Finder not responding on iMac (late 2013) running Catalina

Given the circumstances you describe, if you have another Admin account I would use it to migrate the "problem" Account from its Time Machine backup using Migration Assistant. This of course assumes a viable TM backup, that is, one created prior to the onset of the problem.

Restore your Mac from a backup - Apple Support

Skip Step 1. You already tried that.

Zenon Stoikos wrote:

I downloaded EntreCheckPro.zip but cannot access it since Desktop is blank and Downloads cannot be accessed from Finder.

See sequential mob.ph. pic-sh ots from own Mac Report that I could only scroll (yellow highlights indicate common sequence while scrolling).

I'm in a tight bind. Please help me!

Shots to follow....

Try booting into Safe Mode to see if that makes any difference.

Try booting the Apple Diagnostics to see if any hardware issues are detected. Only a failing diagnostic result is useful.

When you reinstalled macOS, did you first erase the whole physical internal drive (or Fusion Drive item if equipped with a Fusion Drive)?

If you have a Fusion Drive, the perhaps break the Fusion Drive by erasing the whole physical internal SSD and installing macOS only onto the internal SSD (I'm assuming it is a 120GB SSD since it is a 2013 model). The Hard Drive portion is more likely to be bad than the SSD portion.

Don't install any third party apps and do not restore from a backup. You need to test the system under these conditions to make sure the hardware is actually functional.

Most likely you have a hardware issue of some sort.

As for the photos, your link looks like a hyperlink, but cannot be clicked. And copy/paste of text URL gives an error. Just attach the photos using the "Image Insertion" tool whose icon looks like a portrait of a mountain scene on the forum editing toolbar. It is the best way because then those images will remain with the thread so others looking at this thread will be able to view them. Usually items on third party sites disappear very quickly which breaks the usefulness of a thread.

Zenon Stoikos wrote:

...

4. Since Finder works fine in other Users that were set up, I’m considering from Recovery (other User) - Disc Utility - Reinstall OS (again) and also Restore the Data from Time Machine disk drive.

5. If all works good, then I’ll go back to Users & Groups and delete the faulty User. 

If you already have another User account set up on that Mac and it has admin privileges, then the workaround for this problem is easy. Simply create another account to replace the problem account and move everything from the home folder of the problem into that new account. Then delete the problem account.

• Copy all the files and folders from the problem account to an external drive.

• Open some of those files & folders and make sure that you can access the data.

• Create a new account on the Mac to replace the problem account.

• Copy the files & folders now on the ext drive into the home folder of the new account.

• Delete the problem account from the Mac.

This should resolve the problem.

Zenon Stoikos wrote:

Sad news (writing from functioning new User)

With Migration Assistant in a functioning User (admin) I backed up from Time Machine (pre malfunction) the file “Macintosh HD” was successful.

No documents found in functioning User. I could not login into faulty User (password rejected). During backup I had used the same old login passwords (wrong?).

Then I attempted backup of the second file ”SSD Data”. This time I created new passwords. Backing up got stuck and would not complete.

You are using the terms "I backed up..." and "backing up..." in conjunction with Migration Assistant. Are you meaning to say you've tried to migrate your data back to the Mac from the TM backup drive, and this is still failing?

At this point I would abandon any recovery effort using Migration Assistant. You seem to have reached a solid dead end there.

Rebooted with recovery and reinstalled OS with update 10.15.8

I’m at a loss what to do (retry?)

Apple Store (2 red notifications) does not open (System Configuration).

Advice please how to recover my lifetime files.

Your original post was about Finder not working in a particular User account. Has that issue been resolved with the reinstallation of OS Catalina?

What now is the focus of your efforts? Is it data recovery?

Does that problematic User account still reside on the Mac?

And does it still contain the data that you are trying to recover?

Have you tried recovering the files by dragging the problem account's Home folder ( /Users/problemuser ) to an external drive and then recovering from there? In my experience, if the ext drive has "Ignore ownership on this volume" enabled in the Info panel, the permission to access those files is granted to another admin user. This is a drag & drop operation that you can do in a Finder window.

If you don’t have permission to use files on a Mac disk - Apple Support

Run the third party app EtreCheck and post the complete report here so we can examine it for clues.

How to use the Add Text Feature When Posting an EtreCheck Report - Apple Community

Zenon Stoikos wrote:

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipM9yyurjQwaB49fmqRmjUTHRDDkPQo926VmL3JC5UJSyI7RVW-PaQKRmY_8rN5iZg?key=aGh5NENISUVMSEJyTnJkUVROTjF4ZjhUMmJNQTJB

Visible?

Technically this link is accessible, but I cannot read anything in the photos.

If this is the Kernel Panic report, then you can find the actual Kernel Panic logs at "/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports" usually with a file name containing "kernel" and/or "panic". Sometimes they may also be found in the "Proxied Device Bridge" subfolder (not sure the exact name of the latter). Plus the "Retired" subfolder in both those folders as well. You can attach log files using the "Additional Text" icon which looks like a piece of paper on the forum editing toolbar.

It is not clear to me whether you tried "Safe Mode" or not:

HWTech wrote: Try booting into Safe Mode to see if that makes any difference.

If the Finder works normally while booted into your usual User Account then a simpler fix may work.

Zenon Stoikos wrote:

Sad news (writing from functioning new User)

With Migration Assistant in a functioning User (admin) I backed up from Time Machine (pre malfunction) the file “Macintosh HD” was successful.

No documents found in functioning User. I could not login into faulty User (password rejected). During backup I had used the same old login passwords (wrong?).

Then I attempted backup of the second file ”SSD Data”. This time I created new passwords. Backing up got stuck and would not complete.

I think we are hitting a language barrier here. I think your best option to attempt recovery of your data is by taking everything to a local Apple expert. An Apple Authorized Service Provider may be better able/willing to help in such an unusual situation & for such an old system than an Apple Store, but an Apple Store is also an option to try.

Rebooted with recovery and reinstalled OS with update 10.15.8

If macOS is booting, then reinstalling macOS won't usually make any difference since the OS resides on a read-only system volume.

I’m at a loss what to do (retry?)

Apple Store (2 red notifications) does not open (System Configuration).

I don't understand this either. Apple Store...do you mean the Apple App Store app in macOS? And what about "System Configuration"? Do you mean the App Store "settings", or the macOS "System Settings" app? Something else?

Advice please how to recover my lifetime files.

I think a local expert is the best way forward to understand the current state of your computer and backups. Someone able to actually see & work with everything directly can see tiny little things that can provide them with great insight into resolving the problem. Or it is possible you are very unlucky and your backups are not viable for some reason.

Whoever helps you should separate the issues:

• Verifying the iMac hardware is fully functional
• Getting macOS Catalina installed on the iMac if the hardware is functional
• Verifying the health of the backup drive(s)
• Attempt to access the backup data --- may involve using another Mac if your 2013 iMac's issues are not yet resolved.
• If a local expert is unable to easily recover data from the backups, then you may need to consider a professional data recovery service, but the data recovered may or may not contain file names or folder/directory structures depending on the extent of any corruption of the backup.

When looking at the backups, my first goal is always to verify the health of the physical drive and to always minimize access & changes to the drive. Data recovery is something many techs get wrong.

I’m hoping that OS reinstall will originate from outside this iMac.

It does. A macOS reinstallation originates from Apple's servers.

There are no viruses that affect macOS so just forget that idea. The reason it's important is that you do not want to compound your problems with an "anti-virus" product.

It's always a good idea to have more than just one Time Machine backup. If you eventually decide to erase the Mac you will effectively have zero backups, at least temporarily. Not a good place to be.