Ticket Options

Question Profile

Question Details

TICKET ARCHIVE -> User Data Lost in Powerbook G4 laptop

rhazeman - Aug 26, 2006 - 6:33 am

I lost data in my iPhoto, Document, shortcuts (beside defaults) on Desktop and Dock and settings to my wireless mouse.

Before this happens, I updated Quicktime and attempted to install a Canon scanner software into my laptop.

The data lost only occurs on MY user setting ONLY.

Please help

Rizwan

currand - Aug 26, 2006 - 10:00 am

When you look in the /Macintosh HD/Users do you see your user directory? It should be the same as your login name.

If so, when you open it do you see your photos in the Pictures directory?

rhazeman - Aug 26, 2006 - 6:25 pm

Yes, I can see my user directory. But from Picture/iPhoto it has data like AlbumData.xml, Dir.data, iPhoto.db. But NO photo. Even the "Album" folder has data that is named "Pending Rotation" and "Photo Library"..

Any ideas?

rhazeman - Aug 27, 2006 - 6:21 am

Problem is not solved. Help needed urgently

Cheryl - Aug 29, 2006 - 2:26 am

Rizwan,

Did you move any folder or file from the iPhoto folder? Are you set in Accounts to administer the computer? Do you have a backup of your files on a separate drive or CD?

Go to Hard drive>Users and see if you have a Deleted Users folder. If so, open that and see what files are in there.

Also, are there any files in the trash? If so, do not empty the trash. Open Trash and see what files are in there. If you have Rescued from Macintosh, drag that folder out of the trash and onto your desktop. Open it, and see what is listed there.

Cheryl

Cheryl - Aug 29, 2006 - 12:59 pm

Rizwan,

Did you find anything in those folders?

Cheryl

rhazeman - Aug 29, 2006 - 6:52 pm

Cheryl,

I didnt move any folder from iPhoto. Yes I am the Administrator for my laptop. No I dont have a backup.

I dont have a Deleted User folder in my hardrive.

My trash has been emptied.

The Mac Centre here has re-install the OSX (without deleting the Hard Drive) but my OSX now is Panther 10.3.3.

Does this info helps?

Cheryl - Aug 30, 2006 - 1:55 am

Rizwan,

Click twice on the hard drive and see if you have a folder labeled Previous System. Also look to see if you have two Users folders. It could be that the re-install did not move your home folder correctly.

Let me know what you find.

Cheryl

rhazeman - Aug 31, 2006 - 5:21 am

Cheryl,

Yes I have the folder "Previous System". If you meant User folder IN the Previous System.. yes there is BUT only a single folder with no extension..

Rizwam

rhazeman - Aug 31, 2006 - 5:26 am

Cheryl,

The Mac service centre here reinstall my OSX (10.3.3) without affecting my HD (what is the term?). Is it OK to use the Apple Update whilst you helping me on this or I should refrain myself for the time being?

Rizwan

Cheryl - Aug 31, 2006 - 11:41 am

Rizwan,

The Mac service did an Archive install, which is suppose to not touch your user folders. Did you change the name of your user name, or the user folder, or your Home folder? There are some files that you can not change from the installation process.

When you say a single folder with no extension -- what are you referring to? Are there any more folders in the User folder (in the Previous System folder)?

Go to the Hard Drive icon on your desktop and click twice on that. Then locate the User folder and open that. How many users are there listed and does that match the users you have set up?

As for Apple Update, I think we need to find your user files before you update. While doing the update will not harm anything, you don't want any downloads to write over your files if they are hidden.

Can you remember a title of one of the files that is missing?
First, go to System Preferences>spotlight.
In the search results, click on all the boxes.
In Privacy, if there is anything listed, click on it, then click on the minus sign at the bottom left of the window.
Close System Preferences
Open a finder window and in the top right of the title bar, type in the name of that file.
Does the search find it?

Cheryl

rhazeman - Sep 1, 2006 - 4:09 pm

Cheryl,

Inside my Previous System, the User folder has no content. It's empty. That is what I mean by no extension. Sorry for the confusion.

Oh.. I'm still suing Panther 10.3.3 I dont have Spotlight..

I did go into Finder and attempt to search for a missing file I remember.. but cant be found...

Rizwan

rhazeman - Sep 1, 2006 - 4:11 pm

Cheryl,

on my previous message.. I supposed to type USING.. and NOT SUING!

Cheryl - Sep 2, 2006 - 3:51 am

Rizwan,

I am not sure what has happened to your files.
I wonder if your files have been moved to another user's home folder. Log into the other user (or one of them) and see if your files are there.

You can try using Data Rescue
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/10259

It may be able to find your files and retrieve them. I am stumped on this, but I will continue to research this problem and help you.

Cheryl

rhazeman - Sep 2, 2006 - 6:25 pm

Cheryl,

I did try looking at the other User. But dont actually know where to look. Is it the same with what you advised me before i.e. looking inside the Previous System?

rhazeman - Sep 2, 2006 - 6:28 pm

Cheryl,

I checked with Mac Service here and told me they did use Data Rescue but didnt find anything..

Cheryl - Sep 3, 2006 - 12:51 am

Rizwan,

When you log in as the other user, check the Home folder>Documents to see if even one of your files are there.

Since the User folder in Previous System is empty, you can safely trash that.

If your files are not in the other users' folders, then I am sorry to say they are lost. There might have been a corrupt file within your documents that rendered all your files bad.

You can try using Data Rescue yourself, just as a piece of mind that you did everything you can to find the files.

Cheryl

rhazeman - Sep 4, 2006 - 1:15 am

Cheryl,

There are no familiar files in the other Users' folders. Very unfortunate though. However, is there a way to detect corrupted files? Any software that can be used to detect them?

Thanks a lot for assisting all you can. Appreciate it greatly.

Rizwan

Cheryl - Sep 4, 2006 - 3:10 am

Rizwan,

There are two utilities that I use to monitor files.
Disk Warrior
http://www.alsoft.com/DiskWarrior/index.html

PrefCheck
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/16053

I do not know of any program that will check/monitor files to alert you to corruption. PrefCheck checks just your preference files, but that will help to ward off document corruption due to a bad preference file.

I am sorry that I could not help you in finding those files.

Cheryl