Help Dock keeps reseting

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Help Dock keeps reseting

So I'm somewhat new to osx (1month) and so far I really do love my 13 mbp, but I'm having one little annoying recurring problem. The dock seems to reset every time I log off. For example, I used google chrome as my default web browser at first to somewhat ease my way into macintosh. So of course I placed Chrome in the Dock. Since then I'v began to use Safari and removed chrome from the dock and replaced it with safari. Now heres the problem, every time I log back in my profile. my dock resets to display google chrome and anything I add to the dock is removed once I log off. It seems the dock is reseting itself to what I had 2 weeks prior. At first I didnt mind it but its slowly getting more and more frustrating.

I would greatly appreciate any help and thank you.

MBP 13inch, Mac OS X (10.6.3)

Posted on Apr 22, 2010 11:54 AM

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Answer 1

baltwo

Level 9

62,386 points

Apr 22, 2010 1:05 PM in response to ginormusus

Move the two com.apple.dock files out of your user's /Library/Preferences/ folder onto the Desktop, log out and back in, reset the Dock to your preferred settings, and log out and back in. If the Dock retains its new settings, delete the moved files.

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Answer 2

ginormusus Author

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Apr 23, 2010 4:44 PM in response to baltwo

No it didn't work 😟 thank you for ur help though. the only file I could find was "com.apple.dockfixup.plist" and when I removed that from the folder to my desktop it had no effect.

Message was edited by: ginormusus

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Answer 3

ginormusus Author

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Apr 23, 2010 4:57 PM in response to ginormusus

the more I notice and pay attention, it seems to go deeper than that. in safari bookmarks don't even save after I log off, although icons I place on the desktop do stay put.

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Answer 4

Apr 23, 2010 5:42 PM in response to ginormusus

I am approaching your problem with the idea that maybe there is nothing wrong with your one month old computer, but rather the problem is that you are not knowledgeable enough about the OSX operating system.

For example you say that Chrome keeps popping back up in the Dock even after you removed it from the Dock. This could be what it is suppose to do. Go into System Preferences and open the Accounts preference. Look under "Login Items" and see if Chrome is set to open automatically at Login. If so you need to delete it from the login item list.

Probably I am barking up the wrong tree, but maybe not. Tell us if Chrome is one of your login items.

Arch

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Answer 5

ginormusus Author

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Apr 23, 2010 6:06 PM in response to Arch Riker

although I appreciate your help, I don't think you truly understand the problem thats occurring with my laptop. I may not be the smartest person in the world but I'm far from computer illiterate. I dabble in the windows and linux varieties. The only program set to launch when OSX launches is Skype. In fact, its the only program on the list under login items. Its not that google chrome launches every time i log in, its that the icon appears in the dock including many other icons for programs I'v since removed from the dock. I even uninstalled Chrome and now all it shows is "?".

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Answer 6

baltwo

Level 9

62,386 points

Apr 23, 2010 6:07 PM in response to ginormusus

You're in the wrong Library folder. Your Library folder is the one associated with your account = home folder. The one you looked into is the root-level Library folder. Put the fixup one back and move the correct ones.

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Answer 7

ginormusus Author

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Apr 23, 2010 6:09 PM in response to baltwo

thank you I'll try it now and let you know how it goes.

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Answer 8

ginormusus Author

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Apr 23, 2010 6:15 PM in response to ginormusus

baltwo I love you haha thank you. My mac seems to be working order

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Answer 9

Apr 23, 2010 6:52 PM in response to baltwo

OK, I will offer one more post on this problem. And no one questions your knowledge about computers, it's just that you are an Apple novice. As we all were at one time. Different platforms do things differently

Go back to the advice that Baltwo gave you. Although you think you followed his advice, I don't think you actually did. He told you to remove the two Dock Preference files from your Users Library, place them on the Desktop, then Log Out and Log Back In. You said you only found one Dock Preference file, not two. And it didn't help.

At this point we don't know if it will help because you entered the wrong Library. You entered the System Library and you want the Library for your home folder. Open a Finder window and set it to the Column View. Click on your Home Folder (the little House thingy) in the sidebar. Then click on Library and then Preferences. Scroll down to the 2 com.apple.dock plists and follow Baltwo's instructions. When you remove a plist from the library, the next login causes a new, pristine version of the plist to be created.

Who knows whether it will help, but this is basic level troubleshooting. You may want to look up "Creating a new user account" in Apple Help. That's another basic troubleshooting tool.

Good luck with OSX. Once the kinks are worked out you're gonna love it.

Arch

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Answer 10

baltwo

Level 9

62,386 points

Apr 23, 2010 8:51 PM in response to ginormusus

Thanks for the feedback. Good computing.

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