"About this Mac" (System Profiler) won't open

Question

"About this Mac" (System Profiler) won't open

I have been having some strange problems with my computer. I got a new MBA a couple of weeks ago. I installed 10.6.4 with all the old folders and files from the old computer (MBA too Rev C).

Now "About this Mac won't open". It opened before I shifted everything over to the new computer.

The other thing is that an external USB drive won't mount. It mounts on the Powerbook I have and I can move files from and to it. However, on the new MBA, only the external drive appears. The other part is grayed out, and it doesn't mount, as I have said.

I don't know whether these two things are related or not but I thought I would just mention this other problem I just noticed at the same time. (I will make a new question about it.)

The external USB memory drive is formatted to MacOSX extended journal.

I did repair and verify on Disk Utility and these things checked out OK.

I just checked it on the old MBA (same OS) and it mounts fine and I can manipulate contents of the drive.

Is it something to do with firmware issues?

I just tested another USB memory drive and it has the same problem as the other USB memory drive.

I don't know what my next step is.

I want to use the newer MBA instead of having to use the older MBA and the Powerbook to use the USB memory drives. These USB memory drives are USB 2.0. As I have said they work fine on the other older computers.

On the older MBA, "About this Mac" works fine.

I haven't done that much since I migrated everything over to the new MBA. I have just been surfing the Internet. I don't know when the System Profiler failed to work. I tried to open it for the first time since I moved the contents of the old MBA over just now.

MacBook Air late 2010, 2.16 GHz 4GB RAM OS10.6.4, MacBook Air Rev C, PowerbookG4, Mac OS X (10.6.4)

Posted on Dec 17, 2010 1:04 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 17, 2010 1:16 AM in response to applecore_eater

I opened System Profiler by launching it from Utilities.

It comes up with a different name to the admin name though. Maybe that's why it won't open from "About this Mac"?

For example, the computer's name when I set it up using the USB installer stick is "Harry Potter".

But the old MBA that I had was named "js".

When I install programs, it comes up with "Harry Potter", put in password.

However, when I look up the System Profiler information using Utilities, it comes up with "js's MacBook Air (2)".

Does that matter?

Is the name thing causing the problem with the "About This Mac" not opening?

I am really confused about all of this.

The information in the System Profiler is about the newer MBA.

Should I just not worry about this problem? And just open it up from Utilities if I need to look up System Profiler information?

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Answer 2

Dec 17, 2010 1:57 AM in response to applecore_eater

I fixed the problem. I went to Disk Utilities and Verified and Repaired Disk Permissions for the Mac HD. There were many permissions that were different.

After I did this, I shut down the computer. It would not shut down so I had to press the power button for more than 3 seconds to turn the computer off.

When I restarted the computer, I could open "About this Mac" and it showed System Profiler information.

Also, all the USB thumb drives mounted as per usual and Disk Verify and Repair showed nothing wrong.

So, everything is back to normal.

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