Since Catalina, some applications won't launch

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Level 1

4 points

Since Catalina, some applications won't launch

Ever since the upgrade to Catalina certain applications and installers will appear to run, the icon will bounce in the dock, but they never write to the screen. If I try to shut down, I am told that the application needs to be terminated first in Force Quit. These applications will appear in Activity Monitor and the Force Quit box, but never appear on screen, nor do they appear as I cycle through running applications using Command-Tab.

I first noticed this problem with Ultra Fractal, and the developer knew of no issues with running on Catalina. I've since experienced it with the disk image for Opera, with Firefox (after installation), and Java 8 Update 271 installer.

Catalina is up to date, the MBP itself is normal. I can provide other diagnostic information on request.

Thoughts? Experience?

thank you, heliograms (Jon A.)

MacBook Pro 13″, OS X 10.11

Posted on Nov 11, 2020 9:40 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

DiZoE

Level 4

2,943 points

Nov 11, 2020 10:53 PM in response to heliograms

Hi Heliograms! Sorry for the troubles.

My two favorite tests, (If I don’t already know the specific cause), are testing in a new admin account, as said above), and testing in safe boot:

https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/start-up-your-mac-in-safe-mode-mh21245/mac

This will help to isolate the cause to something specific to your user account, such as a setting, preference, permission, and items set to launch automatically. (Another admin user).

And also, (Safe Boot), to see if the problem is intact due to third party/non Apple software that may conflict with Catalina, or even if it was just an issue with the file system). Sometimes, even booting to safe mode and simply restarting again fixes things.

In either case, These tests will at the least tell you if the problem is happening system-wide, or just specific ti your admin-user account, which may help to narrow the cause very much so, so that the cause can be targeted more directly and efficiently. Let us know how it goes!

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Answer 2

Eau Rouge

Level 8

42,554 points

Nov 11, 2020 10:13 PM in response to heliograms

Are these apps that you are trying to run 32bit apps. macOS Catalina does not run 32bit apps.

Any 32 bit third party apps you had needed to be checked for 64bit updates from the developers of those apps.

to check for 32bit apps run this, https://www.stclairsoft.com/Go64/

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Answer 3

heliograms Author

Level 1

4 points

Nov 11, 2020 10:22 PM in response to Eau Rouge

Thank you, these are not existing applications. These are all attempts at installation from current code. Other applications have installed and run fine. Firefox is definitely 64 bit. Ultra Fractal is 64 bit. I do get the feeling they are being sequestered somehow.

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Answer 4

heliograms Author

Level 1

4 points

Nov 12, 2020 11:19 AM in response to Eau Rouge

Thank you, that did the trick. I succeeded with two of the four problems. I left the other two for further troubleshooting.

The two that succeeded in a new admin account prompted "This Application was downloaded from the Internet. Are You Sure You Want to Run It" That never appeared under my own account. It makes me think that something is blocking that prompt under my account, perhaps some sort of popup blocker.

thanks again Jon A / Heliograms

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Answer 5

DiZoE

Level 4

2,943 points

Nov 12, 2020 8:12 PM in response to heliograms

Hey again, that’s good to know, I’d first remove the login items in that user then restart to test:

System Preferences > Users and Groups > Login Items.

I sounds to me more a permissions issue with your user profile, so for that, I’m thinking reset user permissions, / or rebuild the user account.

I know the user permissions repair has changed in Catalina, I’ve found the old way, for me at least, still works, but this article shows the new way to do so:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/eclecticlight.co/2020/03/28/apple-has-changed-resetting-permissions-again/amp/

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