I lost the contents of folders on the desktop

I lost the contents of folders on the desktop, please help me!

If the drive is mounting, and it sounds like it is since you are booting up, and the data is worth the effort, try a third party repair utility. There are several. First choice on my list is Disk Warrior. If it is possible you erased the data that is missing then there are utilities that can go back and recover erased data as well.
However, before you do these things you should have a backup drive in hand as a place to recover the data to. No purpose in trying to fix that drive only to have it immediately fail again.
Best of luck to you.

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I lost the desktop on my screen, now only two icons

i lost the desktop on my monitor.
now only two icons upper right.
my mac book pro desktop is ok
help please

Try this:
Restart, using the power button if you cannot reach the item in the Apple menu.
When you hear the chime immediately hold these four keys down: command, option, p and r. All four keys together - you may need to use both hands. Keep holding the keys down and let the Mac chime two more times. Release the keys.

Lost the Desktop icon

I've done something really stupid: I thought I could backup my Desktop by dragging the icon from the sidebar of the finder window into Toast. On the way it vanished like a little cloud popping and ended up in the Trash. I could not drag it back. I could not not open any desktop folders as the were "in the Trash" I could noy drag them back to the Desktop. I managed to drag the folders from Trash to a new Desktop folder and burned this with Toast so I have the content of my Desktop folders and can open them but not drag any folder from the backup disk to the Desktop "because "Desktop" cannot be modified" To probably make matters worse i have now emptied the Trash. There is a folder called Desktop in the Finder sidebar but "The alias "Desktop" could not be opened because the original item cannot be found."
I know I have done a Bad Thing. Can the damage be reversed please?
iMac G5 Mac OS X (10.3.9) 512 MB

It is solved! Thank you to all who responded. The answer lies in the robustness of OSX I think. I was preparing to reinstall OSX and having backed up and shut down, on restarting there was the Desktop Icon back in place working properly. I have rebuilt it the way I like it with all my rescued "stuff" and I will endeavour to be more sensible next time. I think I was very lucky......Makes me wonder if this thing really is bullet proof! In answer to Ali Brown's question - no, I didn't trash the Home folder, but whatever I did put the whole contents of the desktop and the Desktop icon itself into the trash. I was able to retrieve all my desktop folders, but not the Desktop Icon. The only icon on the desktop that remained was MacHD.
Interestingly this weird operation has resolved a long-time annoyance: two corrupted, locked, with impossible dates, files on the Desktop had been undeletable for neary two years. They have now GONE! I now know how to dump undeletable files if it happens again...

TS1967 When trying to recover a lost iTunes library file, the programme moved all the normal contents of iTunes folder to the desktop. Now what must I do?

When trying to recover a lost iTunes library file, the programme moved all the normal contents of iTunes folder to the desktop. Now what must I do? There is no iTunes Library.itl file. On the desktop it is labelled iTunes Library.xml. Several others files have appeared there too including iTunes Music Library.xml
Before I can use the programme is it necessary to take another step?
Thanks for advice.

Don't worry. I'm all for caution. I guess I should have asked a little more about what steps you took while trying to recover your lost library?
The permissions thing may be a red herring, but if there is a problem with file access rights to the designated media folder iTunes has been known to place files on the desktop instead since it can access this location. The most common cause for such problems is working with a folder on an NTFS drive via a differnt account or on a different computer. In the normal course of events folders created inside user profiles have limited rights for other users.
Here are the typical layouts for the iTunes folders:
Normally the iTunes folder will be created at <User's Music>\iTunes with the media folder inside it. The library files should all appear in the same place so your comment about there not being an iTunes Library.itl file is confusing. Is it just the case that the .itl extension is hidden? The two .xml files makes sense from the above and indicates that the active library is not in <User's Music>\iTunes, but you have a recovered file from when it was.
If, in fact, the situation is that your desktop is acting as the main iTunes folder, and contains the library file, Album Artwork, iTunes Media and (optionally) Previous iTunes Libraries folders, with all other content being inside the iTunes Media folder, then it should be relativly easy to rearrange your into the correct shape and move them to the correct location.
If things are more complex, with something other than a library folder containing a media folder, then reestablishing the normal order is more complicated. The iTunes consolidate function is used to bring copies of files stored outside of the media folder into the media folder. It may sometimes be needed as part of the process of tidying up, however it leaves behind originals. There are circumstances where there isn't room for two complete sets of the media files on the same drive which is why I suggested the script might be useful as it produces the same results for the library without leaving the originals for manual clear up.
I think before you do anything however, we should get a clearer picture of exactly what is where. Could you perhaps take a screenshot of the desktop and post it here? Take a look at this post on making a split library portable. The same techniques I outline there can be used to lick your library into shape, it is just a question of working out which to use in which order for the best effect.
tt2

Lost the content code for free up gradation of mountain lion. What to do ???

Lost the content code for free up gradation of mountain lion. What to do ???

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4134740
Thread /w same question

I have been dragging my files to a external drive to have a back-up for them and I lost some of my folders. They just went completely missing. I didn't delete them, and it was all stuff that I have worked on in the past month. How do I get them back?

I have been dragging my files to a external drive to have a back-up for them and I lost some of my folders. They just went completely missing. I didn't delete them, and it was all stuff that I have worked on in the past month. How do I get them back?

You really should be doing backups with an actual backup application, especially one that will work automatically, and, if your external HD is large enough, back up your entire system. These can automatically back up only what's changed since the previous backup, and some will keep "archive" copies of things you've changed or deleted, also.
Too many things can go wrong, such as your internal HD failing, and you'll have a major project to reinstall everything.
You already have Time Machine, built-in to OSX. You might want to review the Time Machine Tutorial, and perhaps browse Time Machine - Frequently Asked Questions.
#27 in the second link mentions some alternatives, too.

I've lost all the files that were on the desktop. All the folders are still there with subfolders but the files have all disappeared. Someone please help!

It's been over a month since I accessed my files for work. (microsoft office, photos, videos) Today when I came in to work I realized that all the files on my desktop had disappeared. (it's just the desktop) I didn't do anything with my computer. I didn't use my computer for almost the entire month. I don't know where they are or what happened. I really need these files back ASAP..... help please!

Unless the files were dumped in the Trash unintentionally, your files are still on your computer, somewhere. It's pretty easy to put files or folders in places without knowing it, but there is a good technique to find your data.'
Think over a file or folder whose name is familiar. Then, press Cmd-Space at the same time, which brings up Spotlight - the easiest way to locate files, folders, history, and much more. If you end up with a blank the first time, try again until you have a hit. If you have a hit, note the location of the files/folder; it's likely that all of your lost documents are in the same place.
Post if you have success, or need more help!

I've lost the content in my settings, i tried to reset my ipad 2 by holding the Sleep and Home button down for about 10 seconds until you see the Apple logo. Ignore the red slider but it didnt do anything.

i've lost the content of my settings, ipad 2. i tried to reset 5 times but nothing happened. what should i do? help!

Try closing the Settings 'app' via the taskbar and see if it works properly when you re-open the app : from the home screen (i.e. not with the Settings app 'open' on-screen) double-click the home button to bring up the taskbar, then press and hold any of the apps on the taskbar for a couple of seconds or so until they start shaking, then press the '-' in the top left of the Settings app to close it, and touch any part of the screen above the taskbar so as to stop the shaking and close the taskbar.

HT203167 I lost all content on my laptop and had to revert to original settings - how do I get my music from the Ipod to the computer?

I lost all content on my laptop and had to revert to original settings - how do I get my music from the Ipod to the computer?

Empty/corrupt library after upgrade/crash
Hopefully it's not been too long since you last upgraded iTunes, in fact if you get an empty/incomplete library immediately after upgrading then with the following steps you shouldn't lose a thing or need to do any further housekeeping. Note that in iTunes 11 an "empty" library may show your past purchases with links to stream or download them.
In the Previous iTunes Libraries folder should be a number of dated iTunes Library files. Take the most recent of these and copy it into the iTunes folder. Rename iTunes Library.itl as iTunes Library (Corrupt).itl and then rename the restored file as iTunes Library.itl. Start iTunes. Should all be good, bar any recent additions to or deletions from your library.
See iTunes Folder Watch for a tool to catch up with any changes since the backup file was created.
When you get it all working make a backup!
Should you be in the unfortunate position where you are no longer able to access your original library, or a backup of it, then see Recover your iTunes library from your iPod or iOS device.
Would you mind telling me which anti-virus package you use? It may be that it is disturbing iTunes when it tries to write out the fresh database, as it does after almost any activity with your library. I'm noticing more of this type of problem than usual and trying to see if there is any pattern. It may help to prevent a repeat of the problem if you look at the advanced options for your AV package and see if you can find a way to exclude the iTunes folder from any real-time scanning process.
tt2

I lost the ability to order and hide site columns if i use custom content type with a custom Create Form

I have a team site collection and I want to add a new App of type Issue Tracking list. so I did the following:-
From the site collection I created a new App of type issue tracking.
Then from the site collection I created a new Content type named “CustomIssue” which has its parent as “Issue” content type.
I went to the Issue tracking list and I changed the default content type from Issue , to the new “CustomeIssue” content type.
I open the site collection using SP designer and I created a new Create form for my Issue tracking list based on the "CustomIssue" content type and I select to have the Create form as the default form when creating an item.
Everything till this point worked well. But when I open the “customIssue” content type , and I re-order the columns and I hide some columns, this was not reflected inside the custom Create form …
although when using the default content type and the default create form you can control the order of the fields and to specify if certain fields hold be hidden inside the Create form.. so can anyone advice on this please?

Hi,
According to your post, my understanding is that you lost the ability to order and hide site columns if i use custom content type with a custom Create Form.
I try to reproduce the issue, the result is the same as yours.
As a workaround, if I modify the custom content type form the site setting, and then change the NewForm as the default form, it will change the column orders.
However, if I use the new created form as the default form, it will remain the original orders.
I recommend that you modify the custom content type form the site setting, and then reset the NewForm as the default form.
The result is as below:
Best Regards,
Linda Li
Linda Li
TechNet Community Support
ok thanks for the explanation ,, but what if i want to change the order and hidde some fields in the future ,, do i have to chnage the defualt create form again ...

I have an iPod whose contents I want to transfer to a newer Ipod. At some stage I lost the music files from my library. Is there any way to get them back from the older iPod and put them onto the newer one again? I stupidly synced the wrong one.

I have an iPod whose contents I want to transfer to a newer Ipod. At some stage when I thought I was syncing correctly I wasn't so I lost the music files from my library. Is there any way to get them back from the older iPod and put them onto the newer one again?

Have you not got a backup of your content on, for example, external drives ? If not then you could have a look to see if any of the utilities mentioned in this old post still exist and work : https://discussions.apple.com/message/11014893?messageID=11014893#11014893

I have lost the contents of my Address Book on my iMac Intel. The Contacts on both my iPod Touch 4th Gen.

I have lost the contents of my Address Book on my iMac Intel. The Contacts on both my iPod Touch 4th Gen. & my iPad 1st Gen. are ok but synching them with the iMac doesn't restore the Address Book.

John,
The synch with my iPad didn't restore my Address Book, but when I changed the Contacts preference on my iPod Touch & synched it my Address book was restored. Thanks for the help.

I have lost the contents of my iTunes library.

I have lost the entire contents of my iTunes Library, with the exception of music bought and downloaded from the iTunes Store. Any ideas please?

This forum is for questions from those managing sites on iTunes U, Apple's service for colleges and universities to post educational material in the iTunes Store. You'll be most likely to get help with this issue if you ask in the general iTunes for Windows forum.
Regards.

I lost the FaceTime icon on my home pages. FaceTime works because I can receive requests. Looked in folders without success. How do I restore the FaceTime Icon?

I lost the Facetime icon on my iPhone. I looked in all my folders. Facetime works because I can access it if someone calls me. How do I restore the icon on my iphone, so I can use Facetime outbound?

Settings > General > Reset > Reset Home Screen Layout.
If no joy, check Settings > General > Restrictions > FaceTime: ON (green)?

I lost all of my folders on the "On MY Computer" section just below my gmail inbox. I am using Outlook for Mac 2011. Can I restore those lost emails and folders?

i lost all of my folders on the "On MY Computer" section just below my gmail inbox. I am using Outlook for Mac 2011. Can I restore those lost emails and folders?

Did you set up your phone to sync Contacts with iCloud? If not sure, you can log in to https://www.icloud.com and see if your contacts are there.

I lost the contents of folders on the desktop

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