Strange folder on desktop after Big Sur 11.3 update

Sorry, not correct: I just upgraded to 11.3.1 - and the file "group.system_default" is clearly from the system accounts.

OSX system accounts are grouped into security groups (hence the file is called group). Open with TextEdit.

It has nothing to do with cloud providers: (the first lines copied below)

##

# Group Database

#

# Note that this file is consulted directly only when the system is running

# in single-user mode. At other times this information is provided by

# Open Directory.

#

# See the opendirectoryd(8) man page for additional information about

# Open Directory.

##

nobody:*:-2:

nogroup:*:-1:

wheel:*:0:root

If it is irrelevant why is the folder being created and to what end?

Just because it is not relevant to you doesn't mean it is irrelevant to all. Apple has no idea how you use your Mac, and I'm sure they received lots of complaints from people when they started overwriting config files.

You should probably provide feedback to Apple to ask them to either provide some sort of "opt out" setting or stop putting the alias on your Desktop. If they just didn't put the alias on your Desktop, you would probably never know about the Relocated Items folder.

I just wish that they would stop causing problems and leaving us to deal with them, instead of testing things properly and releasing them without bugs.

I haven't noticed any bugs.

In the history of OSX's there has not been this particular issue before Big Sur that I can remember.

Except every other OS Upgrade and Update. There are always things people don't like.

It has never happened before in any OSX having Relocation files on the dektop so, if one has not done anything different why do we have to have the folder appearing on the desktop to create confusion?

Apple need to take ownership for what they do, rather than its customers trying to figure out why features have disappeared or, as in this case, new files appear on the desktop after an update with no explanation.

Apple need to take ownership for what they do, rather than its customers trying to figure out why features have disappeared or, as in this case, new files appear on the desktop after an update with no explanation.

They have taken ownership of the issue. They alter config files during an update and the notify the user what they changed. Whether you care or not really isn't the point. Just ignore them.

Nowhere can I open anything that tells me what these "modifications" or "customizations" were. Nothing at all. So how on earth could anyone compare, restore or see what the Apple supplied version of whatever file would look like? It appears to be junk if you all are deleting with no apparent repercussion. But thanks for giving slightly more info with your post.

I don’t think we will get anywhere with this as, the Apple diehards will defend Apple’s ability to create problems, never explain anything and use their customers as free labour whatever Apple throw at us 😀

Nowhere can I open anything that tells me what these "modifications" or "customizations" were.

If you had made them, you would know. If you don't see anything you modified, ignore them and delete the folder.

The previous answers do not help. I have no PDF and when I CTRL+Click to open the Show Original, a Shared folder appears with Adobe and Relocated Items.

This is a brand new MacBook and has no modifications. The only install I have is Adobe PhotoShop, but no cloud sharing/cloud permissions or other configurations were made during that installation.

The standard Apple Support answer is a description of a root cause, not a resolution or remediation. If the folder/purpose is meaningless, then Apple should have deleted it during the OS update. If the folder/purpose does in fact have a meaning, then a PDF with instructions should be included in *every* Relocated Items folder.

If the folder/purpose does in fact have a meaning, then a PDF with instructions should be included in *every* Relocated Items folder.

The folder probably only has meaning to about 1% of the users. If it has no meaning to you, ignore it or delete it.

Apple would have no idea whether it has meaning to your or not. Only the user who had made changes would know that they made changes.

We keep coming back to the same point. If we never had these folders appearing before Big Sur then surely this is a case of Apple saying , “Oh there’s nothing wrong let’s create a problem.”

If you are putting out a new operating system as a company and put a folder on the desktop and repeat that with every update with absolutely no explanation, then one has to question the lack of common sense at Apple 😀

Of course, that is obvious. Would you like everyone to just roll over and live with the lack of explanation by Apple every time that they remove a much loved feature or, add something, always without an explanation?

The Relocation folder is akin to having a warning light on your car dashboard that does not feature anywhere you look. It is irresponsible.

At least by members conversing there is some explanation. However, It would be better if Apple took that responsibility for itself.

then surely this is a case of Apple saying , “Oh there’s nothing wrong let’s create a problem.”

There was a problem, you were just not aware of it because you don't alter the configuration files.

For those that run websites, tweak the SMB configuration, or various other things, having those config files just deleted was a problem. Now, Apple moves the changed files out of the way so you can have a reference of what you changed.

You never did any of that, so you are completely unaware that it was a problem.

At least by members conversing there is some explanation. However, It would be better if Apple took that responsibility for itself.

They did. The explanation is in the PDF in the folder. I can't understand why that isn't clear. Seemed completely obvious the first time I read through it.

Why should millions of Mac users have to read a PDF file. to make up for Apple's shortcomings? Customers are not free labour and should not be seen as such. They are interfering with information that their users have on their Mac's, iPads etc., so it is Apple creating the problem.

I love my iMac, but the defensiveness of Apple and the lack of working with what people use on their Mac's is not helpful. Justification is not the right answer, it's just the mechanism that is used by all and sundry to avoid dealing with anything :)