Urgent! Mac crashed; folder = ?

pgo01 · pgo01 #1 (**permalink**)

01-11-2011, 10:13 PM

So my mac crashed reason being is my idiot brother smashed a remote control over it.

I restarted it because it froze and the grey screen showed up with the user folder flashing a ?

My best guess is the mac can't find my user folder or any kind of folder? I tried doing the initial start-up options but none work

I attached the mac to the other mac with a firewire but it won't even show my user folder

Worst comes to worst my user folder is gone and everything in it

So two questions:

1) What do you guys think the problem is and how do I solve it?

2) If all my files got erased thanks to my user folder being erased, how do I recover them if at all possible?

Answer ASAP please before I go to the mac store to ask them personally

Thank you

iggibar · iggibar #2 (**permalink**)

01-11-2011, 10:20 PM

Sounds like the harddrive got ruined.

pgo01 · pgo01 #3 (**permalink**)

01-11-2011, 10:32 PM

I'm doing a hardware test on it...

But if the harddrive got screwed up that means bye bye files??

pigoo3 · pigoo3 #4 (**permalink**)

01-11-2011, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pgo01

But if the harddrive got screwed up that means bye bye files??

If they're not backed up...pretty much yes.

- Nick

pgo01 · pgo01 #5 (**permalink**)

01-11-2011, 10:49 PM

Oh god...

Well I just finished the hardware test and it didn't say it had any problems

It says "Pass" across the board

MacDude121 · MacDude121 #6 (**permalink**)

01-11-2011, 11:01 PM

Hardware tests aren't 100% accurate. But if the test "saw" the Hard Drive, good news is that some of your files might be salvageable. Maybe.

Have you tried booting with your OS X CD?

pgo01 · pgo01 #7 (**permalink**)

01-12-2011, 12:29 AM

how exactly do i get my files back when I reboot?

I can re-install with the start-up disc but that would mean losing all my previous files in my user folder??

roflitskyle · roflitskyle #8 (**permalink**)

01-12-2011, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pgo01

how exactly do i get my files back when I reboot?

I can re-install with the start-up disc but that would mean losing all my previous files in my user folder??

Snow Leopard does a Archive and Install. When you install Snow Leopard it just replaces your current OS, not replacing any information.

pgo01 · pgo01 #9 (**permalink**)

01-12-2011, 03:03 AM

so you're saying i should get the snow leopard disk?

i have the tiger

rippingviper · rippingviper #10 (**permalink**)

01-12-2011, 03:40 AM

I think most people assume you have 10.6 . It should do the same thing with tiger so long as thats the current OS on the system.

pgo01 · pgo01 #11 (**permalink**)

01-13-2011, 01:09 AM

Okay, so when I reinstall the disc into my Mac all my previous files will still be somewhere?

roflitskyle · roflitskyle #12 (**permalink**)

01-13-2011, 01:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pgo01

Okay, so when I reinstall the disc into my Mac all my previous files will still be somewhere?

Correct.

iggibar #2 (permalink)
Member Since: Apr 20, 2009 Location: Up UP and awayyyy!!! Posts: 3,912 Mac Specs: MBP15" 240gb SSD+128gb SSD, PowerBook17, PowerMacG5, Phone4S 32gb, Phone4 32gb, Galaxy Note 2 80gb.	01-11-2011, 10:20 PM Sounds like the harddrive got ruined. Aut viam inveniam aut faciam
	QUOTE Thanks

rippingviper #10 (permalink)
Member Since: May 20, 2009 Location: Selkirk, Manitoba Posts: 264 Mac Specs: MacBook Air 13" , 21.5" iMac i5, White iPhone 4s 32gig, iPad 3 white 16 gig, i5 Mac Mini	01-12-2011, 03:40 AM I think most people assume you have 10.6 . It should do the same thing with tiger so long as thats the current OS on the system. Show some Love give Reputation Reputation FAQ
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pgo01 #1 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 11, 2011 Posts: 6	01-11-2011, 10:13 PM So my mac crashed reason being is my idiot brother smashed a remote control over it. I restarted it because it froze and the grey screen showed up with the user folder flashing a ? My best guess is the mac can't find my user folder or any kind of folder? I tried doing the initial start-up options but none work I attached the mac to the other mac with a firewire but it won't even show my user folder Worst comes to worst my user folder is gone and everything in it So two questions: 1) What do you guys think the problem is and how do I solve it? 2) If all my files got erased thanks to my user folder being erased, how do I recover them if at all possible? Answer ASAP please before I go to the mac store to ask them personally Thank you
	QUOTE Thanks

pgo01 #5 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 11, 2011 Posts: 6	01-11-2011, 10:49 PM Oh god... Well I just finished the hardware test and it didn't say it had any problems It says "Pass" across the board
	QUOTE Thanks

MacDude121 #6 (permalink)
Member Since: Sep 22, 2010 Posts: 1,385 Mac Specs: Black MacBook 2.2GHz C2D, 4GB Ram - iMac G4 700MHz, 512MB Ram	01-11-2011, 11:01 PM Hardware tests aren't 100% accurate. But if the test "saw" the Hard Drive, good news is that some of your files might be salvageable. Maybe. Have you tried booting with your OS X CD?
	QUOTE Thanks

pgo01 #7 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 11, 2011 Posts: 6	01-12-2011, 12:29 AM how exactly do i get my files back when I reboot? I can re-install with the start-up disc but that would mean losing all my previous files in my user folder??
	QUOTE Thanks

pgo01 #9 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 11, 2011 Posts: 6	01-12-2011, 03:03 AM so you're saying i should get the snow leopard disk? i have the tiger
	QUOTE Thanks

pgo01 #11 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 11, 2011 Posts: 6	01-13-2011, 01:09 AM Okay, so when I reinstall the disc into my Mac all my previous files will still be somewhere?
	QUOTE Thanks

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