Your stuff is still there. Archive and Install does not touch it. All Archive and Install does is pack up the existing /System folder in a disk image and name it "Previous System 1".
You'll find your stuff. Just be careful logged in as root not to delete anything important.
where would i see that?? in system preferences under accounts?
No, in the top level of your hard drive. i.e., double click on the hard drive icon on the desktop, or, if you have the computer set up not to show the hard drive on the desktop, open a new finder window and choose "Macintosh HD" or whatever your hard drive is called. In there will be folders such as applications, library, system etc. Hopefully one of the folders is named as Vox suggested.
Quote:
Originally posted by erica
when i go home tonight i will create the new account and delete files i do not use (garage band, stickies, sherlock...etc)
woah! No need to go over the top. Trust me, deleting just garage band will be enough for the time being. (It's over 2 gigs)
Quote:
Originally posted by erica
thank you all!!!!!!!!!! i am pretty nervous but all fo your help is very nice and makes me feel much better!
i'll be checking in all day! thank you! oh, and by the way, i already owe you all big time! i wish i knew computer stuff! then i could help you all as much as you have been helping me! uh, i can teach you all how to knit, make soap, bath salts, and lib gloss. no? not a good barter? ha - i'll keep thinking about it!!
That's OK, no worries. I reckon teaching someone via message board to knit would be damn-near impossible.
haha, i am seriously laughing here! i really, for some reason, was panicked! i am nuts!
and then you guys actually had to calm me down over the internet - and the funny thing... it worked, i am much more relaxed about it now! ha, i don't know why it's so funny to me - but it is!
annnnyway... i take it from the "whoa, no need to go over the top" comment (thank you mr h. for pointing out how nuts i became for a minute )that i should only move garageband to the trash. i will do that when i get home from work... i will complete all of the steps listed from the root account then i will log onto my new account and see if ichat works.
whew, this is all very exciting again. the columbo feeling is making its way back!
Your stuff is still there. Archive and Install does not touch it. All Archive and Install does is pack up the existing /System folder in a disk image and name it "Previous System 1".
You'll find your stuff. Just be careful logged in as root not to delete anything important.
I've never actually done an OS X archive and install (only an OS 8 one). Are you saying that the installer should not have touched the /users/ folder in any way?
Quote:
Originally posted by erica
whew, this is all very exciting again. the columbo feeling is making its way back!
Good. Columbo feeling - yes, panic - no.
I thought of something important. When you create the new user, make sure it doesn't have the same name as any of the accounts that you used to have. Also, before creating the new user, make sure that the "users" folder is present at the root of the hard drive (how important that is depends on what lundy or anyone else can say about archive & install). Am I right in thinking that the only internet access you have at home is the unwell mac? That could be a problem.
I've never actually done an OS X archive and install (only an OS 8 one). Are you saying that the installer should not have touched the /users/ folder in any way?
right, i only have internet access on the mac we are trying to fix.
{Also, before creating the new user, make sure that the "users" folder is present at the root of the hard drive } ---is that where i go i through the hard drive icon on my desk top, open it and search for the "users" folder?
when get home should i still do this before i do the other things? :
{Type in "fsck -f", hit enter, wait some time. Repeat this activity until
you read the line: "This computer appears to be OK". Than type in
I've never actually done an OS X archive and install (only an OS 8 one). Are you saying that the installer should not have touched the /users/ folder in any way?
{Also, before creating the new user, make sure that the "users" folder is present at the root of the hard drive } ---is that where i go i through the hard drive icon on my desk top, open it and search for the "users" folder?
when get home should i still do this before i do the other things?
Yes and yes. If you don't see the users folder, trying using finder's find command (when you're in the Finder press "command" and "f" together). Make the window that appears look like this (assuming your short user name was erica):
and press find. This should reveal your old user home folder and inside should be all your lovely files.
oooh, goodie! this is all so exciting! if i wouldn't get fired for jumping up in my cubicle and yelling about how i am cuolumbo-ish and i have wonderful columbo internet helpers than i certainly would do it! thanks! i am going to print all of this out before i leave for the day and work on it tonight.
Quote:
Originally posted by Mr. H
Yes and yes. If you don't see the users folder, trying using finder's find command (when you're in the Finder press "command" and "f" together). Make the window that appears look like this (assuming your short user name was erica):
and press find. This should reveal your old user home folder and inside should be all your lovely files.
GENIUS! i am in my own computer as the new user that i just created! this is amazing! when i was logged in as root i went into the hard drive and found everything that i had on my computer before!!!!!! you have made me the happiest girl in philadelphia! this is awesome! now i guess i need to get my old account to show up somehow right? this is amazing! forget columbo! this is sherlock holmes caliber now!
that's all. there are not any more accounts listed.
OK, now how about the /Users directory? What folders are there in there? Just the one for the Admin account, an icon of a house? If so, what is in the folders of that folder?
that is what i see in that folder with the house on it. i do see the folders of my old accounts - but they are not under "users"
Quote:
Originally posted by lundy
OK, now how about the /Users directory? What folders are there in there? Just the one for the Admin account, an icon of a house? If so, what is in the folders of that folder?
oh, right - they are in the order you have them...for some reason when i copied and pasted, it placed things in a different order. oops, sorry about that.
Quote:
Originally posted by lundy
Well I hope they aren't in that order. You should see, in that house folder,
oh, right - they are in the order you have them...for some reason when i copied and pasted, it placed things in a different order. oops, sorry about that.
Excellent.
Are all of your documents, music, etc in the folders in that new Admin account?
Now if your documents/photos/music/etc isn't in those folders, I think rather than screw around trying to reassign the user name to the correct folders, what I would do is:
Open two Finder windows side by side, one with the new Admin home folder and the other one with the home folder of (one of) the account(s) that has your data.
Starting with Desktop, open both Desktop folders of the accounts.
Drag all the contents of the non-Admin account's Desktop folder into the Admin Desktop folder. Don't drag the folders themselves; only their contents.
Comments
You'll find your stuff. Just be careful logged in as root not to delete anything important.
Originally posted by erica
does this mean i will not get my old stuff back?
It's ok. Don't panic. You will be able to get your old stuff back.
Originally posted by erica
[Do you see on the top level directory a folder entitled with
"previous system" and/or "deleted (or previous) user"?]
where would i see that?? in system preferences under accounts?
No, in the top level of your hard drive. i.e., double click on the hard drive icon on the desktop, or, if you have the computer set up not to show the hard drive on the desktop, open a new finder window and choose "Macintosh HD" or whatever your hard drive is called. In there will be folders such as applications, library, system etc. Hopefully one of the folders is named as Vox suggested.
Originally posted by erica
when i go home tonight i will create the new account and delete files i do not use (garage band, stickies, sherlock...etc)
woah! No need to go over the top. Trust me, deleting just garage band will be enough for the time being. (It's over 2 gigs)
Originally posted by erica
thank you all!!!!!!!!!! i am pretty nervous but all fo your help is very nice and makes me feel much better!
i'll be checking in all day! thank you! oh, and by the way, i already owe you all big time! i wish i knew computer stuff! then i could help you all as much as you have been helping me! uh, i can teach you all how to knit, make soap, bath salts, and lib gloss. no? not a good barter? ha - i'll keep thinking about it!!
That's OK, no worries. I reckon teaching someone via message board to knit would be damn-near impossible.
Originally posted by Mr. H
woah! No need to go over the top. Trust me, deleting just garage band will be enough for the time being. (It's over 2 gigs)
remember, you just need to do these things, in this order, whilst logged in as root:
1. delete garage band (including its support files in /library/application support/)
2. create new admin user in system preferences.
3. log out.
and then you guys actually had to calm me down over the internet - and the funny thing... it worked, i am much more relaxed about it now! ha, i don't know why it's so funny to me - but it is!
annnnyway... i take it from the "whoa, no need to go over the top" comment (thank you mr h. for pointing out how nuts i became for a minute
whew, this is all very exciting again. the columbo feeling is making its way back!
Originally posted by lundy
Your stuff is still there. Archive and Install does not touch it. All Archive and Install does is pack up the existing /System folder in a disk image and name it "Previous System 1".
You'll find your stuff. Just be careful logged in as root not to delete anything important.
I've never actually done an OS X archive and install (only an OS 8 one). Are you saying that the installer should not have touched the /users/ folder in any way?
Originally posted by erica
whew, this is all very exciting again. the columbo feeling is making its way back!
Good. Columbo feeling - yes, panic - no.
I thought of something important. When you create the new user, make sure it doesn't have the same name as any of the accounts that you used to have. Also, before creating the new user, make sure that the "users" folder is present at the root of the hard drive (how important that is depends on what lundy or anyone else can say about archive & install). Am I right in thinking that the only internet access you have at home is the unwell mac? That could be a problem.
Originally posted by Mr. H
I've never actually done an OS X archive and install (only an OS 8 one). Are you saying that the installer should not have touched the /users/ folder in any way?
Though i am not lundy, i guess it is safe to
answer with a big yes.
Originally posted by lundy
Can you get iChat to work? Maybe if all of us could ask in real-time what is where on your computer, we'd have a better idea.
Just in case: voxbarbara2
{Also, before creating the new user, make sure that the "users" folder is present at the root of the hard drive } ---is that where i go i through the hard drive icon on my desk top, open it and search for the "users" folder?
when get home should i still do this before i do the other things? :
{Type in "fsck -f", hit enter, wait some time. Repeat this activity until
you read the line: "This computer appears to be OK". Than type in
"reboot", hit enter. Computer will reboot.}
yippeee, hope is renewed!
I've never actually done an OS X archive and install (only an OS 8 one). Are you saying that the installer should not have touched the /users/ folder in any way?
Yep. Just did one a couple weeks ago.
Originally posted by erica
{Also, before creating the new user, make sure that the "users" folder is present at the root of the hard drive } ---is that where i go i through the hard drive icon on my desk top, open it and search for the "users" folder?
when get home should i still do this before i do the other things?
Yes and yes. If you don't see the users folder, trying using finder's find command (when you're in the Finder press "command" and "f" together). Make the window that appears look like this (assuming your short user name was erica):
and press find. This should reveal your old user home folder and inside should be all your lovely files.
Originally posted by Mr. H
Yes and yes. If you don't see the users folder, trying using finder's find command (when you're in the Finder press "command" and "f" together). Make the window that appears look like this (assuming your short user name was erica):
and press find. This should reveal your old user home folder and inside should be all your lovely files.
i see:
My Account
olivepig
Admin
Other Accounts
that's all. there are not any more accounts listed.
Originally posted by lundy
What do you see now in the "Accounts" pane of System Preferences?
Originally posted by erica
hi,
i see:
My Account
olivepig
Admin
Other Accounts
that's all. there are not any more accounts listed.
OK, now how about the /Users directory? What folders are there in there? Just the one for the Admin account, an icon of a house? If so, what is in the folders of that folder?
apache_pb.gif
web_share.gif
macosxlogo.gif
Drop Box
olivepig
Audio
iMovie
Fonts
Assistants
FontCollections
Documentation
Sounds
Safari
Printers
Preferences
Keychains
Keyboard Layouts
Internet Plug-Ins
ColorPickers
Caches
Application Support
Favorites
index.html
images
Sites
Public
Pictures
Music
Movies
Documents
Library
Desktop
that is what i see in that folder with the house on it. i do see the folders of my old accounts - but they are not under "users"
Originally posted by lundy
OK, now how about the /Users directory? What folders are there in there? Just the one for the Admin account, an icon of a house? If so, what is in the folders of that folder?
Desktop
Documents
Library
Movies
Music
Pictures
Public
Sites
That's the standard new-user template.
Originally posted by lundy
Well I hope they aren't in that order. You should see, in that house folder,
Desktop
Documents
Library
Movies
Music
Pictures
Public
Sites
That's the standard new-user template.
Originally posted by erica
oh, right - they are in the order you have them...for some reason when i copied and pasted, it placed things in a different order. oops, sorry about that.
Excellent.
Are all of your documents, music, etc in the folders in that new Admin account?
Now if your documents/photos/music/etc isn't in those folders, I think rather than screw around trying to reassign the user name to the correct folders, what I would do is:
Open two Finder windows side by side, one with the new Admin home folder and the other one with the home folder of (one of) the account(s) that has your data.
Starting with Desktop, open both Desktop folders of the accounts.
Drag all the contents of the non-Admin account's Desktop folder into the Admin Desktop folder. Don't drag the folders themselves; only their contents.
Repeat for the other folders.
You should be back to normal.