Setting the size and shape layout of my hard drive

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Setting the size and shape layout of my hard drive

This is something that has never happened in all my years of using Macs (27 and counting...): As soon as I open the hard drive logo the first time, I always set it for 'list', and change the shape to tall and narrow, move it to the right side of the screen, and leave the arrow on 'Users' pointing down so I can get right to my files. One time for this and it never changes, right? Not now. Since I went to Catalina, every time I shut the Mac down or do a restart, the Macintosh HD opens as a big square in the middle of the screen and I have to reset it all over again. Any ideas why this very basic thing has changed, or is it just my iMac that's doing this?

iMac 27", macOS 10.15

Posted on Dec 6, 2019 4:37 PM

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Answer 1

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leroydouglas

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Dec 6, 2019 5:02 PM in response to R. Frank Jones

R. Frank Jones wrote:

I open the hard drive logo the first time,

I always set it for 'list', and change the shape to tall and narrow, move it to the right side of the screen, and leave the arrow on 'Users' pointing down so I can get right to my files.

One time for this and it never changes, right?

Not now. .. a restart, the Macintosh HD opens as a big square in the middle of the screen and I have to reset it all over again.

Any ideas why this very basic thing has changed, or is it just my iMac that's doing this?

Are you talking about a Finder window size and shape?

Finder does seem to have a hard time remembering how it gets set—sometimes it does sometimes it doesn't.

I certainly have not figured out a rhyme or reason..

You can send in your Apple Feedback http://www.apple.com/feedback

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Answer 2

Dec 7, 2019 12:46 PM in response to R. Frank Jones

R. Frank Jones--

Here's a solution, one that is not perfect but hopefully better than what you currently have:

If you have't done it already, add "Macintosh HD" to your user Login Items. (Go to System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Items tab, press the + symbol, and add "Macintosh HD")
Open (or if already open, then click on) the "Macintosh HD" window and set it to your desired location and size.
With the "Macintosh HD" window still selected, go to the menu bar to View and click on Show Tab Bar. You should see the tab bar appear on the "Macintosh HD" window.

Now, as long as you don't close or move the "Macintosh HD" window, it should reappear in the same place when you reboot.

Best of luck!

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Answer 3

Dec 7, 2019 6:21 AM in response to R. Frank Jones

First, let me say that this latest reply is certainly interesting. As a person whose life's calling has been as a musician/entertainer, primarily in the Northern Nevada casino world, and is the prime reason I bought my first Mac in 1992, that reply has left me struggling to suppress the one-liners that are currently surging through my head. Perhaps a couple of screen shots will clarify my dilemma:

This is how the hard drive window appears after I fire up my fairly new iMac in the morning.

This is how I prefer it.

As I said in my original post, once I set it in the manner I choose, it's supposed to STAY that way, not revert every time the computer is fired up. Granted, this is not a major problem, just a niggling result of one more update not acting as I think it should based on my experience with these things. But these are also, as I said, most interesting responses .... Thanks ... I think ... ;-)

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Answer 4

Dec 6, 2019 8:22 PM in response to leroydouglas

Well, that's interesting to know ... especially as your reply seems to indicate that this is a 'thing' that will or won't happen. Sounds to me like a flaw in the new operating system that needs to be addressed by Apple, don't you think?? (hint, hint ...) Thank you for showing me a more proper way to address this issue semantically.

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Setting the size and shape layout of my hard drive

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