User account missing files and preferences?? Not from renaming home folder

Hi all,
After some strange behaviour in Apple Color, upon rebooting, my user account has returned to default. I had many items on the desktop and various subfolders in the documents folder. All pictures. Music. All are now gone. Desktop and dock have been reset to default.
The user folder still exists but everything I had in there is gone.
Another user may have been created called "root" containing only
/Library
/Documents/Color Documents...etc
I am aware of the problem with changing the short name or renaming the home folder (after sifting through this forum) and it is definitely not this problem.
Maybe its somehow related but I definitely did not rename any of these things myself. And there is no duplicated user account with all my files in it.
Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Nate
ps. Is it possible to restore the system to an earlier time like in Windows?
I've read somewhere that a Previous System folder exists and it might be possible with Disk Utility but I can't find this folder anywhere.
Message was edited by: stoney23

Hi there,
Thanks for the reply. I've managed to restore most of my important stuff using a file recovery software so I'm at peace with the loss of only a few files now. I'll just have to start rebuilding my dock and preferences again now which is not the end of the world.
After a bit of thinking about it I'm 95% sure this is what happened.
Color tried to save an image file with the same name as the folder I had made storing all my Color project saves. The folder was called Post. I'm not quite sure how its possible but it managed to overwrite the folder with the new image file. Now there is a Color image file (with no extension) there called Post and no folder.
Then I tried to save the Color project and of course it told me the project directory was missing and it will create a new one. I'm guessing this is when Color bulldozed through my user account to create the folder Color Documents where it DIDN'T save the file anyway
Leaving me with a default user account deleting everything that was 'added' to the account previously.
It also created another user account called 'root' in which there is also only a Color Library/preferences and documents folder
Is that normal that things like that can just happen?
I guess from here I will just try and finish my project and afterwards do a re-install of the OS just to be sure - checking the Archive and Install option this time
Unless you have any other ideas from what I've told you.
Thanks again for replying
Nate

Similar Messages

Repeating problems (1) Many Missing Files; and (2) Downloading From iTunes

I am having multiple issues with the iTunes store currently. I have spoken with an Apple Expert on August 14, 2010 (case number available if needed). Although he was very good at helping me to the best of his ability, he referred me to iTunes Store Customer Service, which I previously was in contact with.
I have 2 types of repeating problems (1) Many Missing Files; and (2) Downloading From iTunes Store.
_Problem One - (1) Downloading From iTunes Store_
I have 1610 missing files from my iTunes folders. I created a list of missing items by following these steps:
+If for any reason you find yourself with random missing tracks, (or are trying to recover from a dying hard drive like me), there is an easy way to isolate those missing tracks.+
+1. Create a standard playlist called "Not Missing".+
+2. Drag your entire library into that playlist. Missing tracks cannot+
+be copied to a playlist.+
+3. Create a smart playlist called where you select the following conditions in the options window for the new smart playlist:+
+*dropdown menu* PLAYLIST+
+*dropdown menu* IS NOT+
+*dropdown menu* NOT MISSING.+
+4. Rename the smart playlist "Missing"+
+5. Right Click the "Missing" playlist+
+6. Click the "Export..." option+
+7. Select the Plain Text option and Desktop location+
My missing playlistable items represent a better part of a decades worth of audiobook files, transfered files from my PC days, etc... i loved my - now missing - Doctor Who and Torchwood purchases from iTunes.
I have already read the Trouble Shooting, checked Time Machine Backup, and been walked through replacing the preferences list. The missing file path from the "get info" options in iTunes points towards a non-existant file.
_Problem Two (2) Downloading From iTunes Store_
I have had problems downloading files from iTunes for months. I first noticed it with the TV Show "Avatar: The Last Airbender". Lately, when I download from the (non-music) part of the store, the majority of files are downloaded and then immediately not found. This has been prompting iTunes to repeat the download. Until I force quit itunes and *potentially cry*.
There have been multiple iTunes store purchases of audio books recently. If I reported the missing file immediately, I can contact iTunes support to repost the file and that usually fixes the issue. But today, I went to go rewatch "Torchwood: Children of Earth" and noticed Problem One.
_Hind Sight_
If provided with a spreadsheet of my iTunes Store purchase history, I can write a vlookup( formula in excel to compare the list against my exported missing list so a shortlist of what is missing from just my iTunes Store purchase history can be created (hint: it's the majority of items from the list, others are years worth of files from my PC days). If we could do that, could iTunes make my missing purchases available?
Then we can focus on purely, trying to figure out why they went missing in the first place - so we can prevent it again & possibly help others from running into the same.
Plea
I strongly suspect the two issues are related to a root cause ... in addition to my user error in file management of backups ... what is going on?

iTunes Support (Eric) emailed me some instructions. I am posting, in hopes that this will help others.
_Suggestions from iTunes Support_
Troubleshooting 1. iTunes Store: Finding missing purchases and downloads http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1408
Troubleshooting 2. Direct Assistance
_Results based on Suggestions_
Results on "Searching the harddrive" - did not resolve my concerns
Results from "Direct Assistant" - i emailed the list of the missing files... status is pending
Conclusion
I'll follow up again later, if I have new news.

Creating user accounts with OIDDAS and use them from the OS

Hi,
I have a customer that is experiencing an error creating user accounts from OIDDAS, and use that user accounts from the operating system.
My customer is using OID/OAS4OS 10.1.4.2.0, and that version is not longer available to download, then, I will try in my own environment
with OID/OAS4OS 10.1.4.3.0.
And the question is the following: is supported to create user accounts with OIDDAS and expect that users can work with OAS4OS and be
able to authenticate in the operating system?
For the reference, SR# 7222351.993:
Thanks,
Luis Vivero.
Edited by: LV in ORCL on Dec 11, 2008 6:47 AM

Hi Jacco,
I didn't see your post before.
Nop, unfortulately I don't have a document with that. I just received that answer
from development (related to the plugin for AD that is not certified, and DAS is
not intended to work with OAS4OS).
Anyway, about the plugin to work with AD, this is working for me; at least I tested
it by configuring the plugin, I configured synchronization, the mapping file, I did
the bootstrap, and the accounts that were bootstraped now shows the OS attributes
on DAS.
Regards,
Luis Vivero.

Uwm: missing file and PIPE not suported

I am trying to use uwm as my desktop environment. TWM works properly, but when I start uwm with "startx" and /usr/bin/uwm in .xinitrc, I get this output:
UDE - the Unix Desktop Environment
Version 0.2.10
Attemping to start UWM - the Ultimate Window Manager...
UWM: Standard Title-font does not exist, loading fixed.
UWM: Standard Font does not exist, loading fixed.
UWM: Standard Inactive Font does not exist, loading fixed.
UWM: Standard Highlight Font does not exist, loading fixed.
UWM: Standard Text Font does not exist, loading fixed.
UWM: file not found: uwmrc-user.hook.
UWM: file not found: uwmrc-user.hook.
UWM: PIPE not supported on your system
xinit: connection to X server lost
waiting for X server to shut down

Not sure what you mean exactly, are you in the find window to search files or in the main window?
In case of the last are you in the Favorites panel? if so choose the Folder panel and click on the little triangles in front to open the subfolder content.
If you are in the folder panel and still can't see anything try to restart Bridge while holding down option key and refresh the preferences.
btw, do you have version 2.1.1.9 of Bridge??

I Renamed Home Folder and lost all settings, jpgs, mp3s, photos etc. HELP!

First off, have a MacBook, 2.4GHz Intel Core Duo w/4GBs of RAM OS 10.5.8
I followed what I thought were proper procedures to change the name of the Home Folder from "macbook" to "rocki"
I followed the instructions at Mac OS X v10.6 and earlier: How to change user account name or home directory name
For Mac OS X 10.5 or later
1. Enable the root user.
2. Log in as root.
3. Navigate to the /Users folder.
4. Select the Home folder with the short name you want to change, and rename it just like you would rename any folder. Keep in mind that the shortname must be all lowercase, with no spaces, and only contain letters.
At this point I skipped steps 5 & 6 Since I already had a user named the name I wanted "Rocki" I thought I didn't need to do this. So went onto Steps 7-9, and NO everything was NOT there.
5. Use the Accounts pane in System Preferences to create a new user with the Account name or Short Name that you used in the previous step.
6. Click OK when "A folder in the Users folder already has the name 'account name'. Would you like to use that folder as the Home folder for this user account?" Note: This will correct the ownership of all files in the Home folder, and avoid permissions issues with the contents.
7. Choose Log Out from the Apple menu.
8. Log in as the newly created user. You should be able to access all of your original files (on the desktop, in Documents, and in the other folders of this Home).
9. After verifying that your data is as expected, you can delete the original user account via the Accounts pane of System Preferences. At this point I skipped step 10 b/c nothing was there as usual.
10. Disable the root user.
All my data and settings were not there. So I went back logged in as Root, navigated to the Users folder, and saw that there were two folders, one said "macbook" even though I previously just named it and there was also another folder named "rocki" there. Seeing two folders and wanting to return back to normal I deleted that "rocki" folder, I had just created, and logged back out of root and logged back into the only user I had, which was also named "rocki" which is the admin and the user that had all my files and settings originally before I tried to change the name of the home folder. And no change, everything is gone and missing.
To clarify, originally, I had a home folder named MacBook and a user named Rocki. Everything was cool and worked great! But I wanted to change that home folder name to match the user name. Whoops!
What can I do to go back to normal?!?!?!!?!? Please help me!! I'm so screwed. If I can't go back to normal, how do I find all the missing files and what not?!?
Thanks so much in advance!

Apparent 'Loss' of Home Folder:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107854

I have had a new hard drive installed. On start up I transferred all my settings and documents from my time capsule. Once complete I have two user accounts. Mine and guest. I cannot access either. Mine says password incorrect even though its not.

I have had a new hard drive installed. On start up I transferred all my settings and documents from my time capsule. Once complete I have two user accounts. Mine and guest. I cannot access either. Mine says password incorrect even though its not. Any idea what is wrong here and how I can reset my password. I don't have a start up disc. Thanks very much

From System Preferences/Help:
Reset your login password using your Apple ID
Before you can use your Apple ID to reset your login password, make sure that FileVault isn’t enabled on your computer.
Also make sure that an Apple ID is associated with your user account, and that an administrator has given you permission to reset your own password using an Apple ID. For more information, see this help topic:
Associate Apple IDs with your user account
Make sure your computer is connected to the Internet.
In the login window, click the question mark in the password field, and then click the arrow in the dialog that appears.
Enter an Apple ID and password, and then click Reset Password.
I don't know if it works.

Itunes seems to be unable to locate original file to play songs. Songs are in the itunes media file and playable direct from file. Preferences/advance file location is correct. Some files are playing and others aren't with no obvious pattern.

Itunes is unable to locate original file when attempting to play music. Songs are in the itunes media file and playable direct from there. Preferences/Advanced file location pointer is correct. Some songs play but most don't. I did move files around a bit in an attempt to share music with another account on same computor, however this did not work so have returned file to original location. Please help, I am way outside my feild in this one. Ta.

I have solved the problem. i think when I moved the media file back out of public to my account, I put it back into the wrong place and ended up with a media file inside a media file, inside another media file!! So I moved it again and fixed!! Now I just need to work out why i can't share with another account user of same computor.

Since the ISO8 update I am missing all of my notes from 1/2013 until 6/4014. They are not in the email account either. Can these be restored?

Since the ISO8 update I am missing all of my notes from 1/2013 until 6/4014. They are not in the email account either. Can these be restored?

On WinXP Back, Forward, and Home was last in the Firefox 3.6 versions and disappeared as of Firefox 4.0 - and hasn't been seen since.
Doesn't the Mac OSX versions of Firefox have Back and Forward in the context menu (right-click), as Windows and Linux versions do?

My daughter accidentally purchased something from an in app purchase, I haven't got the £2.99 in my account until tuesday, and do not want the in app purchase, my account wont log in now even to download free apps. How do I get my account back?

My daughter accidentally purchased something from an in app purchase, I haven't got the £2.99 in my account until tuesday, and do not want the in app purchase, my account wont log in now even to download free apps. How do I get my account to log in again and function properly, I shouldn't have to wait until I have a meagre £2.99 in my account again do I because I need the app store for other apps etc and updating, even if it is only 3 days I want my account back, I do not want nor did I give permission for the in-app purchase and would be happy for it to be returned/credited back so I can have MY account available for my IPhone.
Please can someone give me more information or let me know how else I can get my account working again, before pay day on tuesday.
Much appreciated, Paddy.
<Email Edited by Host>

Hello paddyliverpool,
Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.
For more information on this, take a look at:
How to report an issue with your iTunes Store, App Store, Mac App Store, or iBookstore purchase
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1933
Refund is an option.
Best of luck,
Mario

Please help! My Itunes says corrupt file and will not open (IMac 2010). I couldn't fix it by reinstalling so I moved it to trash. It will not delete from my trash as it is saying "Japanese.lproj" is in use. I can't delete or open to close it, what do I do

Please help!
My Itunes says there is a corrupt file and will not open (IMac 2010). I couldn't fix it by reinstalling ITunes so I moved ITunes to trash. It will not delete from my trash as it is saying "Japanese.lproj" is in use. I have never opened or used "Japanese.lproj". I can't delete ITunes or open ITunes to close the Japanese.lproj, what do I do? Thank you for any help you can provide..

It will not delete from my trash as it is saying "Japanese.lproj" is in use. I have never opened or used "Japanese.lproj".
Interesting. This sort of thing is more common on Windows systems. Taken at face value, one of the iTunes program files (one of the Japanese language resources) is damaged.
I'd try running your Disk Utility over your startup disk. Does it find/repair any damage? If so can you empty your trash and reinstall your iTunes successfully now?

Can not open JPEG files and can not create JPEG files from other software

Can not open JPEG files and can not create JPEG files from other software (For example from Solidworks).
When I try to right click on a JPEG, a notice window appears written: "Windows Explorer has stopped working - Windows is
checking for a solution to the problem" and then the notice box disapears, the desktop appears and I can continue working.
From the other side - If I try to save as JPEG a screen of Solidworks (like a view of a part) the Solidworks falls but the JPEG
is created (I can see its name in the directory I created it).
I can open the JPEGS with the Paint software if I want but not with the Windows Photo Viewer.
I have the feeling that the Windows Photo Viewer disapeared from my computer - just a feeling.
I will appreciate your assistance.
Avi T. 2014

Hi,
Did Windows Photo Viewer option appear when you right click the JPEG file and select open with?
I would like suggest you use Clean Boot to troubleshoot if there is third-party software conflict:
How to perform a clean boot in Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135
Karen Hu
TechNet Community Support

Deleted user account saved file doesn't contain latest files

Someone I know deleted one of the users accounts on their iMac. Not the admin account. When doing this there was an option to save the account files. That was done. After rebooting to the 1 account that was left, the admin account they opened the .dmg saved user file from the deleted account. But that file did not include any of the new files over the past few months like files on the desktop or iphoto stuff. The desktop files that were saved were from months ago and everything else was old.
Any ideas what happened to all the current files from that account?
thx
lenn

Hi Nicci D,
Welcome To Adobe Forums.
Can you please let me know the path detail for "Publish At" and "Project Cache"that you see under general settings options (inside preferences) as shown in the image below:
Thanks
Loveesh

No User accounts after Archive and Install ?

Today I tried to salvage a 20" iMac G5 for a friend. He had done something that screwed up his hard drive. Disk Utility Disk Repair run of the startup partition always failed. Using an external FW disk, I was able to use Disk Utility Repair successfully, but drive would still not boot. Decided Archive and Install was the right way to go, did that and everything seemed OK but I found I could not log in to his account. Thought it was just a lost password, so tried using the OSX Tiger Install DVD to Reset Password. His *Macintosh HD* Startup drive shows only the "root" user available, neither of the two previous user account names appear.
I can think of nothing to do to recover except an Erase & Install (I have his User files saved). Is there an alternative?
I would assume performing another Archive & Install would yield the same result.

I continued work on this issue today. First, I checked and the three User account folders were present in the Users folder along with the one new account created as part of the Mac OSX Tiger A&I. For some reason, not one of these 4 was accessible from the Login screen; it acted exactly if there were no user accounts.
Purchased and installed DiskWarrior 4 on the FW drive and rebuilt the directory of the iMac's internal drive. Ran all other tests available w/ DW. Still no joy on logging in. I should NOT have had to see the Login screen at all if the new user had been created properly.
Punted. Copied everything I thought I would need to the external drive, then did an Erase & Install of OS X Tiger. Applied all updates, no problems logging in. Copied all the original User/username files and folders and restored a few apps.
Finally, after much wasted time, I have all but one App running and all data files, folders, pics, music restored.
Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 fails because I apparently failed to save a .plist file somewhere and now I learn too late that PE 3.0 will not install on a 10.4.x system. Sigh.

Feature Request: save metadata to file, and read metadata from file.

Please have function to save metadata to file, and read metadata from file.
This would allow us to write cross-platform plugins that can assure data is up-to-date in the xmp, or modify xmp and have it reinstated in the catalog.
This would go nicely with the ability to save xmp for virtual copies, dng, and rgb formats.

Perhaps someone with direct experience with publishing to Smugmug will chime in. Short of that, some thoughts on your issues:
Should I not bother to "Save Metadata to File", this seems to be what is messing up the SmugMug publish service?
I very much doubt that it is messing up the publishing. What gets saved to the file from the catalog is independent of what gets exported. Saving metadata to the file is generally a good practice (in case you screw up your catalog backups). Many, perhaps most, users set the preference Catalog Settings > Automatically Write Changes Into XMP.
I would have expected it to behave like an export which would write synonyms, exclude keywords that should be excluded, etc, which seems to work ok in point 6 above.
Yes, that's a reasonable expectation.
You may have done this already, but double-check: Right-click the Smugmug publishing service in the left-hand column of the Library, select Edit Settings, and in the Metadata section verify that you have Include: All Metadata set.
Did you download the Smugmug plugin from Smugmug? You might try this Smugmug plugin instead -- the author designed the publishing architecture of LR and has an excellent reputation.
Are the publish services more effort than they are worth? So I get SmugMug to work, what happens when I try Flickr?
I think many users find the publishing services are generally worthwhile. I publish regularly to Flickr (using the built-in Flickr plugin, which isn't completely reliable) and the Zenfolio plugin from Friedl.

Can I share user account between mac and PC

Hi, I would like some help. I have a mac mini and will add osx server on to it soon. Now I also have two Windows PC's and would like to connect everything. I would like to use the mac as my main working device (and as a server) I would then like to be able to logon to my mac account on the PC's. So share user account from the mac onto the PC's?
Is this possible? If so is there a very details tutorial somewhere I can't seem to find one.
P.S NOT just file sharing. I don't want the user account or fils to be on the PC's.
Regards
Aled

Windows prefers to authenticate with Microsoft Active Directory. This configuration is possible, but probably not in the price or complexity range that you might want. Not unless you're inclined to run both OS X Server and Open Directory and Windows Server with Active Directory (or the Active Directory compatibility available with Samnba installed on a Linux server), which won't be a small investment or a small effort.
If you want to research this, look for information on the so-called "magic triangle" or "golden triangle" configuration. I'm not aware of a short tutorial for this, as neither AD nor OD tend to be particularly small projects to configure and deploy.
Probably closer to your budget, a password manager or the keychain in OS X can store the access credentials.

User account missing files and preferences?? Not from renaming home folder

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for