Reset Snow Leopard user accounts/preference

My kids completely changed everything in their user account, what is the easiest way to reset everything to default (without reinstalling everything) including:

  • Name of hard drive
  • Menu items in Finder
  • Dock size and items
  • Size/appearance of things
  • Even some applications have been moved from their original location

  • Name of hard drive
    Click enter, rename it

  • Menu items in Finder
    What do you mean by that?

  • Dock size and items
    Trashing ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.dock.plist will do the trick

  • Size/appearance of things
    Trashing the .plist file under ~/Library/Preferences

  • Even some applications have been moved from their original location
    You'll have to move them back to /Applications manually.

In order for that not to be reproduced, you could try Parental Controls under System Preferences > Account and limit what they can do on their account.


In addition to Loïc’s excellent answer

Menu items in Finder

What do you mean by that?

I believe he means the Finder’s Sidebar and such. In order to reset those, thrash the following file and logoff (or restart):

~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.sidebarlists.plist

Even some applications have been moved from their original location

You'll have to move them back to /Applications manually.

Yes, unless he has a Time Machine backup… which I believe he doesn’t. :)