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Mac heads ____ HELP

asprinasprin 1,765 Posts
edited November 2005 in Strut Central
What are my chances of recovering old user files after doing a clean install of a new OS? Not really a life and death thing but it would make like a little easier for me in the next few days. Seems like I'll end up losing some emails, bookmarks etc. if I can't do it. Help is appreciated.

  Comments

  • DWGDWG 334 Posts
    Usually, I make an archive of all my preferences and various settings that are in the 'Library' folder. Then after the install, you just put them back where they belong.
    If you have already done the install and are now looking to recover files, you'll need to enlist the help of something like Norton Disk Doctor, I believe. Your data is unlikely to have been written over completely, but it might not be easy to recover (and will probably take a while too).

    That probably doesn't help at all... sorry!
  • idiotproofidiotproof 880 Posts
    I'd advise staying well clear of Nortons... Sometimes does more harm than good.

    But yeah if you re-install MAC OS X or whatever it won't damage your existing files. So don't panic.
    Re-Install away. I did it about 2 months ago.
    And yes making a folder with your preferences is a good idea. Just in case. Our memories always fail to recall what it was we had our programs configured to.

    On your actualI install Disk 1, there is a repair program that will help you sort out some problems.
    but seldom needed for Macs. Unles syou ahve bogus software stirring up trouble. Naturally I can't seem to locate mine right now... Nor can I recall what it's actually called.

    But doesn't look like you need it anyway. So ignore that last sentence...
  • asprinasprin 1,765 Posts
    Here's the situation. I was updating my OS and that was all good and gravy. Once the update finished up, I restared and keep getting a white sceen with some text and it'd ask to either type in 'mac-boot' or 'shut-down'... After this happened a few times I had the bright idea of doing a clean install. Since my personal applications (firefox, photoshop, illustrator etc.) are on a different partition, I didn't even think twice about doing the clean install. Once it was wrapped up, I started to wonder if my preferences were with the applications or under the 'user' folder. Ofcourse they're under the 'user' folder and now they've gone bye bye. I looked on the instalation disc for a recovery program but all I came across was Disc Utilities and that isn't doing the job. Maybe I'll have to start from scratch.
  • DubiousDubious 1,865 Posts
    uhhhh the clesan install.. yeah shit is gone... you'd have ot run a file recovery program and even then i wouldnt get you're hopes up.

    i had a great deal of trouble getting tiger on my imac multiple attempts, loads of scary black screens with white text saying PANIC and shit.. i was tempted ot do a clean install but I eventually got it on... all the old user settings were imported automatically.

  • DK_EssenceDK_Essence 189 Posts
    well... you can try several recovery progs but to be honest: i dont think you'll get your prefs back...
  • asprinasprin 1,765 Posts
    http://www.prosofteng.com/products/data_rescue.php

    I'm thinking of giving this a shot and seeing what happens. Thank for the help.
  • white_teawhite_tea 3,262 Posts
    If it makes you feel any better, I once dropped my Powerbook on the fucking tile floor and basically killed the entire hard drive, and the months of Word documents, pictures, music and porno that went with it. Then, I was foolhardy enough to drop the $1,000 it took to repair the whole laptop, hard drive, shell, CD drive, optical drive and whatever else that needed the fix. It was a heartbreaker. Moral of the story: If you are stupid enough to check your e-mail while sitting on the toilet, make sure you put that laptop all the way back on the sink before you stand up.

    I hope this personal strife makes you feel better about your own loss.
  • DubiousDubious 1,865 Posts
    toilets and computers were never meant to go together
  • silvertonesilvertone 765 Posts
    Asper:
    I think you are SOL on that one. I would suggest Tech Tool Pro 4, it is pretty much what any tech is using for drive/data recovery, after that, a zero index and re-install of your programs, which is always a pain in the azz. PS: you need CS2 photoshop/illustrator... the trace features are KILLER, that alone makes it worth the clean up. Get at me on the PM if you need.


  • asprinasprin 1,765 Posts
    WOW...who knew! I'll be sure to learn from your mistake...I guess.
  • Pistol_PetePistol_Pete 1,289 Posts
    here's a mac question. I'm about to buy a new G4 iBook 14" w/ 1.42 GHZ. Will I be able to run Serato and Ableton off of it without latency issues?

    thanks
  • AserAser 2,351 Posts
    sounds like you were in open firmware. All you had to do was type "exit" and press return, then you would've been back to the normal bootup sequence.

    Next time don't freak out if it happens again, you didn't need to do a clean install at all. Alas this info is coming a bit too late, sorry.

    I would give data rescue a shot, it has worked for me in the past.
  • asprinasprin 1,765 Posts
    Ahhh...where were you when I needed you....

    Thanks for the heads up.
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