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goldideas
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Q: Changed home name lost all data

Has anyone experienced this? I changed my home name (has first and last name, took out last), was on the internet, and then lost everything. Any programs I opened wanted me to register. I restarted, and now everything is gone, but it is in the original home name (first and last). I'm a college student and in a huge panic as all of my essays are on my computer, and not backed up. Not to mention my photos and other things...

What can I do to bring everything back?

Please help!!!

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.3.8)

Posted on Nov 8, 2006 11:25 PM

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goldideas

Q: Changed home name lost all data

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Niel,

    Niel Niel Nov 8, 2006 11:44 PM in response to goldideas
    Level 10 (314,422 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 8, 2006 11:44 PM in response to goldideas
    Open the Users folder in the Finder and rename the item with the house icon to tempfolder, and then rename the folder with your files to the former name of the folder with the house icon. Log out and back in to restore your data.

    To change the name of your home folder successfully, you need to update the home property for your user account in the NetInfo Manager, which is located in the /Applications/Utilities/ folder, or create a symbolic link which tells Mac OS X where to find your home folder, or use this tool to change your account's short name.

    (17608)

  • by goldideas,

    goldideas goldideas Nov 8, 2006 11:48 PM in response to Niel
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 8, 2006 11:48 PM in response to Niel
    rename it to tempfolder and then to the original name, the same house icon?

  • by goldideas,

    goldideas goldideas Nov 8, 2006 11:51 PM in response to Niel
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 8, 2006 11:51 PM in response to Niel
    it says the name is already taken

  • by Niel,

    Niel Niel Nov 8, 2006 11:54 PM in response to goldideas
    Level 10 (314,422 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 8, 2006 11:54 PM in response to goldideas
    Open the NetInfo Manager in the /Applications/Utilities/ folder and change the instance of the old name to the new one in the home property of your user account. Do not alter or delete anything else, including the name property of your account; the name property of your account needs to be in the list of members of the admin group for your account to have administrator access to the machine, and it is possible to end up with no administrator accounts on the computer.

    (17609)

  • by goldideas,

    goldideas goldideas Nov 9, 2006 12:06 AM in response to Niel
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 9, 2006 12:06 AM in response to Niel
    You're awesome! Thanks a million!