CBKeemer
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Cannot see icons or Dock on desktop

Last night I shut down my iMac G5 as I always do.  Today when I started up, I could not see desktop icons or the Dock.  Can tell the Dock is still there because there is distortion of my desktop picture which moves when I change the size of the Dock.  It's like the desktop is opaque and blocking the view of icons and Dock.  How can I fix this?

iMac G5 (17-inch Ambient Light Sensor), Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Jun 11, 2013 3:05 PM

by BDAqua,Solvedanswer
BDAqua BDAqua
Level 10 (123,780 points)
A:

"Try Disk Utility

 

1. Insert the Mac OS X Install disc, then restart the computer while holding the C key.

2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu at top of the screen. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first.)

*Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Disk Utility.*

3. Click the First Aid tab.

4. Select your Mac OS X volume.

5. Click Repair Disk, (not Repair Permissions). Disk Utility checks and repairs the disk."

 

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214

 

Then try a Safe Boot, (holding Shift key down at bootup), run Disk Utility in Applications>Utilities, then highlight your drive, click on Repair Permissions, reboot when it completes.

 

(Safe boot may stay on the gray radian for a long time, let it go, it's trying to repair the Hard Drive.)

 

If perchance you can't find your install Disc, at least try it from the Safe Boot part onward.

 

To find out if it's system wide or user specific, try this...

 

Open System Preferences>Accounts, unlock the lock, click on the little plus icon, make a new admin account, log out & into the new account.

 

Does it work in the new account?

Posted on Jun 11, 2013 3:15 PM

Close
CBKeemer

Q: Cannot see icons or Dock on desktop

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  • Helpful answers

  • by ComputerFixer,

    ComputerFixer ComputerFixer Jun 11, 2013 3:08 PM in response to CBKeemer
    Level 3 (735 points)
    Jun 11, 2013 3:08 PM in response to CBKeemer

    I would back everything up and reinstall OSX for starters. Would you like Instructions to do so?

  • by BDAqua,Solvedanswer

    BDAqua BDAqua Jun 11, 2013 3:15 PM in response to CBKeemer
    Level 10 (123,780 points)
    Jun 11, 2013 3:15 PM in response to CBKeemer

    "Try Disk Utility

     

    1. Insert the Mac OS X Install disc, then restart the computer while holding the C key.

    2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu at top of the screen. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first.)

    *Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Disk Utility.*

    3. Click the First Aid tab.

    4. Select your Mac OS X volume.

    5. Click Repair Disk, (not Repair Permissions). Disk Utility checks and repairs the disk."

     

    http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214

     

    Then try a Safe Boot, (holding Shift key down at bootup), run Disk Utility in Applications>Utilities, then highlight your drive, click on Repair Permissions, reboot when it completes.

     

    (Safe boot may stay on the gray radian for a long time, let it go, it's trying to repair the Hard Drive.)

     

    If perchance you can't find your install Disc, at least try it from the Safe Boot part onward.

     

    To find out if it's system wide or user specific, try this...

     

    Open System Preferences>Accounts, unlock the lock, click on the little plus icon, make a new admin account, log out & into the new account.

     

    Does it work in the new account?

  • by CBKeemer,

    CBKeemer CBKeemer Jun 11, 2013 3:15 PM in response to ComputerFixer
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 11, 2013 3:15 PM in response to ComputerFixer

    I have everything backed up on an  external hard drive using Time Machine, but could use instructions for reinstalling OSX.

  • by ComputerFixer,

    ComputerFixer ComputerFixer Jun 11, 2013 3:19 PM in response to CBKeemer
    Level 3 (735 points)
    Jun 11, 2013 3:19 PM in response to CBKeemer

    Reinstalling mac os x: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3910?viewlocale=en_US

  • by gail from maine,

    gail from maine gail from maine Jun 11, 2013 3:24 PM in response to CBKeemer
    Level 7 (26,725 points)
    iCloud
    Jun 11, 2013 3:24 PM in response to CBKeemer

    Hi CBKeemer,

     

    Don't know if this is related or not, but I keep losing my toolbar at the top. Like you, I can see that it is still there - just not visible. If I open my browser and make the screen a full screen, and then click to return to normal screen, it shows up again. Just a thought, and pretty easy to test....

     

    Cheers,

     

    GB

  • by CBKeemer,

    CBKeemer CBKeemer Jun 11, 2013 3:28 PM in response to BDAqua
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 11, 2013 3:28 PM in response to BDAqua

    Thanks, BD.  After I inserted the OSX disc and restarted when holding C key it was OK.

  • by CBKeemer,

    CBKeemer CBKeemer Jun 11, 2013 3:34 PM in response to gail from maine
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 11, 2013 3:34 PM in response to gail from maine

    Hi Gail.  I also had some issues with the toolbar.   Could see most of the menu but not the Apple icon, although when I scrolled over where the apple should be I got the dropdown.  Opening System Preferences, then Desktop and Screen Saver and unchecking Translucent Menu Bar solved that.

  • by BDAqua,

    BDAqua BDAqua Jun 11, 2013 3:41 PM in response to CBKeemer
    Level 10 (123,780 points)
    Jun 11, 2013 3:41 PM in response to CBKeemer

    Great news, thanks!