The application Finder.app can't be opened.

Thanks for that info - I haven't seen that particular symptom reported until now.

Just to be sure, let me ask if you mean: With a Terminal window open, you type "id" (w/o quotes) to get user id - correct?

Next of course, the result should include the user number (mine is 3 digits) followed by the user name (ex. "joesmith"). And you're saying the user name doesn't appear in the terminal report.

If you have Teminal open, type 'id', or list some files, you'll notice that anywhere that you would have normally gotten your short username, you instead see your numeric user ID -- which is precisely what happens when the name service can't find you identity in the directory / files.

Thanks, Peter! That worked for me as well.

Jerry

To all those that have this problem:

I noticed it began when I installed SIMBL on Snow Leopard.
The crashes began, USB drives were 'Incorrect Format' (sp?), etc

Just remove the SIMBL folder from "/Library/InputManagers/" and Restart (or logout / back in).
Also I noted that Preview wouldn't open once I installed it (meaning it would open from the Dock, but trying to open any image caused it to freeze and I had to kill it)

My Wifi wouldn't get an IP either, and Google Chrome crashed on open.
I did Disk Check before I realized it was SIMBL but there wasn't anything wrong.

So yeah, let me know if this helps anyone.

There are probably not that many people in this thread who have SIMBL (Smart InputManager Bundle Loader - a utility to enable certain Cocoa plug in's to work, mainly in Safari) installed. Again I suspect it is another triggering event not the core problem.

I have been talking again to my Beta testing mole. Unless there is something hidden under the hood, there is apparently not a single mention of this issue in the 10.6.3 documentation, so I am increasingly pessimistic of a "magic cure". I supposed all the decent coders are working trying to get the iPad software ready for the April launch deadline. Roll on 10.6.4.

I now cannot use iPhoto library manager, as Finder crashes every time I try to move events from one iPhoto library to another in an external HDD. This is a major problem for me as I only have about 90 GB left in my MacBook Pro and need to start moving events to my archive library urgently. I would fit a bigger HDD but there is as yet, no 1TB 2.5" thin format drive available for the 13" MBP - unless someone can tell me otherwise. The WD one at 12.5mm is too thick.

Wilson

I started getting the error a couple months ago after a memory upgrade on my iMac that involved an intermittently bad ram module. The error showed up while the bad ram was "working." Eventually, the ram module failed completely (loud tone on start up) and I replaced it. But the finder can't be opened error continued with the replacement module and even with the original ram. I finally noticed that the error happened only when TM was trying to backup to my time capsule. Once I turned off time machine, the error went away. Of course, I wasn't getting backups anymore either.

I eventually decided to reinstall SL. Since TM wasn't working, I downloaded SuperDuper and cloned the HDD to an external drive. I then reinstalled SL on the iMac (about 2 weeks ago) and now everything is working fine (started using TM again, and SuperDuper updates the HDD clone weekly on an external FW drive).

I'm not sure what caused the problem, and I worry that it will come back, but for two weeks at least, reinstalling the OS did the trick.

Adding my voice to this problem. I'm getting this issue when I interact with either Time Machine or iTunes. The only thing I can see they have in common is that they are both accessing external hard drives.

Sometimes iTunes just quits spitting out music. I go to the Finder to open a window to access my media folder (on an external hard drive) and the Finder just gives me the spinning beach ball. Then, I force quit Finder and try to relaunch and get that Finder can't open 10810 error. Also, when I force quit iTunes then try to relaunch, I get an error saying that my iTunes Library file is locked blah, blah, blah.

Also, I see that sometimes my Time Machine backing up for hours, or cleaning up for hours. When I try to access TM from System Prefs, it locks up and so does the Finder.

So, if this is some kind of issue with external hard drives, I hope it's something they fix soon.

BTW, I'm on a Mac Mini.

Antonio

I am having this problem also on a mac mini that is less than a month old, and have found a way to reproduce it 100%. What does it is:
1) Plug in my USB thumb drive
2) Use Go > Connect to Server to access volumes on my old PowerMac G5 (running Leopard)
3) Attempt to eject the USB stick via finder while the shared G5 volume is still mounted
and it's spinning beach ball until I attempt to relaunch the Finder, at which point it dies and I get the 10810 error if I try to restart it from the dock.
From what I've seen here and on other sites, this is a problem that has existed since SL was first launched, and it is appalling that apple has not fixed it through two updates and apparently does not even acknowledge the problem exists. Maybe they should change their tagline to "Sometimes it just doesn't work"

*Hi TFURP and OTHERS READING THIS....*

Many of us have already opened up _*service claims*_ with Apple regarding this issue (if you have not done so already... do so now... it takes only about 5 minutes !)

And... I am in one camp that is waiting for the *IMMINENT 10.6.3 release* which is apparently already seeded to developers (as of the last 2 weeks) to see if that resolves / addresses the problem.

*IF IT DOES NOT -->* I, and I believe Wilson and others are PLANNING TO BARRAGE APPLE WITH COMPLAINTS regarding this issue... and I recommend EVERYONE DO THE SAME. OTHERWISE... "good luck" waiting for the fix.

Alf

PS: LINK ADDED BELOW TO START THE CLAIMS PROCESS :

https://selfsolve.apple.com/EXPERT/GetProductList.do

I had the same problem pop up after canceling copying ~1GB video files to an external drive on Airport because it would have taken much longer than usually. While reading through these posts for maybe 10 minutes the finder suddenly popped up with the two open windows from before and copying is fast again.

I've tried Peter's solution but when I enter the command in terminal it gives me this (this also happens when i type the other command (.../Contents/MacOS/Finder &):

_RegisterApplication(), FAILED TO REGISTER PROCESS WITH CPS/CoreGraphics in WindowServer, err=-50

and I have to cntrl-z it

please help! I've already deleted plist files (launch and finder ones), repaired permissions, unmounted devices, and reinstalled snow leopard twice and still the only thing that barely works on my macbookpro is the terminal (although the dock doesnt show it as working and desktop icons sometimes disappear, and when I try to restart finder it gives me the same -10810 error). I think it might of been something with VMfusion having a windows virtual machine running when it froze, but I can't uninstall it either from the applications folder or terminal. any help is very appreciated

I would suggest loading SL DVD and force power off. Hold C down while restarting then do HD repair from the install disk utility. One you are up and running, I would use the free utility ONYX (from Free Titanium) to clean all the caches (system, user, application etc) and after restarting reset launch services also with ONXY.

Wilson

This happened to me today after I attempted to update my router hub software. I went to shut down and it won't do it. I lose the tool bar if I close all apps. I'll have to unplug it tonight.

A service claim in the morning, if it starts up.

My story: General hodgepodge of all the symptoms discussed by others, including -10810 error messages that can't be clicked away, unresponsive Finder/apps/Dock, no ability to open new apps, no ability to switch among apps using Cmd-Tab, ability to move app windows but not make them (or their menus) active, disappearing menu bar, dead Dock, and usually an inability to get out of the downward spiral without a hard reset (or, if lucky enough to have a responsive Terminal window, reboot -q).

I've tried Disk Utility, reinstallation to 10.6 and then to 10.6.1 and 10.6.2, deleting all sorts of caches and preferences such as all those mentioned on this thread (yep, I read it all), turning external drives on, leaving them off, enabling/disabling Time Machine, enabling/disabling Time Machine, cleaning caches and rebuilding Launch Services via Onyx, feeding the SuperDrive communion wafers, and, today, splurging on the $100 Disk Warrior and running all its file checks and directory rebuilding services.

All no good.

FWIW, for me the problem doesn't appear to involve external drives; even with those disconnected and the iMac restarted, I can always duplicate the problem. For me, it's 100% – and nearly immediately - replicable by starting Spotlight indexing. No Spotlight, no problems. So thanks to 10.6.x, I have a Mac with no Spotlight.

Also FWIW, when I reinstalled into 10.6, I had no problems even with Spotlight. Or, at least, for as long as I kept it running before upgrading to 10.6.2 - you see, I have this expensive new Magic Mouse that won't run on 10.6. So it's 10.6.x with no Spotlight, or 10.6 with no Magic Mouse.

(That's half guess, of course; I don't know for certain that the problem wouldn't eventually pop up on 10.6. Seems it has for some people.)

In any case, this is becoming a very time-consuming and expensive issue. A screw-up this bad is really a first for me, Mac-wise!

My testing supports jevlewt's conclusion. I've done all sorts of contortions and the end result is spotlight indexing is what does it.

Some people who have tried turning off spotlight indexing only to have the problem resurface when they plug in an external drive are not realizing that turning spotlight off only affects currently mounted volumes - you need to flip the switch when all the drives are plugged in, or each time you plug in a new drive.