Where is my OS X Applications or Documents folder, anyway?

In newer versions of OS X, the Applications are installed in their own folder. Things such as your iTunes, web browser, and other applications live here--and so do the latest versions of Aatrix Payroll Series products. The big difference from OS 9? OS X standards from Apple Software want the program data to reside in the Applications folder, and any special data specific to the User (that's you) to live in a Documents folder. This means in OS X, unlike OS 9 and lower, your actual program data is split from your company files, employee files, and user specific information. In one way, this is a good thing: if you upgrade your application and trash your folder accidentally--you don't lose your company data, only the application, and that can be easily reinstalled. In another, it can be very confusing to keep track of where everything is. The screenshots below try to illustrate how to locate your Applications folder and Documents folder--on your hard drive.

The image above shows a Finder window in Mac OS 10.3.9. It shows a computer with a partitioned hard drive, a network connection, and an external hard drive--so it seems there is more than one. No matter how many network connections and external drives you have, for MOST users (not you hardcore users out there) there usually is only one Main hard drive, where the Operating System is located. Unless you change the name, it's generically called or referred to as the Hard Drive. As we discussed previously, your hard drive can be named anything you want: The Terminator, Grand Central, My Muffin Closet--but remember, your Hard Drive to a Tech Support rep is the drive that contains your Mac Operating System and the files show below.

The main part of the window shows your User "root" folder. Note in the top of the window is a little house and the words "Jane User". You see the house repeated in the lefthand shortcut pane--just another way to always get Home from wherever you happen to be on your Macintosh computer. But what is a user? A user is something you set yourself up as when you first get your new Mac and customize it. Note that Jane's Applications folder and Documents folder are accessible from that shortcut pane on the left (very handy tip for Aatrix drag and drop installations) or as labeled, branded folder icons in the main portion. It is in these two folders that your Aatrix Technical Support representative will most likely be working with you.

Yeah, but how do I KNOW it's the right drive?

Your Hard Drive--the drive that contains your Operating System, will have the following contents. No matter what else might be installed there, these things remain constant: a Library, Users, Applications, Documents, Preference Panes, and System Folder. Your OS X System Folder is branded with an X, and if you look closely, you will see the system folder for OS 9 has a little gold 9 on it. If you don't have OS 9 or another OS installed of course, you won't see anything here but the basic folders named above and any others you may have added. So, how to tell you're on the hard drive? Check the contents! Compare them to this screenshot. That way, you will know the drive you named "The Terminator" is the one you should be opening up when the tech support rep tells you to open your hard drive. Easy, huh?

Next: Drag and Drop Installations--what's up with that?

To find out more about your particular Macintosh and your operating system, please go to Apple.com and click the Support tab.