CNET News Daily Podcast: Snow Leopard's disappearing trick explained

A big problem with Apple's latest operating system (dubbed Snow Leopard) is affecting a very small segment of users, who've seen some very important files gone missing--like, all of them. We get CNET Senior Writer Erica Ogg in the studio to talk about the problem and what Apple is doing to fix it. Also mentioned is a temporary fix that works as long as people have some sort of backup they were using prior to the data loss.

We also talk about Cisco's new multibillion-dollar acquisition, Pepsi's controversial iPhone app, and Nokia's first foray into the world of Netbooks. Tune in to get the scoop.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

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Today's stories:

Nokia Booklet makes it official: $299 with 2-year AT&T contract

Cisco to buy mobile specialist for $2.9 billion

Pepsi tweets apology for 'bad taste' iPhone app

Facebook database outage cut off about 150,000

Viper's new iPhone app replaces your keychain

Next Firefox can detect computer orientation

Apple acknowledges Snow Leopard data loss issue

[janarmstrong_dotmac]

Snow Leopard is a horrible update to Leopard. Leopard was a highly stable, predictable and useable program. Very few crashes of any program. Snow Leopard crashes whenever you work with PDF attachments in Mail, Crashes when you try to print PDFs, Safari is completely unstable...and the complete failure of all older printing PPDs, and non-support of major printers has been terribly wasteful in a business environment. We are slowly going through the process of taking all of our computers back to Leopard from Back-ups, a Horrible waste of time in a business setting.

[Gold_Storm_Mac]

dont know what you're talkin about
safari only crashed once in the few weeks i have been using it. worked with pdfs alot and no troubles

[David Dudley]

I'm running Snow Leopard on a Mac and could not even tell I upgraded. Hi, Apple - I'd like my $30 and time back.

[Gold_Storm_Mac]

how is an expose built into the dock, new dock contextual menus, improved stacks, new quicktime, exchange support, new preview, new cocoa finder, faster shut down speed not noticeable (name a few).

[shellcodes_coder]

@janarmstrong_dotmac and David Dudley: This is what happens when you use crap and wannabes

[jackbarry99]

...Further: I cannot run Quicktime...X.. and have to download the older version... this sucks.

[Fil0403]

I disagree that Snow Leopard is a terrible OS, but I agree if you say there is better (7), especially after hearing this podcast. Either way, you can be sure to have other Mac users bashing and dismissing your comment because they supposedly didn't have such problems, so you surely can't have them either (and be happy if you are not personally insulted). Oh, wait, you have them already.

[AppleSuxLeo]

ATT just announced a Nokia netbook that runs Win7 Premium will be available on Oct. 22
Not waiting for Apple`s vaporware.

[shellcodes_coder]

Just wondering how many days it will take for 7 to exceed the total number of macs ever sold...two days?

[shellcodes_coder]

endangered os, your worst night mare is coming on oct. 22. Be ready to vanish!!

[Gold_Storm_Mac]

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/10/13/history_suggests_windows_7_launch_could_boost_mac_sales.html

[sythara]

hail to the fanboys, wow.

[wmacmaho]

I am continually having issues with Snow Leopard. Not only does Mail crash when working with pdf's but so does Adobe CS4 when using pdf's. Even my CAD programs are having issues when copying. A very unsatisfactory update.

[shycelticwitch]

Try getting the latest updates from Adobe.... standard procedure when you update OS.

[Fil0403]

Even though I wouldn't personally consider it a very unsatisfactory OS generally speaking, I have to say I do think there is better (7) and it does seem like it when reading your comment. Something else that seems is that people have much more patience and understanding towards software that doesn't work on Macs compared to software that doesn't work on Vista. It seems that the rule is something like "if it doesn't work on Vista it's because Vista sucks; if it doesn't work on Snow Leopard it's your or thrid-parties fault, not Apple's, update your software".

[Fil0403]

It's a pitty that explaining how people lost their files doesn't do much for the people who lost them as far as recovering the files is concerned.

If I was already convinced 7 > Snow Leopard, even more so now.

Let's now hope Apple comes up with a fix soon, since IMO the hardest part is already done (having Apple admit there is, indeed, an issue with Snow Leopard).

[Hootayah]

So that's what's been happening. I thought I was going nuts or something. I'm constantly going looking for files and folders that I know I've had for ages and they're suddenly gone or stuck into something called the "$Recycle.Bin" folder and given some random folder name like $RHVG53N