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braiiins · May 12, 2007, 02:15 PM

I rebooted my Macbook, and, upon logging in, all of the settings seem to have reset themselves. My icons are still set, and my files are all still there, but login items are reset, some programs have reappeared in my dock, my wallpaper is back to default, mouse settings are back to default. I'm really freaking p.o.'d and don't know what happened or why.

All I did before rebooting was open iTunes (although I did find it odd that it wanted me to go through setup again...).

Help!

analogika · May 12, 2007, 02:40 PM

Your hard disk is full.

If the disk runs full (you DO get a warning), applications can no longer save their settings and will recreate their default settings the next time they are run - you see the default Dock, the default desktop (Finder is responsible for that), iTunes first setup, etc.

See to it that you always have about 10% free space and NEVER less than 1-2GB.

braiiins · May 12, 2007, 02:50 PM

Actually, it's not. I have a ton of space... just got this computer last month.

I found out what happened. Didn't realize I couldn't manually change the name of the home directory.

Is there a way to get everything back without doing it manually? I didn't think it would be a problem, but then I noticed all my program prefs are gone, too, including my browser bookmarks...

braiiins · May 12, 2007, 03:37 PM

I figured it out. Found the article on Apple's website for how to fix it! Posting link in case anyone else has an idiot moment like I did.

analogika · May 12, 2007, 05:25 PM

Ah! Possibility Number 2, and that's REALLY something Apple MUST warn users about when they try to change it.

I'd ruled that out because you said all your files were still there.

If you keep all your documents in the home directory, where they ought to be, you shouldn't have been able to see them.

I take it you mean the stuff on the hard drive itself, so my bad - I misunderstood.

mollywood · May 21, 2007, 11:16 PM

When I restarted my computer, all my settings were back to default, but i still have everything I had before.
When I try to change my background, it wont let me. I click on a background, and the default stays the same.
Can someone please give me a guide to fix this? I've tried to go to that apple help thing about this , and how I might've renamed my User folder?
I'm so confused by the instructions.
HELP!

analogika · May 22, 2007, 05:43 PM

What do you mean you "have everything"?

Does that mean that all your documents are still there? where? on your desktop? on the top level of the hard drive?

Have you "cleaned up" your hard drive in any way?

do you have a decent Apple store nearby where you can take your machine and show it to a knowledgeable and hopefully friendly person? It's kind of hard to diagnose what might have happened from across the world.

mollywood · Jun 4, 2007, 10:42 AM

ok lets try this again
from that apple website up there thats helping with this problem it says to go to the users folder and then locate the new home directory
i screenshot this page and this is what it looks like, just a folder that says default? im new to macs, so where do i locate the new home directory thing
im so confused!
screenshot
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...sersfolder.jpg

mollywood · Jun 4, 2007, 10:43 AM

notice my ugly background that i cannot change and HUGE default dock.

chabig · Jun 4, 2007, 12:01 PM

Things look totally screwed up in your picture, but there is not enough information for us to really help you.

mollywood · Jun 4, 2007, 01:07 PM

yeah.. can you tell me why there isnt a home directory thing in my users folder like it said there would be on the apple site?

chabig · Jun 4, 2007, 01:48 PM

No. It's just messed up. Probably the easiest thing to do would be to save as much of your stuff as possible and then start over.