Each time I attempt to shutdown or restart my macOS Catalina, version 10.15.7, Finder will not let me. There are no apps running. Each time I force quit Finder, the only option I have is relaunch, then I get a window that asks Do you want to force Finder to relaunch. The only options I have is to Cancel or Relaunch; and this takes me into a loop.
Never being able to kill Finder!
Obviously something is hanging up your shutdown process. It could be a software conflict, malware, even a troublesome external drive or hub. Maybe we can figure out what’s going on with your Mac. Some things are fairly easy to fix.
If you like, you should start with an EtreCheck evaluation of your Mac.
EtreCheck is a diagnostic app that gathers and reports important debugging information about your Macintosh. It is very highly regarded and meant to be used with Apple Support Communities to help others help you troubleshoot and resolve your Mac problems.
Please navigate to EtreCheck.com and download the free version of EtreCheck. Once you’ve run the app and created your report please post it with your reply to this message.
You must upload the full report. For instructions on how to attach your EtreCheck report to your reply, please click How to use Add Text when posting…
We can use the EtreCheck report to look for the more obvious things that may be causing your problem and advise how to correct them.
Check the "Login Items" in the System Preferences under "Users & Groups".
https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/open-items-automatically-when-you-log-in-mh15189/mac
When shutting down/restarting a Mac if you have checked "Reopen windows when logging back in", then if the Calculator app (or any other app) is open, then macOS will relaunch those apps when logging in next time.
Prevent apps and windows from reopening - Apple Support
First, there is no reason to ever install or run any 3rd party "cleaning", "optimizing", "speed-up", anti-virus, VPN or security apps on your Mac. This user tip describes what you need to know and do in order to protect your Mac: Effective defenses against malware and other threats - Apple Community.
There are no known viruses, i.e. self propagating, for Macs. There are, however, adware and malware which require the user to install although unwittingly most of the time thru sneaky links, etc.
Anti Virus developers try to group all types as viruses into their ad campaigns of fear. They do a poor job of the detecting and isolating the adware and malware. Since there are no viruses these apps use up a lot of system resources searching for what is non-existent and adversely affect system and app performance.
There is one app, Malwarebytes, which was developed by a long time contributor to these forums and a highly respected member of the computer security community, that is desshoigned solely to seek out adware and known malware and remove it. The free version is more than adequate for most users.
Also, unless you're using a true VPN tunnel, such as between you and your employer's or bank's servers, they are useless from a privacy standpoint: Public VPN's are anything but private.
Download and run Etrecheck. Etrecheck is a diagnostic tool that was developed by one of the most respected users here in the ASC and recommended by Apple Support to provide a snapshot of the system and help identify the more obvious culprits that can adversely affect a Mac's performance.
IMPORTANT:
Before running Etrecheck assign Full Disk Access to Etrecheck in the Etrecheck's Privacy preference pane so that it can get additional information from the Console and log files for the report:
Also click and read the About info to further permit full disk access.
Copy the report
and use the Additional Text button to include the report in your reply.
Then we can examine the report and see if we can determine what might be causing the problem.
angelia53 wrote:
Each time I attempt to shutdown or restart my macOS Catalina, version 10.15.7, Finder will not let me. There are no apps running. Each time I force quit Finder, the only option I have is relaunch, then I get a window that asks Do you want to force Finder to relaunch. The only options I have is to Cancel or Relaunch; and this takes me into a loop.
Never being able to kill Finder!
If your Mac is booted Finder will be running, nothing new here. What is the bigger issue...
Why are you having to fight the Finder? Old problem, new problem, what changed?
Are you new to macOS ...(?)
please advise
MacBook Pro Essentials - [Table of Contents] - Apple Support
https://support.apple.com/guide/macbook-pro/toc
Mac basics
https://help.apple.com/macos/catalina/mac-basics/
new to Mac
https://support.apple.com/explore/new-to-mac
Get to know the Finder on your Mac
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201732
See and organize your files in the Finder on Mac - Apple ...
https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/finder-mchlp2605/mac
angelia53 wrote:
Click the apple in the top left corner and select restart/ shutdown, a window stating are you sure you want to restart/shutdown with a 60 second timer counting down. When it counts down to 0, I get a window stating, “The Finder can’t quit because an operation is still in progress on an iOS device, try again after operation is complete”. Nothings running I click OK. The when I attempt to force quit Finder because nothings running, the only option I have is relaunch.
You can always force quit the Mac by holding the power button/TouchID for ~6-10 sec.
Reboot as normal and test.
Do you have any iOS devices...?
Log out, sleep, wake, restart, or shut down your Mac - Apple ...
Typically third party Anti-Virus does nothing but add issues and compete directly with Apple’s® own built in Security:
Uninstall all third party apps that are Cleaners/Optimizers/Anti-Virus/VPN
and reboot and test.
Your Mac wouldn't shut down when you held down the Power Key for about 10 seconds or more?
Find Any File can help in removing leftover components of apps that have been deleted. Do the following:
#1 - boot into Safe Mode according to Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support.
NOTE: Safe Mode boot can take up to 5 minutes as it's doing the following;
• Verifies your startup disk and attempts to repair directory issues, if needed
• Loads only required kernel extensions (prevents 3rd party kernel/extensions from loading)
• Prevents Startup Items and Login Items from opening automatically
• Disables user-installed fonts
• Deletes font caches, kernel cache, and other system cache files
#2 - download and run the shareware app Find Any File to search for any files with the application's or the developer's name in the file name. For the Norton software you'd do the following search(es):
1 - Name contains norton
Any files that are found can be dragged from the search results window to the Desktop or Trash bin in the Dock for deletion.
FAF can search areas that Spotlight can't like invisible folders, system folders and packages.
#3 - reboot normally.
The Finder is designed to restart after a force quit, and should not be the reason you cannot shut down or restart your Mac. Are you implying that using the menu > Shutdown results in a dialog telling you that the Finder has intervened? I have never encountered that problem, however, Apple Mail still connected with a remote Mail server will block a shutdown or restart until that network connection is released.
Are there any AntiVirus, Disk Cleaner, Optimizers, Defrag, VPNs etc installed which should be removed as per Developers Instructions. They are useless, unneeded, cause havoc and interfere with the normal operation of the OS and may even Corrupt the OS requiring a Reinstallation.
Have seen some people running AV Software that interferes with the Normal Shutdown process. They had to Log Out of computer, then Shutdown computer.
Click the apple in the top left corner and select restart/ shutdown, a window stating are you sure you want to restart/shutdown with a 60 second timer counting down. When it counts down to 0, I get a window stating, “The Finder can’t quit because an operation is still in progress on an iOS device, try again after operation is complete”. Nothings running I click OK. The when I attempt to force quit Finder because nothings running, the only option I have is relaunch.
Click the apple in the top left corner and select restart/ shutdown, a window stating are you sure you want to restart/shutdown with a 60 second timer counting down. When it counts down to 0, I get a window stating, “The Finder can’t quit because an operation is still in progress on an iOS device, try again after operation is complete”. Nothings running I click OK. The when I attempt to force quit Finder because nothings running, the only option I have is relaunch.
Click the apple in the top left corner and select restart/ shutdown, a window stating are you sure you want to restart/shutdown with a 60 second timer counting down. When it counts down to 0, I get a window stating, “The Finder can’t quit because an operation is still in progress on an iOS device, try again after operation is complete”. Nothings running I click OK. The when I attempt to force quit Finder because nothings running, the only option I have is relaunch.
I've had Norton for MAC installed since day one, no disk cleaners, optimizers, etc. Until recently when I click the apple in the top left corner and select restart/ shutdown, a window stating are you sure you want to restart/shutdown with a 60 second timer counting down. When it counts down to 0, I get a window stating, “The Finder can’t quit because an operation is still in progress on an iOS device, try again after operation is complete”. Nothings running I click OK. The when I attempt to force quit Finder because nothings running, the only option I have is relaunch.
angelia53 wrote:
I've had Norton for MAC installed since day one, no disk cleaners, optimizers, etc. Until recently when I click the apple
While you may have been using Norton for years without issues it does not mean Norton will never cause you a problem. A recent macOS update or a recent Norton update (or maybe some other app update) may have caused an issue where Norton is no longer functioning properly on your Mac. Anti-virus apps are notorious for causing problems with any OS. These forums are filled with posts of users whose Macs have started working normally once they uninstalled the anti-virus software, cleaning apps, and third party security software. So uninstall Norton by following Norton's instructions for uninstalling their software. At the very least this is a necessary first step no matter what you may think about Norton.
After uninstalling Norton from my MAC I can shut down or restart after the 60 second timer expires without fighting with Finder, Thanks.
Why does the calculator start up each time log on or restart my MAC? How do I remove it from startup?
I will run EtrCheck because after uninstalling Norton the restart/shut down solution was temporary. Now I can't even shutdown my MAC by pushing the power button, I get the same message about finder. The only was to shutdown my MAC now is to unplug it.
I cannot force quit Finder because Finder continues to relaunch when I force quit.
