my user settings are gone

A couple weeks ago, I turned on my laptop and all of my user settings were gone. I still had files on my desktop but all my user settings were gone... dock was set back to default. All the programs I had on my dock were gone. Every time I launched an application, it was like I was launching it for the first time. All my emails were gone in Mail too. Unfortunately, I didn't have a back up (shame on me) so had to start over. Then last week something really weird happened. I was typing an email using Gmail on Firefox and all the sudden the cursor would jump, highlight a bunch of text, and then delete it. Matter of fact it is doing it now as I type this. I know it's said Mac's rarely get a virus and I don't have any anti virus software installed. Does any one have any idea what could be causing this? I have not installed anything lately. The only thing I have done is gone on Myspace to check my son's Myspace page. It could be coincidence that it started happening after I went on Myspace but who knows.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

BTW I am running 10.4.11

Jaegergirl said:

A couple weeks ago, I turned on my laptop and all of my user settings were gone. I still had files on my desktop but all my user settings were gone... dock was set back to default. All the programs I had on my dock were gone. Every time I launched an application, it was like I was launching it for the first time. All my emails were gone in Mail too. Unfortunately, I didn't have a back up (shame on me) so had to start over.

Click to expand...

You probably renamed your home folder. That will do exactly what you just described. Fortunately, it's easy to recover from.

Then last week something really weird happened. I was typing an email using Gmail on Firefox and all the sudden the cursor would jump, highlight a bunch of text, and then delete it. Matter of fact it is doing it now as I type this.

Click to expand...

By any chance, do you use any Bluetooth devices (like a keyboard or mouse). I've had this happen when I accidentally left my mouse turned on inside my laptop bag.

I know it's said Mac's rarely get a virus and I don't have any anti virus software installed.

Click to expand...

Just to clarify - it's not that Macs rarely get viruses, there literally are no viruses for Mac OS X, period. No one has successfully released a virus into the wild, period.

There are trojans, but trojans are not the same thing as viruses. They must be purposely installed by the user, whereas a virus is transmitted without the user's knowledge and self-replicates to other computers.

Does any one have any idea what could be causing this? I have not installed anything lately. The only thing I have done is gone on Myspace to check my son's Myspace page. It could be coincidence that it started happening after I went on Myspace but who knows.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

BTW I am running 10.4.11

Click to expand...

It's unlikely that you have a virus. There are a handful of trojans, as I mentioned. But as long as you haven't been downloading programs from unknown sources and installing them without giving any thought to what harm they might do, you should be fine.

This ISN'T a dig but it prompts this reaction from me and shows what a state the 'Windows' environment has fostered.

It seems that so many of us won't be happy until there's a virus for Macs?

Why is this? Do we feel left out? I for one, am delighted there are no viruses yet (long may that continue).

brianwmay said:

This ISN'T a dig but it prompts this reaction from me and shows what a state the 'Windows' environment has fostered.

It seems that so many of us won't be happy until there's a virus for Macs?

Why is this? Do we feel left out? I for one, am delighted there are no viruses yet (long may that continue).

Click to expand...

It's just become an expected part of using a computer. Long-time Windows users just expect that when something is awry they must have caught a "virus". In my experience it's much more common to see a Spyware/Adware infestation than an actual virus on a Windows machine these days, but still the average user believes that anything that is an undesirable falls under the classification of "virus".

Regarding my home folder, I did not rename it. I will take a look at the link you sent me and see if it helps.

Regarding a blue tooth device, I do not have one. I have a mouse but is its USB. What's odd is sometimes everything is fine (like right now) but other times the crazy cursor moving deleting action happens. I cannot pinpoint a particular time it happens. And I also noticed it was doing it this afternoon when I was using Microsoft Word.

I will have to go think about if there is anything I have downloaded. Nothing comes to mind though. I'm usually pretty careful about that.

Regarding my suggestion of a virus, my husband is a Director of IT and is a total PC head. He does is the one who suggested it. Trust me, I will be completely content if Macs never get viruses.

I forgot to ask.. if there is a trojan on my laptop, what is the best course of action to get rid of it. Suggested programs?

Thanks.