Snow Leopard Bug May Delete User Data
7:45 am, October 9th, 2009, Ed Sutherland
If you’re still not convinced about the need for regular backups, maybe talking with some Snow Leopard users will. The Apple support boards are buzzing with reports of Leopard users finding data zapped.
“Users start their Macs up as normal only to find they’ve logged in as ‘Guests’ on their machine – with all the files and data held on their Mac in their own user account seemingly deleted,” according to 9to5.
About 18 percent of Mac users have upgraded to Snow Leopard since its release August 28, we reported earlier this month.
A tell-tale sign of the problem is the automatic creation of a Guest account. Just prior to your /users data vanishing, a “Guest” account is created. “Post crash that Guest folder has disappeared again,” writes one poster on Apple’s Discussion area. The problem may also appear if you’d previously created a Guest account.
What to do until Apple corrects the bug (not mentioned in the OSX 10.6.1 update)? Backup, backup, backup, advises Cnet. “We strongly urge everyone to use Time Machine or a similar full system backup for this very purpose, and hopefully those who are affected have a recent backup handy.”
For more discussion on the bug, check out the Apple Discussions forums.
Posted by Ed Sutherland in News, OS X | Comment on this article
Did you actually _read_ the posts in the forum? This is bad journalism, Cultofmac…
Scott, on October 9th, 2009 at 8:43 am
Wow, talk about fear mongering. Nothing says they were mysteriously logged into another account. All the users I’ve read about so far have admitted that they, themselves, accidentally clicked on the “guest” account at the login screen. Some even realized their error and tried to cancel the login.
I agree with Scott – did you even bother to read, or do you just like to pull the most sensationalist angle out of your ass for more page views?
Henry, on October 9th, 2009 at 10:01 am
Should always backup your important stuff anyway, not just when you think there may be a problem in the offing! Alright easier said than done, and hindsight is always 20/20, but 25 years in IT has taught me to copy stuff before you play with it, just in case you have a brain-fade moment!
500GB USB external drive, what $50-$65? Switch on Time Machine, sorted! Bet your files are worth more than $50!?
Fuzzypig, on October 9th, 2009 at 11:28 am
Simple… DO NOT upgrade your Leopard install. BACK it up, then KEEP that back up, TEST IT. Then flatten your drive, or get a new drive like I did. Fresh install Snow Leopard, … migrate the data from the backup. and retain your backup. THEN when your Snow Leopard is set up, back it up. I ended up with a clean install, on a faster and larger drive and a Mac that goes like lightning.
Guy, on October 9th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Time to remove Cult of Mac from my newsreader I think.
haggis, on October 10th, 2009 at 4:02 am
Bah… time to remove yourselves… you guys flipping out here… the article is legit (unlike you).
Found this via the same links, you twits…
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-10346974-263.html
Good job, Ed.
Cowicide, on October 10th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Just when I was leaning to a new machine and was almost sold on purchasing a Mac…well maybe they are not as safe as everyone says.
DugsterVD, on October 14th, 2009 at 10:39 pm