ITS has learned about a serious bug in the Apple Snow Leopard (OS 10.6) upgrade process.
Essentially, if the computer has a “Guest” account enabled (this is on by default on most Macs), there is a chance that ALL DATA in the user’s regular account will be deleted. This includes everything in the Home folder–pictures, iTunes music, documents, etc. The ONLY way to restore this data is from an existing backup, otherwise the data is permanently lost.
For more information on this bug, please visit http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/12/bug-tracker-snow-leopard-guest-account-deleting-files/
Performing an operating system upgrade such as the one to Snow Leopard is a significantly complex process that can result in many problems, such as the one outlined above. For this reason, PSU-owned computers should NOT be upgraded by faculty or staff members themselves, as this constitutes a significant risk to data, in addition to being a violation of PSU’s Acceptable Use Policy.
Faculty, staff, and students who wish to upgrade their personal Mac computers to Snow Leopard should perform a backup of all data and remove any Guest accounts prior to upgrading.
