Apple Admits ‘Extremely Rare’ Leopard Bug Could Delete User Data

Apple admits it is aware the Snow Leopard version of OS X can delete data when people log in (even accidentally) using the operating system’s “guest” account. “We are working on a fix,” the Cupertino, Calif. company said in a statement Monday.

No timeframe was given on when a fix would be released. Snow Leopard 10.6.2 reportedly is in the hands of developers.

Until recently, Apple had remained mum as the Apple community fumed over several reports that upgrading from Leopard to Snow Leopard caused data stored in the /User directory to be deleted. As Cult of Mac reported Monday, such mass deletions reportedly happen when Mac owners accidentally use a “guest” account.

“So I restarted my computer and logged on again, it was exactly the same, everything gone. At which point I looked in the Users folder to find that my User profile had been removed and replaced with a fresh one with the same name,” one user wrote at Apple’s Discussion forums.

A similar complaint appeared last week after a Snow Leopard user reported data being deleted following an OS upgrade. The reports spawned a number of posts from several Mac blogs, potentially prompting Apple to issue Monday’s public statement.

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[Via Engadget and AppleInsider]

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firesign3000
i still don’t understand how you can “accidentally” use a guest account. i’ve been using macs since the se30 and IIci with system 6, and i’ve never “accidentally” logged on as a guest.
Chris
no way, this happened to me. i returned my account from my time machine backup, but now i can’t reach my older backups.
Ged
If you have “Show Fast User” switching turned on, and pull down the user list in the menu bar, you could accidentally select the Guest account when trying to select the user directly above or below it in the list. I’ve never done that, but can see it happening.
Fuzzypig
If you don’t backup, come on $50 for 400GB USB drive and TM is in the O/S ready to roll, you’re bit of pillock!
Like your car, you make sure it’s serviced and you fill it’s various holes with the right liquids. You clean it out and you lock it at night!
Your house, you lock it up at night, turn off all the sockets! You check the heating a few times a year to make sure you won’t burn it down or flood the place!
Same with your PC, you try to some basic stuff to make sure it works OK.
Nope, most people simply think their PC is like their mobile phone, switch on and it will always work perfect like it did first time. Not letting Apple off the hook for this major cock-up but there are certain, very simple precautions you need to take when you become a PC owner.
( PC in strict sense. Yes a Mac is still a Personal Computer IMHO! )