OSX 10.4 not recognizing Files

I have a mac mini OSX 10.4.11 (Tiger), Intel Solo. I changed the name on my account (the administrator account, and the only account I have) in the System Pref./Accounts/Password window. The short name remained the same. Upon rebooting (restarting) the computer I can no longer access any of my previous files. No e-mail, itunes, iphoto, address book, bookmarks, etc. --- I am presented with the equivalent of a new computer. --- The "home" file (w/ the house icon) has only desktop, library, and a music file. No content relating to what was previously in the Home file.

I found everything (all the files) including my itune & iphoto libraries, e-mail messages, address book etc. after opening the hard drive and going to the "users" file. It was all in a file with the new name I had chosen for my administrator account. In the Users file there is also the Home file (the one that is now empty) and the Shared file. As such, the Hard Drive was showing two "users", the Home file and the file with all my files in it.

I changed the name on that file and my administrator account back to what it was in the beginning and rebooted but nothing changed. I tried dragging the renamed file, with all my stuff in it, into the Home file, rebooted, but still I am not able to access anything that was previously available. Its as if I just took the computer out of the box and turned it on for the first time.

So, I have two questions:

1) How did the account name change cause this happening (assuming that was the cause) and is there a way to get things back to the way they were? i.e. get the OSX to operate/relate to all the stuff in the renamed folder rather then the new empty Home folder, that being everything that was accessible before I made whatever mistake I made?

2) The computer should have an internal data record of what it has experienced, and what changes took place. Maybe that would shed some light on the problem. How do I find that? --- Any help will be appreciated -- Jeremy

 

Solved!!!

I found out what happened. The info is below. This thread can be closed. ---Jeremy


Symptoms
Return to default desktop, apparent "loss" of home directory

Products Affected
Mac OS X 10.3, Mac OS X 10.4, Mac OS X 10.5
Resolution
In Mac OS X 10.3, 10.4 or later you can rename your home directory without the safeguard of entering your password (authentication). If you do this, your home directory contents and preferences will appear to be lost the next time you log in. Applications use default preferences, and your home directory subfolders (Documents, Pictures, and so forth) are empty.

This issue affects Mac OS X 10.3 or later.

When an "admin" user renames his home directory, a new, empty home directory will be created the next time the affected user logs in. Though the original home directory is not being used, it is still present. This may create the false impression that the home directory is lost.

Note: For technical reasons, it is best not to intentionally change the name of a home directory unless absolutely necessary.

Before you assume that the home directory contents were actually lost, check the /Users folder to see if the missing home directory is present and simply renamed.

If you determine that the home directory is present but renamed, follow these steps:

In the Finder, go to the /Users folder.
Locate the new home directory, which bears the users' short name.
Add "_new" to the new home directory's name.
Rename the old home directory to the user's correct short name.
Log out and back in with the affected user account.