I'm running OS X 10.3.9 and I had FileVault turned on. I kept getting an error message warning me that my startup disk is almost full. I tried to turn off FileVault and i got a message saying I did not even have sufficient space to do THAT. Now, I have very few programs on my computer- the adobe creative suite, office for mac, and a messenger program or two. NOTHING that should be taking up 27.5GB (out of approx 28). My home folder/user folder itself was 11GB and was FileVaulted. I assumed it had to be a copy because my computer was so full. So I moved it to the recycle bin to see if it would affect My Documents etc.
Within 2 minutes, the home folder had vanished (I never emptied the recycle bin) and all of the data within it is gone. No documents, photos, music files.... BUT my hard drive is at exactly the same capacity, so.... they have to still be in there somewhere, right? I have tried firewiring my mac (ibook G4) to a powerbook and running mine as an external device to search for the folder... i tried running data recovery in this mode as well, from the good machine. I think because the folder was encrypted at the time, these programs are not locating it, nor is the Disk Utility restore.
I've read message boards... and it seems this has happened to other people... but I never emptied the recycle bin and I am sure these files are still on my computer somewhere (and are VERY MUCH needed- my thesis is about to go down the drain if I cant locate it). I know that there is a Norton program for Mac that can fix the directories, if in fact it is a matter of location, and not recovery, but I dont know anything about how to proceed with it, or any other suggestions.
From what I can tell, the disk image I'm looking for is called myname.sparseimage and in fact, when I reopened iChat after this incident, my preferences were wiped and a box popped up from the OS telling me that myname.sparseimage needed verification. The password I entered and it accepted was my FileVault password.
I KNOW these files are SOMEwhere on my computer! Of course, I need them very badly and being a student, am loathe to pay $1000 to a data recovery service if this is in fact at all possible to fix otherwise.
Any input would be greatly appreciated.
d.
Within 2 minutes, the home folder had vanished (I never emptied the recycle bin) and all of the data within it is gone. No documents, photos, music files.... BUT my hard drive is at exactly the same capacity, so.... they have to still be in there somewhere, right? I have tried firewiring my mac (ibook G4) to a powerbook and running mine as an external device to search for the folder... i tried running data recovery in this mode as well, from the good machine. I think because the folder was encrypted at the time, these programs are not locating it, nor is the Disk Utility restore.
I've read message boards... and it seems this has happened to other people... but I never emptied the recycle bin and I am sure these files are still on my computer somewhere (and are VERY MUCH needed- my thesis is about to go down the drain if I cant locate it). I know that there is a Norton program for Mac that can fix the directories, if in fact it is a matter of location, and not recovery, but I dont know anything about how to proceed with it, or any other suggestions.
From what I can tell, the disk image I'm looking for is called myname.sparseimage and in fact, when I reopened iChat after this incident, my preferences were wiped and a box popped up from the OS telling me that myname.sparseimage needed verification. The password I entered and it accepted was my FileVault password.
I KNOW these files are SOMEwhere on my computer! Of course, I need them very badly and being a student, am loathe to pay $1000 to a data recovery service if this is in fact at all possible to fix otherwise.
Any input would be greatly appreciated.
d.