after my computer crashed overnight the app Google Chrome became a document and i can't open it anymore... this is a picture of what is says:
i've tried deleting it and reinstalling it with the dmg file i still had and that brought the app icon back but still not working :/ (running macOS Catalina Version 10.15.2)
please help
Thank you
Mac mini, macOS 10.15
Normally, this indicates an issue with your normal user account. What that is can be difficult to track down.
My first typical test is to create a new, empty folder on the desktop. Open your user account's Preferences folder and move everything from there into the empty folder so that the Preferences folder is now empty. Immediately restart the Mac.
When it comes back to the desktop, it will look like you just took the Mac out of the box. Everything, as far as the desktop is concerned, will be back at the defaults. A downside of this is lots of apps store there registration data there, so third party apps may ask you to enter your serial number again. This was part of the reason for moving the Preferences folder items rather than deleting them. If an app does ask, quit the app, find its preference file in the desktop folder you made and drag it back to the Preferences folder. Overwrite any new one the app may have created.
Yes, it's tedious, but there's no point taking the time to reinstall the OS or applying the Combo updater when a new account pretty much proves the OS is not the problem.
Edit: Before any of the above, what it sounds like is damaged is the LaunchServices database. Reset it and see if that's all that needs to be done. It's easy to do. Open the Preferences folder in your user account. Put this subfolder in the trash and restart:
com.apple.LaunchServices
ok thank you for helping by the way :)
Excellent! Sounds like the issue has been resolved.
You're welcome.
As a little extra info, if you have the same problem after installing the latest version, go to the Applications folder and remove the mangled Chrome app, then try installing it again. The installer may be incorrectly trying to fix what's there instead of replacing it.
oof, ok so i tried that and still didn't work so i thought maybe somehow there was still part of it on before i replaced it with the new one so i downloaded "App Cleaner" to remove it completely but that application is also not opening and shows as a document...
Never, ever use "cleaner" apps. Remove it. You don't need one to do something as simple as throwing Chrome in the trash.
Regardless of that, an app you just installed shouldn't have a blank icon. Something in general is wrong with your system.
I see you have EtreCheck. Make sure it has Full Disk Access in the System Preferences under the Security & Privacy panel. Then run EtreCheck and post the report here. Make sure to paste the output into the Additional text box.
No, not really. The OS simply isn't behaving as expected. It's a bit of a lengthy process, but at this point, I'd still go with a backup, followed by a reinstall of the OS.
Well, there is one quick test you could try, though I don't think it will change anything. Create a new user account. Doesn't matter if you make it and admin account or standard. Login to the new account.
If you don't see these problems in the new account, then there's an issue with our main user account. If it's the same, then it's a system wide issue.
Okay, the crash you initially referred to created a rather nasty problem. The APFS file system itself had an unrecoverable error.
You could try booting into Recovery Mode and see if Disk Utility can repair the drive, but if it were me, I'd make a full restorable backup, erase the drive, and then reinstall the OS with your Time Machine backup merged in.
hi this is Skatitall, i couldn't login to my main account cause i can't use the phone number set to verity it's me. i ended up resetting my computer and reinstalling macOS like you said and decided to only keep a few things so it's pretty much like out of the box now. google chrome opens up fine now but i've had to restart my mac a few times to get it to work ok and it even crashed once... i'll send the crash report here. maybe the problem has something to do with the new hardware i put in a while ago? i upgraded the storage to 1TB (Crucial MX500 1TB 3D NAND SATA 2.5 Inch Internal SSD - CT1000MX500SSD1(Z)) and the memory to 2x8GB (Timetec Hynix IC 16GB Kit(2x8GB) DDR3L 1600MHz PC3L-12800 Non ECC Unbuffered 1.35V CL11 2Rx8 Dual Rank SODIMM Laptop Memory Ram (16GB Kit(2x8GB)))
While not fun to be in the same place after erasing the drive and reinstalling the OS, it's still a result.
This time, the crash report is complaining about an error with launchd, which manages daemons for both they system and user. Between the two crash reports, some of the CPU memory register errors are the same.
Of the upgraded drive and RAM, the RAM is the far more likely culprit. Your Mini supports 1600 MHz PC3-12800 Non-ECC DDR3 SO-DIMMs, which is what you have installed. I've only heard of Timetec, but don't know what their quality level is. Most Mac users will tell you to get RAM for Macs from Crucial or Other World Computing (macsales.com).
Best guess at the moment is the RAM. Try removing and reseating the RAM. Also check while the RAM is out to see that the slots are clear of dust and dirt. Use a mild alcohol wipe to clean off the contacts of the RAM. Test again. If you still get crashes or odd desktop problems, put the original RAM back in. If the problems disappear, then you likely have faulty RAM from Timetec.
ok i'll try to get the latest version and see if that works. thank you :)
I need to go sleep now.. i wasn’t able to find out how to give full drive access to EtreCheck so i’ll try that tomorrow.
ok, i tried using another user and it works just fine there... do i need to be on another user or can this one be fixed? (as in not too hard to fix)
not sure if this has anything to do with it but my mac crashes quite often and once it does it's hard to get it running without crashing again, here's the crash report:
What is "both things"? Removing the LaunchServices database, followed by clearing out the entire Preferences folder?
can't open google chrome
