User folder disappeared

I was having lots of problems—OS shutting down frequently, etc. Ran Tech Tools Pro & cleaned everything up. Trying to make a new back-up to ext HD, my "house folder" went "poof". Couldn't find it. Did a restart, thinking it would come back up, but OS created a new house folder, just like a new computer; couldn't find my docs, settings, emails, itunes, anything. Had to redo settings just to get internet, still haven't got Mail set up right. So I found everything in the ~/library folder. How do I get my old stuff back into the house? Do I just drag everything out of the new house and drag in the old folder?

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

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