installation verification
Regarding the HD comment, regrettably it's one of those unknown variables. I have Dell that is celebrating it's 10th birthday in a few weeks and it's all original (under the hood), even the power supply and it's used everyday. I've had some machines that have had their HDs fail within the first few weeks and I've even had some that are DOA right out of the box. So the Genius and his comment was pretty much spot on.
Also, did you purchase AppleCare to properly protect your investment that you paid a fair amount for? If so, whatever component(s) need to be replaced to ensure properly functionality, Apple will take care of it all.

Need help with archive and install

I'm doing and archive and install. The first try was with a defective retail version of OS X Tiger, which did part of the job then stalled. Now I've been able to get a good DVD of this and was able to do an archive and install,although I couldn't check the box to save user settings etc., On the screen it gives me 3 options transfer info from another mac, transfer info from another partition on this mac or do not transfer my info. I'm new to all this, because of the first failed archive and install do I transfer the info from another partition or not transfer at all and find the old folder later on in the process?

Hi D,
I couldn't check the box to save user settings etc.
I think that is due to the partial previous install moving things to a Previous System folder, but not finshing.
Let's see if that's what happened... if you have 2 Macs with Firewire this could be a lot easier.
Oh, do you have a Backup?
"Try Disk Utility
1. Insert the Mac OS X Install disc that came with your computer, then restart the computer while holding the C key.
2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first.)
Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Disk Utility.
3. Click the First Aid tab.
4. Click the disclosure triangle to the left of the hard drive icon to display the names of your hard disk volumes and partitions.
5. Select your Mac OS X volume.
6. Click Repair. Disk Utility checks and repairs the disk."
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214
After quitting DU, look for Terminal in that Menu Bar, open that and type in this...
Wait, let's hear if you have another Mac or Boot Disk first...

Where to find after "Archive and Install"

Hi everyone. I recently installed Leopard onto my Macbook. During the process, I used the archive and install feature to save all of my old data and files. Right now everything is located in the "Previous System" folder on my hard drive. I am trying to find my iCal information, but don't know where it's located. Does anyone know?
I didn't backup any of my calendars. I didn't think I would have to since all the information should already be saved.

aimili,
If you actually accomplished an Archive and Install, you should be able to open iCal and the previous calendar information will populate your upgraded iCal. What calendar information is displayed in iCal when you open the application?
If your old calendars are not displayed you should be able to find your previous information in folders named something like 4A1DC586-14EC-4D42-B659-BEBA31968385.calendar in the Users/yourusername/Library/Application Support/iCal/Sources Folder of your previous system folder. There will be as many of these folders as you had calendars on the previous system, but they will have different alpha numeric names on your computer than the example which I just gave you.
Open these oddly named folders and you will find the corestorage.ics files containing your former calendars.
Use iCal to import the corestorage files by using the iCal>File>Import... menu command to navigate to and import the appropriate corestorage.ics file for each of your calendars.
Did you ever use .Mac? If so, you may also have calendar information that can be retrieved from that service.
;~)

Transfer User Folder from Archive and Install

I installed Leopard today and did an Archive and Install. It preserved my old user folder, but I can't seem to make it a user. I tried copying it into the user folder and it is now in two places, but does not show up on my login page. All the information is there, I just don't know how to tell Leopard to make that folder a user. Any suggestions? Is this possible? or do I have to transfer all the data manually to a new user I create?
All of the data is on the same drive, so Migration Assistant does not appear to be helpful. Any support is appreciated

Create an account with that short name in the Accounts pane of System Preferences.
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Failed Archive and Install - Have I lost all my user files?

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