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.

Similar Messages

Archive and install leaves previous system in generic condition

I just did an archive and install preserving settings from 10.3.9 to 10.4.8
(10.3.9 > 10.4 > 10.4.8)
no problems on the surface so far
then I had an issue with "Preview" where multiple images opened in separate windows instead of in the drawer of one window so I went looking for a previous preview pref file thinking it was glitch and I could replace the file.
Previous system>users> revealed nothing -no user info whatsoever
I have a cloned backup which I've frozen for the time being.
I was under the impression that an arch and install w/preserve settings kept the previous system intact and just copied needed files.
It appears that the files were- moved- including all apps so my previous system looks generic
what am I missing?
G5 1.8 Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Here we go, Lance
Many settings that are used very frequently are also stored in cache files. The associated preference file is only consulted when the cache file is deleted. During the Archive&Install all caches are cleaned. There might have been a different setting in the preferences than in the cache.
Open Preview, open "Preferences" from the Preview-menu, click the tab "Pictures" and "Open pictures in same window" (or something the like - I use a german system).
If this answered your question please consider granting some stars: Why reward points?

Archive and Install - Now missing serial number

I have a legit version of Logic Pro through a school -- I was recently teaching a class on it -- but with my recent archive and install its asking for the serial number again and I do not have it available. Shouldn't all this be available in the previous systems folder? If so, how do I go about fixing this? Thanks for your help.

Apparently, you did an archive and install moving backward from Sno to Leo. In this regard, you would have been precluded from preserving user and network settings. [This read may help you with your problem|http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2196]. I have never had the need to try the things mentioned in the read.

Finder crashes, won't let me archive and install

I'm at a complete loss. After installing the latest update to MacOS X, everything is messed up. And it seems unfixable. The finder won't stay open, no matter what user your under, though I can still open everything from the dock. I've tried:
1. Creating a new user.
2. Running disk utility, doesn't work.
3. Repairing permissions, works, but doesn't fix problem.
4. Running Norton Utilities, doesn't work.
5. Archiving and Installing, which brings up an error that tells you to try again.
6. Archiving and installing, without keeping the user file and network settings in tact.
7. Random other stuff I can't recall (such as some terminal stuff), but didn't work.
Is my only option to try to back this stuff up and reinstall? Do you think that will even work? My mother has a copy of disk warrior that she would have to send me. That's something else I could try, but I'm not sure if it would be worth it. Also, I can still boot up in OS 9.
Crash report:
Host Name: john-breslins-powerbook-g4-15
Date/Time: 2006-04-07 18:38:47.168 -0600
OS Version: 10.4.6 (Build 8I127)
Report Version: 4
Command: Finder
Path: /System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/MacOS/Finder
Parent: WindowServer [56]
Version: 10.4.4 (10.4.4)
Build Version: 1
Project Name: Finder_FE
Source Version: 5292100
PID: 1226
Thread: 2
Exception: EXCBADACCESS (0x0001)
Codes: KERNINVALIDADDRESS (0x0001) at 0xa286a90c
Thread 0:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x9002c128 semaphorewait_signaltrap + 8
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90001990 pthreadmutexlock + 472
2 com.apple.DesktopServices 0x9289723c GetRootNode + 44
3 com.apple.finder 0x0001a1ac 0x1000 + 102828
4 com.apple.finder 0x00015c28 0x1000 + 85032
5 com.apple.finder 0x00019d2c 0x1000 + 101676
6 com.apple.finder 0x00013d84 0x1000 + 77188
7 com.apple.finder 0x0001afa8 0x1000 + 106408
8 com.apple.finder 0x0001aeb0 0x1000 + 106160
9 com.apple.finder 0x0001ad44 0x1000 + 105796
10 com.apple.finder 0x000168ac 0x1000 + 88236
11 com.apple.finder 0x00016514 0x1000 + 87316
12 com.apple.finder 0x00014980 0x1000 + 80256
13 com.apple.finder 0x0000a8f8 0x1000 + 39160
14 com.apple.finder 0x0000a67c 0x1000 + 38524
15 com.apple.finder 0x0000a460 0x1000 + 37984
16 com.apple.finder 0x000069c0 0x1000 + 22976
17 com.apple.finder 0x0000313c 0x1000 + 8508
18 com.apple.finder 0x00002d54 0x1000 + 7508
19 com.apple.finder 0x000a97d0 0x1000 + 690128
Thread 1:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x9002edcc kevent + 12
1 com.apple.DesktopServices 0x9288a2b0 TFSNotificationTask::FSNotificationTaskProc(void*) + 56
2 ...ple.CoreServices.CarbonCore 0x90bc9260 PrivateMPEntryPoint + 76
3 libSystem.B.dylib 0x9002ba68 pthreadbody + 96
Thread 2 Crashed:
0 com.apple.DesktopServices 0x928a70bc TNode::SetTimerToHandleSyncRequest(TNode*, double) + 52
1 com.apple.DesktopServices 0x928a706c TNode::SyncRequestedTestAndSet(double) + 92
2 com.apple.DesktopServices 0x9288aa48 TNodeSyncTask::SyncTaskProc(void*) + 400
3 ...ple.CoreServices.CarbonCore 0x90bc9260 PrivateMPEntryPoint + 76
4 libSystem.B.dylib 0x9002ba68 pthreadbody + 96
Thread 3:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x9002c128 semaphorewait_signaltrap + 8
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90001990 pthreadmutexlock + 472
2 com.apple.DesktopServices 0x92895c3c THFSPlusPropertyStore::Open(bool) const + 440
3 com.apple.DesktopServices 0x928959a4 THFSPlusPropertyStore::CreateUniqueNameList() + 72
4 com.apple.DesktopServices 0x92894b24 TNode::ScavengeProperties() + 76
5 com.apple.DesktopServices 0x92893cb0 TNodeOpenSyncTask::OpenSyncTaskProc(void*) + 228
6 ...ple.CoreServices.CarbonCore 0x90bc9260 PrivateMPEntryPoint + 76
7 libSystem.B.dylib 0x9002ba68 pthreadbody + 96
Thread 2 crashed with PPC Thread State 64:
srr0: 0x00000000928a70bc srr1: 0x000000000000f030 vrsave: 0x0000000000000000
cr: 0x42000222 xer: 0x0000000020000007 lr: 0x00000000928a7094 ctr: 0x0000000090001348
r0: 0x0000000000000000 r1: 0x00000000f0101980 r2: 0x00000000a286a8c0 r3: 0x0000000000653490
r4: 0x0000000000000000 r5: 0x0000000000000000 r6: 0x00000000ffffffff r7: 0x0000000044370617
r8: 0x000000000001952e r9: 0x0000000000000000 r10: 0x0000000043300000 r11: 0x00000000a2887648
r12: 0x0000000090001348 r13: 0x0000000000000000 r14: 0x0000000000000000 r15: 0x00000000928a7094
r16: 0x0000000000000000 r17: 0x0000000000000000 r18: 0x0000000000000000 r19: 0x0000000000000000
r20: 0x0000000000000000 r21: 0x00000000f0101ad0 r22: 0x0000000000100003 r23: 0x000000000061ea20
r24: 0x00000000a288a8c0 r25: 0x0000000000000000 r26: 0x0000000000000000 r27: 0x000000000181b800
r28: 0x0000000000000000 r29: 0x0000000000653490 r30: 0x0000000000000000 r31: 0x000000009288a8c0
Binary Images Description:
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Hi johnink, Welcome to Apple Discussions.
4. Running Norton Utilities, doesn't work.
This is probably the source of your problem. First of all get rid of Norton, use it for a coaster or a frisbee but not on your Mac! Do not let Norton near your X system, it will hose it!
Norton Disk Doctor is not compatible with OS X 10.4 Tiger. Symantec ceased development of Norton Utilities for Macintosh and Norton SystemWorks for Macintosh 2 years ago. But it has been ruining systems since the intro of X.
You should create a complete backup of your files and erase & re-install the OS.
-mj
[email protected]
iMac G4 17 FP 800 MHz 768MB Mac OS X (10.4.6) 2 X LaCie d2's APC-UPS / iMac 333MHz 256MB 10.3.9

How do I do back to previous system folder after archive and install?

Did an archive and install (retaining my existing user account), only to discover it was unnecessary. (Turns out the problem was hardware-related.)
How do I go back to using my previous system folder?

FloydianSlip wrote:
Huh. Hardly seems to be worth "archiving" if you can't go back to the archive.
The purpose of an *Archive & Install* is to install a fresh, known-good copy of the OS, while preserving in the archive all the files from the previous copy of the installed OS that you might potentially need for some reason. (This is why it is called an Archive & Install.)
However, since any of these archived files might have been damaged in some way since they were installed or created, or in some way conflict with a freshly installed OS, they cannot be considered "known-good" without further testing & should not be reintroduced haphazardly into the "live" system.
The value of this install method should be obvious if you consider that if the OS is sufficiently damaged it will not run the computer, either at all or well enough to recover from whatever damage is done. Without this option, you would have to erase the existing startup disk completely (with the *Erase & Install* method), losing everything created or installed besides what is contained in the OS installer.
The closest equivalents to the kind of archive that you can "go back to" are cloning the entire drive or using the 'restore from Time Machine' option from the installer DVD's Utilities menu, assuming you use Time Machine.

Is "erase and install" better than "archive and install"

I have heard its best for permormance purposes to do an erase and install, but is that really true? it seems like much less of a hassle to just do the archive and install. any thoughts?

Jeff,
To me, there is not much difference in doing an Erase and Install as opposed to an Archive and Install but NOT preserving user settings...
An erase and install might be a little better but not much plus you would need to reinstall everything.
With an Archive and Install and NOT preserving user settings, you still have a brand new system with nothing from the old system installed... However, you do have a folder called "Previous Systems" which has all your stuff in it... If you want some stuff out of that folder, you can get it.. Otherwise, if you throw that folder out, it will be just about as good as an Erase and Install....
Now, an Archive and Install and preserving user settings is a little different because it does bring things over from the old system....

Archive and install - permissions problem?

I've just installed Leopard using archive and install (I previously had 10.4.11) - I did this as I wanted to keep all my old info - bookmarks, itunes library etc.
however - after restarting - I followed the on screen instructions etc and am now on my desktop with Leopard working ok - but none of my stuff is there - no itunes library, no documents, no bookmarks etc - they do exist in the "previous systems" folder - but I thought they would be added automatically - am I missing something - is it to do with the "repair permissions" on disk utility - do I have to run this to get my files etc put onto Leopard - or has something gone wrong and I'm going to have to copy them all over one by one?
thanks for any help and apologies if the question is stupid - its the first time I've updated a system on a mac!

In order for the transfer to occur you must have selected the option to preserve users and network settings. Apparently you did not check that option and will need to move your files manually from the Previous System Folder. This article will help: How to get files from a previous home directory after Archive and Install.

Panther Archive and install problems

I have a light grey screen with an apple logo on it after performing archive and install using Panther. Nothing else. Any ideas anybody....?
I really am at a complete loss with this and its been several days now. I'm losing money and patience bigtime.
Help..!

Yes you can chose your system that way, but since you can't startup normally I feel you still have a problem. Next time it does it try things in Apple doc.#106464.
I don't have any suggestions on Ext. FireWire HD's (don't get USB). I use a WesternDigital, but others in these forums don't care for that brand. Comp USA has quite a large selection. Online, Amazon does too as do other sites. Make sure you get an Ext HD that is bigger then your internal so you don't run out of space.
Cheers!
DALE
Edit, I forgot you're in the UK,sorry for CompUSA reference.

FCP won't launch after Archive and Install

After the fiasco of the 1.1 update for the Alu-iMac's I had to do an archive and install on my system to return it to 1.0.
Everything is now working fine but FCP6 won't launch. It bounces in the dock once and then nothing. LiveType and DVD Studio 4 will open but Color, Motion and FCP won't.
I have trashed preferences and repaired permissions with no luck.
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.

There are files that are not brought along with Archive and Install.
Some are invisible and not accessible without enabling "root" access and even then you have to know exactly which files have to be moved from the 'previous System' folder.
Archive and Install never works with Apple's Pro apps.
If Niel's suggestion doesn't work you'll have to erase your hard drive and reinstall everything making sure you first backup important data to another hard drive.
(don't forget to save your mail and addresses)

"Archive and Install" - Where did the folder go??

I have had many problems with applications crashing since my upgrade to Leopard and Apple recommended that I do a Archive and Install of the system.
I started it last night and went to bed.
When I woke up it was done...
Now I can not find the folder with my old system copy. Where is it and what is it called?
Looking at the space on the hard drive, I expected a big chunk to be used for this folder but I can not see that much of the hard drive have been used.

Hi,
Open a finder window, click on your hard drive, and you should see a folder named "Previous System Folder"
Follow Apple's advice on how to delete it - http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=25461
Regards

Cannot run java program after archive and install

Hi,
I am new to this forum and appreciate the help and advice given here.
Yesterday, I did an archive and install on my system which install 10.4.3. Afterwards, I installed X11 and did the software updates which brought my system back to 10.4.8. It also installed Java 1.3.1, 1.4.2, and 1.5 (J2SE5).
Prior to the archive and install, I had no problems executing a java program either in the command line in an X11 window or using Eclipse. However, when I try now I get the exception message "Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError:". I checked my CLASSPATH and it's not the problem. I am able to compile, and execute the javadoc command. If I type java -version I get
java version "1.5.0_06"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.5.0_06-112)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.5.0_06-64, mixed mode, sharing)
Under Eclipse, I am able to see the Java versions under Preferences - Java - Installed JREs but if I go to the Run -> Run As menu, I see (none applicable).
Thanks for any suggestions to fix this.
James
Dual 867MHz G4 Mac OS X (10.4.8)

I resolved the issue. I reinstalled XCode and had an issue with one of the files I was testing.

Third party AU audio units disappear after archive and install

hey everybody.
so after an forced unfortunate archive and install, my third party AU have disappeared from DP and Logic. they run fine in standalone. how can i get them back into logic?

Move them back from your old archive, or reinstall.
When you do an archive and install, your old system gets removed and a new fresh system put in place. If you had plugins in the system components directories, obviously they aren't gonna be there on a new fresh system.

Stop archive and install 2nd DVD

I had my MacBook Pro upgraded to a 200GB disk, and am having problems. I restored the disk with CarbonCopy, but started to have problems with Carbin apps - crashes, Carbinlib access etc. The second restore created the same problem. The system runs fine from the mirrored disk.
I finally decided on an archive and install, but the system hangs with an error in postflight after installing iWeb. This is not critical, but everytime I reboot it forces the system back in to the installer.
How can I reset the new OS to boot normally. I tried PRAM reset etc.
Very frustrating....

Hi admesko, and a warm welcome to the forums!
You hace little choice to but power it down & start over.
First...
"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."
Then, Second install disk won't work or is missing...
A workaround is to reduce the number of Languages, Printer, Drivers, Fonts, and
APPs until it no longer needs Disk 2 for the install.
Then Safe Boot from the HD, (holding Shift key down at bootup), run Disk Utility in Applications>Utilities, then highlight your drive, click on Repair Permissions, reboot.

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

I'm a Pro Tools user, who just did an "Archive and Install" installation of 10.5.8 over my 10.4.11 on my 2 Ghz G5, now Pro Tools won't launch. I checked the extensions folder and sure enough, the digidesign extensions were left behind. Can I revert back

I'm a Pro Tools user, who just did an "Archive and Install" installation of 10.5.8 over my 10.4.11 on my 2 Ghz G5, now Pro Tools won't launch. I checked the extensions folder and sure enough, the digidesign extensions were left behind. Can I revert back to the "Archive" of my 10.4.11 System from the "Previous Systems" folder? If not, what's the point of creating the "archive"?

Did you select "Preserve User Settings"?
Archive and Install installation automatically moves existing system files to a folder named Previous System, then installs Mac OS X again. (See tip 3.) You cannot start up your computer using a Previous System folder, nor can you "re-bless" the Previous System folder. (See tip 1.)
You can choose to preserve your user and network settings before installing. This option automatically moves existing users, Home directories, and network settings. This also skips the Setup Assistant after installation.
Note: Because the "Preserve user and network settings" option moves, not copies, existing users, Home directories, and network settings, from the Previous Systems folder to the newly installed System, these items will not exist in the Previous Systems folder after the Archive and Install is complete.
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1710
Read this:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2196
BTW, it is never recommended to do a major OS change without having a full, bootable backup.

Performed Archive and Install now Previous System User File is Empty

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