Desktop Icons stuck in place - won't move around!

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Level 1

77 points

Desktop Icons stuck in place - won't move around!

Hi guys,

Just purchased a brand new macBook Pro (2.44Gb) for my daughter and have been setting it up for her to take to Uni shortly.

I hadn't noticed previously, but the icons on the Desktop (not the Dock) are stuck in place and even if I try to drag them elsewhere, they stay put!

I've checked the snap to grid, and auto arrange stuff, even tried trashing the desktop plist and repairing permissions, checking to see if the icons are locked (they're not) etc et., but still the problems remains.

Interestingly, If I create another user account on the same machine, the problem disappears, and all works fine!

Just finished re-installing the OS (did not remove anything, simply inserted the OS 10.6.3 disk and clicked "Install" etc), and the problems is still there.

Updated to 10.6.4 - same issue!
It has to be an account related problem, but I'm obviously missing checking something!

Any idea's would be welcome.
Thanks

MacBook Pro 2.44Gb, Mac OS X (10.6.4)

Posted on Jan 28, 2011 5:20 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

John Guo

Level 5

5,353 points

Jan 28, 2011 5:29 PM in response to st3v1e

Go to Finder>Preferences. Uncheck whatever that you want unchecked for "Show these items on the desktop" option.

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Answer 2

Jan 28, 2011 6:08 PM in response to st3v1e

The Finder automatically places a .DS_Store file into every folder you have opened. .DS_Store files are created by the Finder during its normal course of operation however these files are hidden from the view of the user.

These files are used to save the positions of icons, the size of the respective Finder window, the window's background, and many more view options.

.DS_Store files can become corrupted causing unusual behavior by the finder when you open certain folders such as the finder window blinking open and then closing, inability to see some icons, inability to sort icons, or inability to change the view options.

A corrupt .DS_store could cause your desktop icons to forget how you've arranged them, or the ability to arrange them.

Paste the following in the Terminal application.

rm -rf ~/desktop/.DS_Store

This command with '-rf' which tells the command to be recursive and to force the removal.

Then relaunch the desktop

killall Finder

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Answer 3

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,649 points

Jan 28, 2011 6:12 PM in response to st3v1e

In the Finder, click anywhere on the Desktop to select it. From the "View" menu, select "Show View Options." A dialog appears. At the bottom is a pulldown menu labeled "Arrange by:". From that menu, select either "None" or "Snap to grid." Close the dialog.

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Answer 4

st3v1e Author

Level 1

77 points

Jan 29, 2011 3:19 PM in response to Linc Davis

John

Go to Finder>Preferences. Uncheck whatever that you want unchecked for "Show these items on the desktop" option.

Thanks but as I mentioned, I've already tried that one - just re-tried again to ensure it didn't affect the issue - icons still stuck! Thanks anyway!

Leroy

Paste the following in the Terminal application

rm -rf ~/desktop/.DS_Store

This command with '-rf' which tells the command to be recursive and to force the removal.

Then relaunch the desktop

killall Finder

I really thought this may do the trick as your explanation is exactly whats happening - but unfortunately this made no difference despite trying it several times even after a reboot - thanks anyway!

Linc

In the Finder, click anywhere on the Desktop to select it. From the "View" menu, select "Show View Options." A dialog appears. At the bottom is a pulldown menu labeled "Arrange by:". From that menu, select either "None" or "Snap to grid." Close the dialog.

Again, tried this previously with no positive results, re-tried after you posted just to ensure - but the problem persists.

Still open to other suggestions!

Many thanks for the valued input guys - appreciate the help!

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Answer 5

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,649 points

Jan 29, 2011 4:51 PM in response to st3v1e

Delete or move the file /Users/you/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist . Then quit and relaunch the Finder.

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Answer 6

st3v1e Author

Level 1

77 points

Jan 30, 2011 11:58 AM in response to Linc Davis

Hi Linc,

No didn't work either!
There was something real strange going on.

Spent most of yesterday trying to figure out what was happening, but the only thing I could see for sure is under the main user account, the desktop file is not a folder but a single icon. Couldn't seem to get into it and the info window didn't show much information either.

Doing a re-install of the OS didn't solve the problem, and removing the .plist files didn't work either (thanks!).

So eventually I enabled the Root account, then went back into the original account and did a backup using Time Machine to an external drive, before deleting this account totally.

Next I re-created the account (from the user - not the Root - ac), and started moving files/folders back one by one, and checking that the problem didn't re-occur.

Took a while, and had several issues with iPhoto and iTunes along the way, but we're back to a working account - and still no idea why it happened!

Appreciate all the help - but I'd really have liked to have pinpointed the problem!

Don't you just hate it when you can't find an answer??

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Answer 7

st3v1e Author

Level 1

77 points

Jan 30, 2011 11:59 AM in response to st3v1e

Didn't find a solution!

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Answer 8

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,649 points

Jan 30, 2011 12:18 PM in response to st3v1e

It sounds like your Desktop folder somehow got replaced by a file. In the future, you may find it helpful to check the console log by launching /Applications/Utilities/Console.app and looking for messages related to Finder.

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Answer 9

st3v1e Author

Level 1

77 points

Jan 30, 2011 12:21 PM in response to Linc Davis

Linc,

Darn it!
Yes you're correct - I really needed to have checked that!
Thanks for the reminder, hopefully it won't ever happen again, but checking the console log would have given me an indication of problems eh!

Thanks again, appreciate your time helping!
Have a great week!

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Answer 10

Sep 25, 2011 2:31 PM in response to st3v1e

hello there. I am having the same problem. I am unable to drag anything from the desktop, as well as move/arrange any items in my dock. I created a new user account, and it did not help. The only way I am able to move them is by logging in as the root user. Not sure where to go from here, any help is greatly appreciated!

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Answer 11

Jan 8, 2012 11:20 AM in response to st3v1e

Linc,

Same problem - followed all of your suggestions. Launched the Console and indeed found error messages related to Finder...but now what? Not sure what to do with this info - and all desktop icons are still stuck.

Would greatly appreciate any more advice!

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