HELP! I lost my user accounts... nothing works

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HELP! I lost my user accounts... nothing works

I purchased a external hard drive to help me create space on my iMac G4 with a 40GB hard drive. I called the local Apple store to make sure I didn't move anything over that would mess everything up. They said I could move my user accounts over, so I did. Apparently that was not true, and in doing so I pretty much lost everything. The only thing I can do is open itunes, my dashboard, and my calender. Nothing else in my dock will open, and my HD and external HD disappeared from my desk top.

The apple store said I need to recreate my user accounts. I do not want to pay them the $ to do it if this is something I can do.

Please help! Thank you,

Tyler

iMac G4, 700mhz, upgraded to 775mb ram, 40gb HD

Posted on Oct 8, 2008 8:08 AM

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Answer 1

a brody

Level 10

82,941 points

Oct 8, 2008 8:19 AM in response to t.e.r.

Welcome to Apple Discussions!

This article may help you:

http://www.info.apple.com/kbnum/n107854

I would also indicate to the Apple store you asked them directions, and obviously they weren't clear in them. Better advice would have been to get a larger internal hard drive in your machine or learn how to keep your disk from getting too full*:

http://www.macmaps.com/diskfull.html

Also always backup your data before attempting any major wholesale moves like this*:

http://www.macmaps.com/backup.html

Instructions there may help recover your data or locate where they are stored.

- * Links to my pages may give me compensation.

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Answer 2

t.e.r. Author

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Oct 14, 2008 2:58 PM in response to a brody

Okay. So in reading the instructions in your first link, the first thing it says to do is go to your user file etc.... Here's where the main problem lies. I can't access anything. My Apple icon in the top left of my screen won't even do anything. My external and internal hard drive have disappeared from my desktop.

I think I could figure out how to create a new user if I could at least get into my user's file. But I can't.

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Answer 3

a brody

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82,941 points

Oct 14, 2008 4:22 PM in response to t.e.r.

Note my other instructions in the backup FAQ about recovery. You need a Firewire external hard drive at least as big as your internal hard drive, and a data recovery program. That will allow you to extract data by booting off CD with the startup manager, which is all described in my backup FAQ.

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Answer 4

t.e.r. Author

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Oct 14, 2008 6:01 PM in response to a brody

So my USB external wont work? Bummer.

Can I download a recovery program? Or do I need to purchase one?

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Answer 5

a brody

Level 10

82,941 points

Oct 14, 2008 7:15 PM in response to t.e.r.

You need to purchase a data recovery program.
A USB external hard drive is not PowerPC Mac OS X bootable. You can replace the external hard drive case with a Firewire one by http://www.macsales.com/ or http://www.cooldrives.com/ to get the ability to boot from that hard drive.

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Answer 6

t.e.r. Author

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Oct 14, 2008 9:05 PM in response to a brody

Wow. This is beginning to sound expensive. I might be better off just paying Mac Life to fix it...

So in reading the instructions I decided to try to the first thing you had listed in the recovery. That being shutting down, and rebooting holding command (s). So I did that, and a panic screen pulled up. But it won't let me do do anything:-/

Also, are G4's capable of running leopard?

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Answer 7

Oct 15, 2008 1:11 AM in response to t.e.r.

Hi,

Minimum requirements for Leopard here: http://www.apple.com/macosx/techspecs/

Carolyn 🙂

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Answer 8

a brody

Level 10

82,941 points

Oct 15, 2008 4:39 AM in response to t.e.r.

The fact it won't even boot into single user mode says to me there is serious directory damage, and/or hardware issues. An installation of Leopard will NOT fix it.

Stop trying to access the drive until you can perform a data recovery, unless you wish to risk your data.

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Answer 9

t.e.r. Author

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Oct 15, 2008 6:54 AM in response to a brody

Well. All of my data is on my external. So if I could reinstall a operator system, or if I could create a user account, wouldn't I be able to transfer all my data back from the external?

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Answer 10

a brody

Level 10

82,941 points

Oct 15, 2008 7:06 AM in response to t.e.r.

1. Replace the clock battery if it hasn't been in the last 4 years.
- if this doesn't fix it, proceed to step 2.

2. Replace the internal hard drive with ATA/100 120 GB hard drive or smaller. Ask for old hard drive so you can attempt any recovery or reuse it if necessary by inserting it in an external hard drive case.

3. Install operating system on new internal hard drive with nothing attached but keyboard and mouse. If you need access to Mac OS 9 booting, be sure to format the drivers for Mac OS 9 using these instructions first:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=75275 Use the system that either came with the machine, or newer retail version. Your Mac will NOT run Leopard, that is in your profile. Only the iMac Mac OS 9.2.2 discs will install 9 on your Mac.

Tiger retail looks like

*
Panther retail looks like

*
Jaguar retail looks like

*

Then you can restore your data to your computer from your external hard drive.

If during the installation process you get a four language you must restart error, it says either the RAM or the logicboard is damaged and needs replacing.

- * Links to my pages may give me compensation.

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Answer 11

t.e.r. Author

Level 1

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Oct 15, 2008 9:26 AM in response to a brody

You'll have to forgive me. I am new to macs.

How do I go about changing the clock battery? And what does one of those cost?

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Answer 12

a brody

Level 10

82,941 points

Oct 15, 2008 9:41 AM in response to t.e.r.

The Clock battery on an iMac G4 is normally not a user accessible part. It might cost about $80 to $150 depending on the nature of the installation at an authorized service center.

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Answer 13

t.e.r. Author

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Oct 15, 2008 9:44 AM in response to t.e.r.

So I called Mac life. They said that I didn't do anything wrong. The users should have copied, not disappeared. They think my internal HD just went bad. They quoted me 200-300$ to put a new hard drive in it, reinstall the operating system, and get my data back. I paid less than that for the computer.

Thanks for your help, but I think I'm done. I know the hard drive you suggested I get is only 50$ on ebay, but I don't know that I have the know how to fix it.

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Answer 14

t.e.r. Author

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Oct 15, 2008 10:05 AM in response to t.e.r.

Oh, and beyond that, even if I COULD replace the hard drive myself, I would still need to purchase Tiger, which is another 50-100$.

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Answer 15

a brody

Level 10

82,941 points

Oct 15, 2008 10:33 AM in response to t.e.r.

At that rate you might as well buy a used or refurbished iMac G4 800 Superdrive, or 700 Mhz model if Mac OS 9 booting is important to you. Otherwise a later iMac G4 that is 1 Ghz or better is probably not hard to come by for the same price. And they might even sell it to you with Tiger. If you get a 1 Ghz or higher, you'll be able to buy Leopard too!

See my FAQs on what you need*:

http://www.macmaps.com/macosxnative.html
http://www.macmaps.com/usedrefurbished.html

At least you'll be able to recover from your external hard drive any data you need.

Replacing the hard drive yourself is a tough job because you have to adjust so many nuts on the arm and make sure the cables fit back in the arm without damaging them, and make sure the cooling gel and pads are applied correctly. The nut adjustment requires a special tool usually only found at authorized service centers. Never heard of Mac life. Not that you couldn't with instructions from either http://www.ifixit.com/ or http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/ it really depends on your skill level.

- * Links to my pages may give me compensation.

Message was edited by: a brody

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