OMG! New Mac Owner Needs Help ASAP!!!!

I bought the IMac 24 about 6 months ago with no problems whatsoever. I really like this machine. I had moved some icons including the Macintosh HD Icon. I had asked the machine to hide all the icons (except the Dock).

Well the software update came on. I told it to update. The machine rebooted and when it came back on it was like I bought the computer from the store. The desktop image was gone. Some programs I had installed like Mac Instant Messenger, etc...were gone. I still have all my pictures, but can't find any of my text documents. All my "favorites" were gone. My dashboard Widgets are all gone and back to factory stock ones. Even my router information which now, I can't open the secure network to add my laptop that just came back from the shop.

It seems like it did almost a complete restore, but I know it didn't because it has some of the things I installed on it.

I know Microsoft has a system restore that you can go back a certain amount of days to when the computer ran the best. Can you do that with a IMac? I know the stuff is here somewhere, I just don't know where.

Heck, I would be willing to call someone for tech support. I am in the military (23 years Air Force) stationed in Japan and its hard finding Apple support here.

Please Help!!!!!! I have a buisiness that I run and all my documents are gone somewhere or hidden on this harddrive somewhere.

Honestly sounds like you renamed your Home folder, is that possible? That would cause a weird set of permissions problems that match your description.

I did rename a folder...is there anyway to reverse it? I am not sure which one I did...

Wait! Don't panic yet! I am talking specifically the name of your Home directory. In the Users folder it is the one with the cute little house icon. Even though you can rename that folder: Thou Shalt Not. Period. Bad things happen. Is that the folder you renamed?
There are other folders that shouldn't be renamed in your User folder (Applications, Library, Documents, etc.) Beyond those, you can name and rename all kinds of other folders. The one that I am concerned about in your case is your User folder.

I might of just did that. But, it is back to the name it was before. So I guess I am basically freaking screwed. Guess there is not system restore a few days back like in Windows. Fudge!

Fudge

Click to expand...

i like the vanilla kind

Man, I hope you guys can help.

Here ya go.... this should get you back on track:

D3v1L80Y said:

Read this:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106824

and this:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107854

Click to expand...

OK...from the bottom link:

Mac OS X 10.3, 10.4 or later: Return to default desktop, apparent "loss" of home directory
In Mac OS X 10.3, 10.4 or later you can rename your home directory without the safeguard of entering your password (authentication). If you do this, your home directory contents and preferences will appear to be lost the next time you log in. Applications use default preferences, and your home directory subfolders (Documents, Pictures, and so forth) are empty.

This issue affects Mac OS X 10.3 or later.

When an "admin" user renames his home directory, a new, empty home directory will be created the next time the affected user logs in. Though the original home directory is not being used, it is still present. This may create the false impression that the home directory is lost.

Note: For technical reasons, it is best not to intentionally change the name of a home directory unless absolutely necessary.

Before you assume that the home directory contents were actually lost, check the /Users folder to see if the missing home directory is present and simply renamed.

If you determine that the home directory is present but renamed, follow these steps:
In the Finder, go to the /Users folder.
Locate the new home directory, which bears the users' short name.
Add "_new" to the new home directory's name.
Rename the old home directory to the user's correct short name.
Log out and back in with the affected user account.


I see the little house with my name on it.
Next to that is a folder that I renamed "my documents"
In that folder is all my lost stuff
I can't rename this folder with the "_New" to the home directories name. I don't see a option to do this.

Man, I would be willing to call someone long distance to walk me through this. Being in the military and far away from home (Japan)...hard to do this on my own and I don't want to screw it up anymore.