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Veltliner · Oct 5, 2008, 01:53 PM

When I shut down my 24" white iMac yesterday, everything was OK. No crash, nothing.

When I started it up today, every single folder on my desktop was gone. The desktop was completely empty, showing only the Final Draft CD in the Superdrive and the hard disk.

The finder did not show any file on the desktop, either.

When I serached for my most recently used file in the finder's search function, it was there (and all the other files). I could even open it.

But still, nothing on my desktop.

I wonder what happened, and how I could repair all this? Is there directory damage that I could fix with DiscWarrior?

Thanks!

Cold Warrior · Oct 5, 2008, 02:01 PM

Take a look at the first entry here to see if this could be your issue.

Veltliner · Oct 5, 2008, 02:08 PM

I forgot to mention I am still using Tiger!

My home folder has not been doubled. There is still only one home folder. And it has still the same name.

So, could it be the cache that's bad?

seanc · Oct 5, 2008, 02:20 PM

Does Spotlight tell you where the files are that you can open? Are they still showing their path as being on the desktop?
Sounds like they have gotten set to hidden by accident.

Veltliner · Oct 5, 2008, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by seanc

Does Spotlight tell you where the files are that you can open? Are they still showing their path as being on the desktop?
Sounds like they have gotten set to hidden by accident.

They show up in Spotlight, and in the finder they show up on their desktop location.

How can I set them back to "show yourself"?

seanc · Oct 5, 2008, 02:33 PM

Download Onyx.

Go to Parameters, Finder, Check "Show hidden files and folders".

Then see whether they re-appear.

Veltliner · Oct 5, 2008, 02:38 PM

Thanks.

I found Onyx for Tiger.

http://www.download.com/OnyX-Tiger-/...-10870637.html

But:

I have disc warrior.

Wouldn't it be a good idea to run this first?

Or can't DiscWarrior help in this matter?

seanc · Oct 5, 2008, 02:40 PM

I was wondering if it might be worthwhile running Disk Utility, but since you have Disk Warrior, give that a go.

Veltliner · Oct 5, 2008, 02:45 PM

I'll do that and post feedback afterwards.

Veltliner · Oct 5, 2008, 03:35 PM

I ran DiscWarrior.

DiscWarrior found directory damage to 89 folders and 212 files.

As I still could not see any of the missing icons/files on the desktop (still empty), I did NOT replace the directory and cancelled the rebuilding.

Then I followed the path to the still existing files.

WHAT HAPPENED: the whole desktop folder is in a pictures folder. That's a shoot I did a few days ago, and while working on that shoot I had a crash of Canon DPP which wiped out a lot of work. Reason: using a tablet I struck the tablet by accident, and DPP crashed. After that, the desktop was still OK. So I don't know what exactly happened.

HOW do I get my desktop folder out of that pictures folder?

I mean, I have now TWO desktop folders. The one, that is empty, and the one, that contains all the files.

Can I just move it to the home folder, and it will replace the empty desktop folder?

Having two desktop folders kind of raises alarm bells in me. As far as I know, the desktop folder is special and not to be messed with.

So, what should I do?

Advice appreciated!

seanc · Oct 5, 2008, 03:38 PM

It should work fine if you just move it back to the home folder & overwrite the old one. I suspect that because the Desktop folder disappeared, the OS created a new one, like it would do if you moved your home folder.

Cold Warrior · Oct 5, 2008, 03:40 PM

You could also move the contents of the old desktop folder to the new one if you are concerned about replacing the entire desktop folder.

Veltliner · Oct 5, 2008, 03:44 PM

Originally Posted by Cold Warrior

You could also move the contents of the old desktop folder to the new one if you are concerned about replacing the entire desktop folder.

And then, after moving the content, I'd delete the misplaced desktop folder, which is now sitting among RAW images in a folder in the pictures folder?

Will that work?

(Don't know why I'm so sensitive with desktop folders. Maybe I once read a desktop folder horror story on MacNN

)

Cold Warrior · Oct 5, 2008, 03:54 PM

Originally Posted by Veltliner

And then, after moving the content, I'd delete the misplaced desktop folder, which is now sitting among RAW images in a folder in the pictures folder?

Will that work?

(Don't know why I'm so sensitive with desktop folders. Maybe I once read a desktop folder horror story on MacNN

)

I don't see why not. At this point that desktop folder is just any other folder inside the pictures folder. The OS recreated it (hence your current, empty one).

Veltliner · Oct 5, 2008, 04:13 PM

Thanks, Cold Warrior and seanc.

Everything's back to normal!

No data lost!

(sigh of relief)