Member Avatar for Optima

Yesterday I created a new user on my computer. . . I copied some of the files over. . . I then decided. . . oh I don't have time for this, and thought I copied the files back over to my normal user. . .and I deleted the new user. . .unfortunetly today. . .some of my files are just alias, is there any way to recover those files????

Help!!!

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by john29

Dani AI

Generated

Short diagnosis and what to do first

This looks like what happens when a temporary account was removed and Finder aliases now point to originals that no longer exist. As described, the system may have either left the old home folder in /Users, archived it as a disk image, or removed it entirely. Before trying anything else, avoid writing to the Mac (do not install or copy large files to the startup disk) so you do not overwrite recoverable data. (support.apple.com)

Quick checklist (safe, ordered steps)

  1. Look for an archived home folder (macOS gives a “Save the home folder in a disk image” option; that .dmg is stored under /Users/Deleted Users). If present, double‑click the .dmg in Finder to open it and copy any needed files to an external drive. (support.apple.com)

  2. If you prefer Terminal, these safe checks show obvious places to look:

ls -la /Users
ls -la /Users/Deleted\ Users
open /Users/Deleted\ Users

Mounting a .dmg can also be done with hdiutil attach "/path/to/file.dmg" and then copy files off the mounted volume. (support.apple.com)

If there is no .dmg or home folder

Check Time Machine and APFS local snapshots next. macOS keeps local snapshots (APFS snapshots) and Time Machine backups that can restore files even after a user was removed; use the Time Machine interface or list snapshots with tmutil listlocalsnapshots / before making changes. If you have a recent Time Machine backup, restore the files from there. (support.apple.com)

When to use recovery software or a service

If there is no archive, no snapshot and no backup, sector‑level recovery tools can sometimes find deleted files — especially on spinning drives. Disk Drill and other Mac recovery tools can scan and preview files; always install or run recovery tools from an external volume and recover to a different drive. If the Mac uses an SSD with TRIM enabled (common on modern Macs) the chance of successful recovery drops substantially; for critical data, professional recovery labs are the safest option. (cleverfiles.com)

Notes tied to earlier replies

  • was correct: Finder aliases are pointers, not the original files — use File > Show Original or Get Info to see where the alias points.
  • and were right to warn about tools and overwriting; use macOS‑specific methods first and treat the disk as read‑only until you have a plan. (support.apple.com)

If additional details about the Mac (macOS version, whether FileVault was on, SSD vs HDD, Time Machine status) are known, the recovery path can be narrowed further.

Recommended Answers

All 7 Replies

Member Avatar for JR85023

You mean shortcuts to locations that dont exist anymore?

Member Avatar for kc0arf

Hello,

Outside of Norton Utilities (or some other restore program) it is not likely. DO NOT use an OS 9 tool for this problem either! If you have backups on a CD or tape, that is the direction I would turn.

I will have to look for a unix utility that might assist. But off the top of my head, no nothing does.

Christian

Member Avatar for yellow

Anyway, first off, STOP using the computer. The more you use it, the greater the likelyhood that your data will be overwritten. Secondly, you can try some data recovery software (it's not cheap), but chances aren't that high that you'll get your stuff back. Try Data Recover X. Thirdly, if it's critical data, you can use a data recovery house (professional), but we're talking hundreds to thousands of $$$ to get your data back. And if it's critical data, don't you have it on your back ups? You DO have back ups, don't you? Now you know why you should. ;)

Member Avatar for yellow

Hello,

EASEUS DataRecoveryWizard utility can help. Speaking about me, it was
easily able to restore deleted, lost file and unformat drive,
so I think you will also find it quite useful. Really recommended
tool, give it a try.

http://www.easeus.com/

Damnit monkeyboy.. this is a Mac forum, stop peddling/spamming your Windows junk. :idea:

Member Avatar for DMR

Due to the fact that the member who originally started this thread has not responded in more than a year, this thread is considered abandoned and has been closed.

In accordance with our posting rules, other members having similar problems should start their own threads and post their questions there. In order to help us help you most quickly, please include as much information about your problem as possible in your posts.

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Member Avatar for Daniel Jones

Do'nt panic there is nothing to worry. A lot of files restoration software are available over web. You can get one from the web for your computer, and can easily recover all your files that were once present on your system HDD memory.

Member Avatar for john29

You mean shortcuts to locations that dont exist anymore?

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