Mobileme local disk/directory vanished from my local hard drive after latest Mac software update

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Mobileme local disk/directory vanished from my local hard drive after latest Mac software update

I know that Mobileme is long gone from the cloud. However I continued to use the folder I originally created on my hard drive that I used to synchornise the mobileme files with. I continued adding new files to this folder on my local hard drive for new files, knowing that they would no longer synchronise with the former mobileme account in the cloud.

This was no problem until today. I just found the folder a convenient place to keep the files. Actually it was not technically a folder. Rather it appeared as a separate drive, which was created at the time of creating the mobileme account.

Today I accepted one of the regular Apple updates to my MAC, to Mac OSX version 10.7.4.

Suddenly when I restart my computer the mobileme drive with all my files has vanished.

None of my programs can find the files that were formerly in it.

I have checked using file finder, and Alfred to see if the drive/folder is anywhere else, but they don't find it. I have checked in the deleted items and its not there either.

Could Apple have deleted the local Mobileme drive as part of the latest upgrade?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.4), Missing my local mobileme disk

Posted on Sep 19, 2012 1:51 AM

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Answer 1

Sep 19, 2012 2:03 AM in response to trickyt2

The mounted local iDisk will have been removed, but the disk image from which it is formed should still be there in (user)/Library/FileSync - look for a file with the .sparesbundle extension: you should be able to open that and retrieve your files. You should move them somewhere else and not continue to use this image.

Apple have hidden the user’s Library folder in Lion to casual viewers, in an attempt to stop new Mac users messing their machines up. To access it, in the Finder go to the ‘Go’ menu and hold down the Option (Alt) key; the Library folder will appear as a choice.

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Answer 2

trickyt2 Author

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Sep 19, 2012 2:22 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

Dear Roger,

Fantastic answer. It solved the problem. The only thing you forgot to mention is that I have to right click on the file and select "Open with - DiskImageMounter.App".

I have done that and now my mobileme hard disk looks just like it did before.

You said I should not continue to use this image. Can you elaborate please? I guess you are saying I should create a new virtual disk to replace the previous mobileme local drive. How do I do this?

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Answer 3

Sep 19, 2012 2:25 AM in response to trickyt2

Double-clicking it should work, but sometimes it doesn't.

I shouldn't go on using it - for all you know the next update might remove it as redundant, and there have been reports of it getting corrupted.

Why make a disk image? Just create a folder. You can place it anywhere convenient and make an alias to go on your Desktop.

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Answer 4

trickyt2 Author

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Sep 19, 2012 2:43 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

I agree, I shouldn't go on using the old mobileme disk as it could get removed again.

I wanted to make a disk image because it is quicker to save files there rather than having to Navigate to Macintosh HD/users/user/documents.

Its sounds like making an Alias helps. I had never heard of making an Alias before. So now I have moved the contents of my diskimage to my documents folder. I have created an Alias for that on my desktop.

This certainly makes accessing an old file quick and easy.

Problem solved!!

Manythanks

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Answer 5

Sep 19, 2012 3:27 AM in response to trickyt2

Your Documents folder may already be in your Dock anyway - if not you can just drag it there (it's effectively an alias):

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Answer 6

trickyt2 Author

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Sep 23, 2012 10:15 PM in response to Roger Wilmut1

That's another great tip that I didn't know!

Having experimented a little I can confirm that Apple automatically "deletes" the old MobileMe folder every time the computer re-starts, so this will certainly upset those who don't find this topic.

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Answer 7

Sep 23, 2012 11:36 PM in response to trickyt2

trickyt2 wrote:

Having experimented a little I can confirm that Apple automatically "deletes" the old MobileMe folder every time the computer re-starts

This is true of any mounted disk image.

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Answer 8

trickyt2 Author

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Oct 10, 2012 2:52 PM in response to Roger Wilmut1

Dear Roger,

Thank you so much for your answer. It is really useful. However I am strill in the land of the the eternal loop.

Actually, I think I am brain dead. I still have my old "recovered" mobileme direcrtorey that I have to restore from the users/libarary/filesynch location every time I restart my mac. Its not a big deal to keep retrieving my moble me foldeer but I think you suggested two solutions 1) rename and 2) put it on the desktop. By the way I keep saving new files to the mobileme folder. God knows if it will work.

I think I followed one of your suggestions to stop the auti delete but I can't figure it out. (I'm not a dumb blond), I'm just a novice.

I am really confused as I don't know what is best or how to proceed. Can you provide a complete idiots guide as to which is best AND the exact steps needed to do it?

All I want is for my old mobileme folder to stop vanishing. (sorry I think folder is the wrong word.) I guess its a virtual disk or somethzng loike that,

Cheers

SWo what steps shoiuld I take afteer recovering the mobileme folder?

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Answer 9

Oct 10, 2012 3:16 PM in response to trickyt2

By the way I keep saving new files to the mobileme folder

You should stop doing this before something goes wrong. Also you can't stop it unmounting every time you reboot - that's the nature of disk image.

Create a folder anywhere convenient. Copy the contents of the disk image to it. You can create an alias as I suggested. Get rid of the disk image.

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