220-1102 Question 198
Single answer/UsersA technician is troubleshooting a macOS system where a user says files saved on the Desktop before a restart are no longer available. The user can still sign in, but the Desktop is empty and application settings appear to have reset to defaults. In Finder, the technician notices an old home folder under /Users/jlee and a newer folder named /Users/jlee 1. Which action should the technician take FIRST to restore the user's data access with the LEAST risk of data loss?
- A
Delete /Users/jlee 1 and rename /Users/jlee so the folder names match the current account
- B
Create a new administrator account and move the contents of /Users/jlee into /Users/Shared
- C
Use Users & Groups and Advanced Options to verify which home directory is assigned to the user's account, then point the account to the original home folder if appropriate
- D
Run First Aid in Disk Utility and then remove the user's login items to rebuild the profile
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
This scenario reflects a common macOS profile issue involving the /Users directory. Each macOS local account is associated with a home folder, typically under /Users/username. If macOS creates or uses a different folder, such as '/Users/jlee 1', the user may appear to have lost files because the account is loading a different Desktop, Documents folder, Library preferences, and other profile data. The safest first step is to verify the account's configured home directory in Users & Groups and review Advanced Options before making file-level changes. Apple best practices caution against changing account attributes or home folder names casually, because mismatches between the account record and the actual home directory can lead to login problems and permissions issues. After confirming the correct home path, the technician can plan any needed data migration or permissions repair with much lower risk of accidental data loss.
- A. Incorrect.
This is risky and not the best first step. Renaming or deleting home folders directly in /Users without first confirming the account's assigned home directory can cause the account to lose access to its profile or create permission mismatches. A duplicate folder such as '/Users/jlee 1' often indicates the account is currently pointing to a different home folder than expected, so verification should come before manual changes.
- B. Incorrect.
This does not address the root cause. Creating another admin account can be useful for troubleshooting, but moving user data into /Users/Shared is not a proper way to restore the user's profile, Desktop, and preferences. It may temporarily preserve files, but it will not reconnect the user account to the correct home directory or restore normal application settings.
- C. Correct.
This is correct. On macOS, the user account record includes a configured home directory path. If the account was changed, recreated, or mapped incorrectly, the user may log in to a different home folder such as '/Users/jlee 1', making the Desktop and preferences appear missing. Checking the account's assigned home directory in Users & Groups > Advanced Options and correcting it to the original folder is the safest first action before renaming or deleting anything.
- D. Incorrect.
Disk Utility First Aid can help detect and repair some filesystem issues, but the symptoms here point more strongly to the user account using the wrong home directory under /Users. Removing login items would not restore missing Desktop files or user-specific preferences. This option treats the problem as a disk or startup issue rather than a profile path issue.