Disk error--user desktop corrupt

Question

Disk error--user desktop corrupt

iMac FP, 800MHz, 1G RAM, 10.2.8

Tonight I logged in and for some reason none of my desktop icons came up. The white bar on the top of the screen for the Finder became transparent. I could launch apps from the dock but could not get directly at the disk (no icon). Any attempt to access the disk (for instance a file->open) in any app caused the app to crash.

I logged out, logged into my wife's account, that works fine.

I rebooted using my install disk and ran Disk Utility. It detected an error (an extent overlap? forgot to write it down) so I did a repair (did not do repair permissions) and the screen said the disk was repaired. This did not help with my account.

As administrator, I set up a temp account and started poking about. Found some crash logs from when I forced the machine to shut down using the power switch but no logs from my initial login.

I am at a loss as to how to proceed.

iMac flat panel, Mac OS X (10.2.x)

Posted on Jan 4, 2008 11:58 PM

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Answer 1

Jan 5, 2008 12:17 AM in response to meatballfulton

OK, I ran Disk Utility again and it showed the same error as before:

Overlapped extent allocation (file3752133d). The repair says it is completed but it doesn't fix this problem. Verifying disk permissions came back OK.

I'm assuming I have a trashed file that I need to restore from a backup but what file is it?

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Answer 2

Jan 5, 2008 2:47 AM in response to meatballfulton

Hello meatball:

Welcome to Apple discussions.

I "assume" you ran '+repair disk'+ from your software install DVD. Did the utility report that problems were corrected? The reason I ask is that I have never seen it report a 'fix' with the problem still remaining.

As far as I know, there is no file that you can restore to correct the error (unless you have a bootable clone). It is hard to tell from long range, but the error seems to indicate directory damage.

There are a couple of choices:

1. Continue running repair disk from the software install DVD until no more errors are reported.
2, Alternatively, the +"gold standard"+ of directory repair is a third party program called DiskWarrior. It is pricey, however, aat about $90.
3. You could opt for an archive and install:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107120

Barry

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Answer 3

Jan 8, 2008 6:21 PM in response to Barry Hemphill

Sorry for the two user names but this is still meatballfulton.

I purchased Disk Warrior and irt repaired the disk error, in fact it found and repaired a bunch of other errors besides the one that Disk First Aid had found.

However, this did not fix my problem!

I discovered the root of the problem is accessing the disk...I had a folder mounted in my Desktop so when I logged in this could not be found and caused the finder to go crazy. I removed this folder from my Desktop and then the Finder started up OK but it still has problems reading the disk...but ONLY from my account. The other accounts on the machine work fine and I launch Classic, those apps can open files OK...but no OS X app can.

When I double click on the hard disk icon, I see only the Applications folder appear in the window then the window crashes and I return to the Finder. I connected an external Firewire drive and the icon appear on the Desktop but when I try to open this, that doesn't work either.

So it's something that's part of the settings for ONLY my account that is corrupt, but what can it be?

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Answer 4

Jan 8, 2008 7:38 PM in response to Community User

Hello again:

It would be a "SWAG" on my part - based on what you posted. I would, myself, opt for an archive and install.

Barry

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Answer 5

Jan 9, 2008 8:09 AM in response to Barry Hemphill

Barry,

The archive and install did work although it took a while 😉 I still have one or two apps to clean up but it do take care of the major problem, being unable to access disks from the one user account.

Thanks very much for your help.

Brian/Meatball

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Answer 6

Jan 9, 2008 8:43 AM in response to Community User

Hello Brian:

You are welcome. Glad you are back in business.

By the by, an archive and install creates a rather large folder called +"previous systems."+ It acts a sort of safety net, in case something does not work on the new system. I suggest keeping that folder for about three weeks. If everything is running OK, you could trash it at that time.

Barry

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