Original Desktop, Dock & Documents Lost on Reboot (Lion)

Have been using Lion on my 27" iMac without problems since release.  Typically have a number of external hard drives attached, each with separate functions (iTunes Library/files on one, Aperture library/photos on one, etc.).
Recently ejected all external discs, shut down Mac.
When rebooting - without external drives attached - the desktop picture was different (stock apple background), the dock icons and settings were different (original apple lineup of icons and no hiding function turned on), and all desktop files were missing.  Also, all files in my Documents folder were missing.
It's as if the user settings, preferences, and home files were all on a remote disk rather than my actual desktop - even though I never set it up that way.
Not sure how this could happen, or how to get back original setup.  If I save a file to the Desktop, doesn't that place the file on the C drive and therefore have nothing to do with external drives?  Also, my Home folder is still there (with the same name it had originally) but the Documents folder inside is empty.
Any suggestions appreciated.
Thanks.

The first thing I'd try would be to shut down and reconnect the drives. If it boots up and everything's back to normal you at least know the files are somewhere, even if they're not in the right place

Similar Messages

  • ITunes, Desktop, Dock, username resets each reboot after 10.4.4 upgrade

    My whole desktop goes back to default - my files and iTunes and applications are under a username1, username 2, username3, etc. each time I logoff and log back on. I tried the username_new and idisk restore and notheing helps. It's like Groundhog Day (the Bill Murray movie) -- I configure my desktop, restore my Dock with my apps, reimport my iTunes library and then logoff and back on and it all 'disappears' and goes back to like it was when I first got it out of the box. I upgraded to 10.4.4. I try to rename my accounts and my permissions on iDisk are invalid, my keychain keeps popping up and asking for my password every 5 to 10 minutes, etc., even though I gave permissions in keychain access, etc. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

    Kevin's tip did work in my case ... after exiting iTunes
    (6.0.4 btw), then relaunching Front Row (which took quite
    a awhile; I have some 60GB of music), Front Row started
    working again.
    A clue perhaps: I have my screen saver set to use iTunes
    artwork. Immediately after the 10.4.6 upgrade, the screen
    saver said something like "you have no iTunes artwork". It
    appears that, after the upgrade, some process needed to run
    to index my music library in order to get everything
    working right, or something like that.
    A search of my disk, after I fixed things up by letting
    Front Row relaunch iTunes, showed just some plists getting
    updated at that time: com.apple.iTunes.plist,
    com.apple.desktop.plist, com.apple.systempreferences.plist,
    com.apple.screensaver.[MACaddr].plist. So maybe zapping
    one or more of those plists might have helped matters ...
    at any rate, my Front Row is back in business.
    17" iMac Duo   Mac OS X (10.4)   also 12" iBook G4, 15" iMac G4

  • After installing Mountain Lion my MS Word created this message: PowerPC applications are no longer supported.  Are all my documents lost?

    After installing Mountain Lion my MS Word created this message: PowerPC applications are no longer supported.  Are all my documents lost?

    pastis51 wrote:
      will it convert my documents from iCloud?
    What do you mean by this exactly?

  • My desktop photo disappears when I reboot iMac, replaced with Mac default image. please help?

    My desktop photo disappears when I reboot iMac...replaced with default apple image. does anyone know a fix?

    First, try to delete the Desktop settings file. First, open Finder, select Go menu > Go to Folder, and type ~/Library/Preferences. Then, delete "com.apple.desktop.plist" and "com.apple.systempreferences.plist", and restart your computer. Finally, change the wallpaper and see if it stays after restarting your computer
    If that does not work try
    open the Applications Support folder and then look for the Dock folder and open that. There are two files, one of which is "desktoppicture.db". Move this file to the trash and securely delete it. Restart the computer. A new "desltoppicture.db" will be created on startup.
    Finally, reset your desktop picture again using System Preferences.

  • HKLM Permissions lost after reboot

    Hello All.
    I have a need to give the Everyone group full control over the root HKLM hive of the registry. I have used the RegEdit GUI and the regini command to grant full control to the Everyone group for the HKLM Key and Subkeys. However, once I reboot the workstation,
    the permissions have reverted back to the original.
    The local administrators group is the owner of the HKLM key, and I am logged in as a member of this group when making the permission changes. I have UAC disabled, and have tried regedt32.exe > Run as Administrator and cmd.exe > Run as Administrator,
    and I can set and confirm the permission changes with error, but the changes are lost after reboot. No AV is installed.
    Does anyone have any clue what I am missing here?
    Thank you in advance!

    Hi,
    I cannot repro such issue on my computer. This should be something wrong during restarting or the admin account.
    If you have any other admin account, please log on with it and try to grant the permission you would like to see what’s going on.
    To make sure that other program reset permission during restarting, please test this issue when booting into Safe mode and let me know the results.
    If the issue still persists in safe mode, please help to collect the boot trace for further research.
    How to collect a good boot trace on Windows 7
    http://blogs.technet.com/b/jeff_stokes/archive/2012/09/17/how-to-collect-a-good-boot-trace-on-windows-7.aspx
    Once down, please upload the .etl file into SkyDrive or Similar ones and share the public link here for our research.
    Keep post.
    Kate Li
    TechNet Community Support

  • 3G Mobile Hotspot / Desktop dock

    I originally had the 2G hotspot.  Which I loved.  I never had a problem with it.  I was able to log on using my old Dell computer at home.  I was also able to connect to my company's VPN with no problem.  I currently purchased the 4G LTE Mifi.  I love it (at times), but there are a couple of problems and would like to know if I could work around them.  First, it is necessary to know that my MIFI works.  In some parts of my home it works at 4G, other parts of my home it will work at 3G and the 1X? option.  That's okay with me.  I live in a rural neighborhood.  Two day's ago I bought my MAC home from work because I wanted to see if it would work with both operating systems (my MAC is partitioned where it has the Leopard OS as well as a Windows OS).  I used the windows side and it works.  It kicked me off a couple of times and I haven't found a way to fix that.  Giving me the error stating that I'm connected but have no internet access.  Then I used the MAC side.  It connected, but then I received a message that I was connected but had no internet access.  So, I logged onto 192.168.1.1 and it showed me if I was connected or not and what speed I was connected.  Now, my questions:
    When I log on using MIFI, can I then connect the 3G Mobile Hotspot on my phone and then connect to my computers that way?    Since I never had a problem with my hotspot before, I would like to know if that can work without being charged for extra data?
    Why am I able to connect, but then not have internet access?
    I love having the MIFI, because where I live I can't get DSL; but if I have to go back to my 2G hotspot then I will.  I have been having way too many problems not being able to connect to my company's VPN and that is really the only reason why I have it.
    Next question is about the desktop dock:
    I had the original Motorola Droid and I must say have never had a problem with it or the desktop dock that I purchased.  I love having it so that I can listen to music while at my desk. The volume button is on the same side as the connector that goes into the dock.  I have looked into the settings and cannot find something that will place the volume on the screen.  It is driving me crazy.  
    Is there a way to change the volume without having to move the phone from the dock? 
    Is there also a way to toggle back and forth between the desktop screen and the regular home screen?  With my old phone and dock, I was able to hit the home button and it would take me back and forth.  Now, the only way to do this is to remove the phone from the dock and put it back on.  Which I am not a big fan of.
    Thank you for your help,
    Rose H

    One way you may be able ro resokve connection without restarting device is by cycling the airplane mode, this works well for the usual internet connection.

  • After the new 10.9.2 Maverick upgrade, my Photosmart C4480 3 in 1 printer can not scan and save the file to desktop or documents.  You can only see the image in the print preview area. Does anyone know how to fix this or when a fix will be out?

    After Aple support downloaded the new 10.9.2 Maverick upgrade on my MacBook Air, my Photosmart C4480 3 in 1 printer can not scan a document and load the file on to my desktop or document file. (You can see the doc image in the preview but it doesn't save it.) Does anyone know an Apple fix for this or when the fix will be out?  After hours of trying reloading, and the usual fixes, etc. Apple told me to call HP, and HP told me they don't support Mac.  It does not seem honorable of Apple to put out an upgrade and not tell people it will destroy their scanning ability, and that the only thing to do is to buy another printer/scanner.

    Have you tried using Applications/Image Capture to scan.
    Vuescan often works.
    VueScan
    VueScan FAQ

  • Can you help me to retrieve my applications. In iTunes I accidentally clicked the Restore button in the Summary screen. It restored the original settings and I lost all my applications and don't know if it is possible to retrieve them.

    Can you help me to retrieve my applications. In iTunes I accidentally clicked the Restore button in the Summary screen. It restored the original settings and I lost all my applications and don't know if it is possible to retrieve them.

    All apps on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch should be in your iTunes library on your computer.
    You can re-download all 3rd party apps and you won't be charged again for a purchased app as long as you use the same iTunes account to re-download the apps that was used to purchase the app originally.
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2519
    Do this with iTunes on your computer. After you have re-downloaded every app one by one, select Sync Apps under the Apps tab for the device's sync preferences along with selecting the apps below that you want transferred to the device followed by a sync to re-install the apps on the device.

  • Need help restoring original desktop after crash and new install

    Question: is there a way to restore my original desktop?
    My system starting giving me kernel errors. I was running Member when it crashed. I did a restart and the mouse would no longer work. Tried starting in safe mode. Mouse still refused to work. Removed most of my memory and restarted but mouse still would not work. Finally got the mouse to move in safe mode. Set my system to start from a different hard drive. This time the mouse worked fine. Ran memory check from this secondary driver and ALL memory checked out fine. Restarted computer with the original drive and once again the mouse would not work.
    Finally, I re-loaded OS 10.4 plus ran all updates. I first tried to load it keeping all the setting but this made the system lock up and the computer would not restart without the CD. Finally, re-loaded 10.4 and archived original desktop.
    Question: is there a way to restore my original desktop?
    I found a folder that has the desktop stuff in it but some seems to be missing...
    AND I cannot find any of my previous mail that had been saved. I'm sure (I hope) that it is here, but don't know where or how to set it back up.
    I still don't know what caused the original problem...
    PowerMac G4   Mac OS X (10.4.7)   3 HD totalling 400GB/ after market processor 1.6mhz

    Hi, Edward.
    1. You wrote: "I first tried to load it keeping all the setting but this made the system lock up and the computer would not restart without the CD. Finally, re-loaded 10.4 and archived original desktop.... I cannot find any of my previous mail that had been saved. "If you performed an Archive & Install of Mac OS X and did not use the "Preserve Users and Network Settings" option, then everything that was in your old user account, including your Mail, is gone. Before performing an Archive and Install without that option, you should have made a complete backup of the affected hard drive using a comprehensive Backup and Recovery solution.
    While it's unclear what you mean by "archived original desktop." If you mean you used Create Archive to create an Archive (.zip file) of your previous Home > Desktop folder before performing the Archive & Install, then only the files and folders that were saved on the Desktop at that time would be preserved. Mail was saved in your Home > Library > Mail folder, which the Archive & Install replaced if you failed to use the "Preserve Users and Network Settings" option.
    If any e-mail files are still on the hard drive in question, then the instructions in my "Data Recovery" FAQ may help you find them, but I suspect they are all gone.
    2. You wrote: "I still don't know what caused the original problem..."Earlier in your post you noted:"My system starting giving me kernel errors."and"Finally got the mouse to move in safe mode."If by "kernel errors" you meant the following message:
    That indicates a kernel panic.
    See my "Resolving Kernel Panics" FAQ. This FAQ includes step-by-step instructions for identifying and resolving some of the most common causes of kernel panics. The FAQ is a roadmap: start at the beginning and work systematically through the end, i.e. the "If all else fails..." section.
    Since the system appeared to work properly in Safe Mode, this would also imply an errant Startup or Login Item could have been the cause, which is addressed in Step 4 of the "Troubleshooting kernel panics" section of my FAQ.
    Good luck!
    Dr. Smoke
    Author: Troubleshooting Mac® OS X
    Note: The information provided in the link(s) above is freely available. However, because I own The X Lab™, a commercial Web site to which some of these links point, the Apple Discussions Terms of Use require I include the following disclosure statement with this post:
    I may receive some form of compensation, financial or otherwise, from my recommendation or link.

  • Can I sync documents via iCloud with Lion?

    Can I sync documents via iCloud with Lion?

    You can sync other types files between Macs....
    http://lifehacker.com/5856147/force-icloud-into-backing-up-any-document-type
    I use an alias of the folder in the user library to make this more convenient...
    http://www.iwebformusicians.com/iWeb/mountain-lion.html

  • Search and Document History in Mountain Lion

    Anyone out there figured out what Apple is doing with the Search and Document History in Mountain Lion? Here's my beef:
    Missing History in Finder. Finder used to have a "History" button in the sidebar that would track docs by when you last used them--yeterday, this week, this month, etc. This was SUPER helpful--but it seems to have disappeared. Anyone know how to make it reappear, or has Apple decided that I don't really need it?
    Really Hard to Search by Filename. In the old version, there was a button that would allow me to search by filename, but the new version makes you click through several very janky layers to do that. Anyone have a shortcut? Or advice on how to reorient my brain to the new search logic?
    Thanks!

    FileVault is one option, as etresoft points out. But you should note that e-mail is an inherently insecure medium. You should never transmit confidential information about patients via e-mail. That's like writing it on a postcard and mailing it... You're trusting everyone between you and the recipient not to read it. You need to either discuss cases only using something like a unique ID number that cannot be linked to the patient without access to your records, or you need to use encrypted e-mail (which is a pain to get set up, because everyone involved needs to participate).

  • Why does a new desktop creation unexpectedly initiate with a background differing from the originating desktop? How can I control or eliminate this behavior?

    Why does a new desktop creation unexpectedly initiate with a background differing from the originating desktop? How can I control or eliminate this behavior?

    CT, I suspect that I either mistated the question or don't understand how to set the default back ground.  In any case, with the background that I have set in system settings, and this is the background to which my sessions consistantly boot, new desktops come up for the second or up to the third background with this initially set background. Then in the third or fourth desktop creation (I seldom go beyond four), the background for the new desktop, is one that I was using one or two months ago...

  • Per User Crontab lost on reboot

    Hi Guys and Gals;
    I noticed starting sometime in the last few months my user crontabs are being lost on reboot. I have checked that they are not on a tmpfs or other volatile drive. I've searched around but can't find anything that would be causing this.
    Any thoughts would be helpful!

    If you're feeling adventurous, I'd chattr the crontab files themselves. Perhaps even the entire /var/spool/cron/ directory, if only just before doing an update that you suspect may do this.
    If this tactic doesn't have an affect, it'll be strange. Very strange, which we can look into later. It will, however, most likely make the upgrade fail. When this happens you'll at least have a log file that will say which installer/program/thread/whatever failed to make the change. The only other thing that could happen is that after the upgrade you'll see that the files did not change (as expected), and the installer/upgrade completed while keeping your crons.
    The downside, of course, is having to remember to unchatter the files before changing crontabs, then chattring them back.
    https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Fi … attributes

  • How do I access word documents when I load Lion?

    How do I access my Word and Excel documents when I download Lion?
    Bob

    There shouldn't be any problem accessing them, unless you have an older version of Office such as 2004 and earlier. In that case, you'd need to update them, or switch to iWork (Pages and Numbers) which can read those files.
    Matt

  • HT4859 how do i restore documents lost from iCloud?

    how do i restore documents lost from iCloud?

    Documents do not get lost, they do get deleted. If you deleted - you need to look for local back up.
    If you "lost" you need to check if they still in the cloud at icloud.com

Maybe you are looking for