After Monterey upgrade, all my files are gone!

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Level 1

4 points

After Monterey upgrade, all my files are gone!

I normally access my folders by clicking on the HD icon on my desktop. The only folders there after the Monterey upgrade are Applications, Library, System and Users. Major panic. Following others' comments I have looked in the bin and there's nothing there. Finally, I did a search on a folder I use regularly and have found everything.

If anyone else has this issue, look under Users/Shared/Relocated Items/Security/ and hopefully you'll find your life in there as I did. Bizarre. Phew.

Here's hoping I can just drag them back to where I want them.

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 12.5

Posted on Jul 26, 2022 2:45 AM

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Answer 1

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Luis Sequeira1

Level 9

65,150 points

Jul 26, 2022 3:21 AM in response to Just Lynn

What version of the OS did you upgrade from?

Where were those files before?

This seems to indicate that you used to have files at the top level of the drive, and not under your home folder.

That location is not allowed anymore (and with good reason), so an upgrade would do what you have seen.

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Answer 2

Just Lynn Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 26, 2022 3:16 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Bizarrely, all my files were under Users/Shared/Relocated Items/Security and not Users/[me]. I have copied them all into my own user folder (they copied instead of moved when I dragged them across). I am now going to delete the files in the Shared folder as that has filled up my hard drive with duplicating them. At least I have a time machine backup if things go terribly wrong.

I've never had an upgrade move all my files like this before.

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Answer 3

Just Lynn Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 26, 2022 3:26 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

I upgraded from the previous version. I did have all my files at the top level of the drive (for easy access). I have just seen (and read) a text file entitled "What are Relocated Items?" in the relocated items folder -- and you are right, that's exactly what happened.

Out of interest, why is it not allowed to have files at the top level of the drive anymore? Is that a security measure?

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Answer 4

Jul 26, 2022 3:40 AM in response to Just Lynn

Yes, it is a security measure.

Since Catalina, there are two separate volumes: one for the system files (by default called "Macintosh HD"), and one for user documents and applications ("Macintosh HD - Data"). This separation is more or less invisible for users: the Finder makes it look like there is still only one volume.

Since Big Sur, this has been tightened further: the system volume is sealed and always mounted read only.

This makes it so system files cannot be tampered with, and that is why not only you can't write there, but what was there before the upgrade was moved elsewhere.

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Answer 5

ku4hx

Level 7

23,502 points

Jul 26, 2022 3:41 AM in response to Just Lynn

To separate system from data. The default data folders are separate so you can upgrade, or reinstall the OS, without touching the user's data. This is by design; to put them anywhere else other than the default folders would have taken intentional user intervention.

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Answer 6

Jul 26, 2022 2:58 AM in response to Just Lynn

All your files are under you home folder, which is inside Users.

Just Command-N to open a new folder, and it will (probably) show you your home folder.

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After Monterey upgrade, all my files are gone!

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