Mac Help!

Hello,
I know someone who owns a MacBook and Apple did a software update (included was the Safari 3 Beta) and upon restart, my pictures, iTunes Music and Videos have been erased. Also, programs like iTunes, iChat and iPhoto act like they're being used for the first time, without settings or preferences programmed in. And this is all with an Apple software update! Is there a way to restore the computer to an earlier time or something like that? We can prove my iTunes transactions, etc with a credit card transaction, but more then that it's the picture collection that has been erased. Is there a way to get the information back. We need help!

 

Sounds like you're in a different user account.

 

When you say apple did a software update, did you mean your friend did the automatic update herself, or she took it to an apple store and one of the "geniuses" did it?

 

No, it was an update by Apple on this computer, not done by the Geniuses at the Apple store. Apple just had a software update for it and everything got wiped. It's in the same user account too....

 

Weird. I've never heard anything like that. I'm not an expert, but if your friend hasn't backed up his/her computer, I think they're pretty much SOL.

Do you know what the update was?

 

Some software update that included the Safari 3 Beta.

 

That's weird. I wasn't even aware apple was pushing out safari 3 via software update.

 

If I remember correctly, Safari 3 Beta was an optional install. Your friend could have unchecked it if he didn't want to install it...anyways, that's not helping the current situation .

 

Looks like all the files are still there, but somehow got moved to another user account...one that isn't accessible from the main OS X login screen. It's weird...we're taking it to the Apple Genius bar tommorow.

 

Looks like all the files are there though, thankfully.

 

Sounds like your friend renamed the "house" in finder (the accounts shortname) when you do this, the next time you restart it causes the account to essentially be reinitialized, however the files will still be there.

Sam, you should add a warning to your mac 101 guide to not change the accounts short name.

 

something like that happened to me by my own fault. heres what ya need to do- open up finder and click on macintosh hd. click on the folder that says users. now look in there for a wierd name. if that doesnt work, try using spotlight and searchin for some of the files.

 

It's all fixed now, I moved everything over and it's all back. Lesson to everyone: do NOT rename your home folder manually. It's a pain..