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October 12th, 2009

Has the Snow Leopard bug hosed your data?

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 2:57 pm

Categories: Apple, Software

Tags: Guest Account, Bug, Details, Data Deletion, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

The Apple support forum contains numerous references to a Snow Leopard bug that result in the deletion of all of the user account data.

Details are vague on this bug, but there seems to be two conditions that need to be met:

  • Users have to have upgraded from Mac OS X 10.6 (Leopard) to 10.6 (Snow Leopard) with the Guest account active.
  • The data deletion seems to occur when users log into the Guest account and then log back into their own account.

Apple is so far silent on this matter, but a temporary workaround to protect your data (if it’s not already been hosed) is to disable the Guest account.

Oh, and keep your backups handy …

Any readers affected by this bug?

Adrian Kingsley-HughesAdrian is a technology journalist and author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology. He also runs a popular blog called The PC Doctor. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations

Want to get in touch? Got a tip? Feel free to drop me a note! I ALWAYS respect anonymity. I'm also on Twitter (@the_pc_doc)

Right to Reply: Should any industry representatives wish to comment on any posts on Hardware 2.0, I will be happy to publish their reply verbatim on this blog.

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  • Talkback
  • Most Recent of 77 Talkback(s)
Windows 7 protected by 50 foot castle walls designed by some old guy
I just saw it on the ad.

This guy on the ad decided that windows 7 should have walls like a
castle but really high.

So now Windows 7 is protected by 50 foot high castle walls, becaus... (Read the rest)
Posted by: richardw66 Posted on: 10/24/09 You are currently: a Guest | | Terms of Use
That's a new FEATURE...  Feldwebel Wolfenstool | 10/12/09
Cute  macadam | 10/13/09
Proofreading needed...  Wolfie2K3 | 10/12/09
Yeah I'd be cool if people were perfect  JasonJD48 | 10/12/09
Point being  himeyax | 10/13/09
Yeah, let's not hold people who get paid to write  frgough | 10/13/09
People are perfect, just ask anyone you meet  Grey Ash | 10/14/09
Apple is silent...  Roque Mocan | 10/12/09
Silent, hardly!  Appreciate-Tech | 10/13/09
Funny...  windozefreak | 10/14/09
Backup system supplied in OS - Apple says to use it in case of problems  richardw66 | 10/13/09
Time capsule  Lester Young | 10/13/09
Nuh uh, they splat when you throw 'em at walls.  Grey Ash | 10/14/09
What? A bug in a newly released OS  bobiroc | 10/12/09
It...Isn't...So!  Cosmo54 | 10/12/09
Funny, the MS bashers  JasonJD48 | 10/12/09
Not to mention  ibarskiy@... | 10/12/09
Apple Likes  bobiroc | 10/12/09
Depends  macgroover | 10/13/09
Mostly agree  macadam | 10/13/09
Fact check this report first!  Appreciate-Tech | 10/13/09
That's like comparing apples to oranges!  windozefreak | 10/14/09
God like pedestal? hardly  richardw66 | 10/13/09
Which face of Apple?  Lester Young | 10/13/09
Which ad? Post a link  richardw66 | 10/14/09
"Works without viruses or crashes or a ton of headaches"  Lester Young | 10/14/09
And where does she say can't crash, and can't possibly get a virus?  richardw66 | 10/17/09
Windows 7 protected by 50 foot castle walls designed by some old guy  richardw66 | 10/24/09
Wouldn't this be a "Showstopper"?  clindhartsen | 10/12/09
About 8-10 hours ago. (nt)  A Grain of Salt | 10/12/09
They have apparently admitted it  frgough | 10/13/09
Have you ever done QA?  macadam | 10/13/09
Yes, I have  frgough | 10/13/09
Negative path testing  macadam | 10/13/09
Possible test paths  richardw66 | 10/14/09
Whether it be Apple or PC...  spacecase2 | 10/12/09
Or Paper hard copies. for that matter  Grey Ash | 10/14/09
You're quite an ardent apologist...  Feldwebel Wolfenstool | 10/13/09
SL is a great upgrade it's so much faster...  faxmonkey | 10/13/09
To actually answer the question posed ...  macadam | 10/13/09
Same here  frgough | 10/13/09
My point exactly  macadam | 10/13/09
RE: Has the Snow Leopard bug hosed your data?  shellcodes_coder | 10/13/09
How about one of the ZDNet reporters interviews this guy  richardw66 | 10/14/09
Wow the trolls are loose  someitguy79 | 10/13/09
They may not say it but they sure act like it.  ye | 10/13/09
Not unlike T-Mobiles sidekick where all the data got hosed.  Intellihence | 10/13/09
Burying your head in the sand again are we?  ye | 10/13/09
You sound like an apologist for the NY Times.  frgough | 10/13/09
Yeah but according to Ye  Intellihence | 10/13/09
Where have I ever said that?  ye | 10/13/09
These were on the front page. Jasons article was front and center...  ye | 10/13/09
RE: Has the Snow Leopard bug hosed your data?  RedVeg | 10/13/09
Microsoft NT core has had far less bugs than Apple has  progon | 10/13/09
RE: Has the Snow Leopard bug hosed your data?  bobeverson | 10/13/09
LOL! That was pretty good. nt  ye | 10/13/09
LAWLs (nt)  bigsibling | 10/13/09
That was good  macadam | 10/13/09
Apple has apparently confirmed the bug  frgough | 10/13/09
I don't know if they need to be fired,  mjolnar@... | 10/13/09
RE: Has the Snow Leopard bug hosed your data?  w_c_mead | 10/13/09
What was the first time? (nt)  Lester Young | 10/14/09
RE: Has the Snow Leopard bug hosed your data?  galley | 10/13/09
Sounds like a complete rethink is needed  richardw66 | 10/14/09
A list of Mac security holes and windows...  progon | 10/13/09
Be carefull what you say.  mjolnar@... | 10/13/09
They should have to pay for this great education!  windozefreak | 10/14/09
Security ripoff  richardw66 | 10/14/09
House Update  richardw66 | 10/14/09
Master Joe Says...  MasterJoe | 10/13/09
A Master Blaster...  windozefreak | 10/14/09
Interesting tone  tonymcs@... | 10/13/09
RE: Has the Snow Leopard bug hosed your data?  pctech4u | 10/13/09
RE: Has the Snow Leopard bug hosed your data?  windozefreak | 10/14/09
Self referentialism  richardw66 | 10/14/09
no, I just get the regular Hoseing from the cyber state...iDONT use Mac  Grey Ash | 10/14/09
Grey you're dragging the river for corpses again  Grey Ash | 10/14/09

What do you think?

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