Q: My desktop scrambles all folders, on start.

I had that happen a couple of times while beta-testing this cat. It's caused by a corrupt, hidden .DS_Store file in the Desktop folder.

Run this in the Terminal app, log out and back in, and reset your Desktop icons.

rm ~/Desktop/.DS_Store

Once that's done, make a copy using this Terminal command:

cp  ~/Desktop/.DS_Store ~/Desktop/.DS.Store.bak

Then, use this Terminal command to restore it when the corruption happens again:

cp ~/Desktop/.DS_Store.bak ~/Desktop/.DS.Store

Follow this command by an OPTION-click & hold on the Finder's Dock icon and select Relaunch. That will restore the view.

Nice job.

baltwo wrote:

 

I had that happen a couple of times while beta-testing this cat. It's caused by a corrupt, hidden .DS_Store file in the Desktop folder.

 

Run this in the Terminal app, log out and back in, and reset your Desktop icons.

 

rm ~/Desktop/.DS_Store

 

Once that's done, make a copy using this Terminal command:

 

cp  ~/Desktop/.DS_Store ~/Desktop/.DS.Store.bak

 

Then, use this Terminal command to restore it when the corruption happens again:

 

cp ~/Desktop/.DS_Store.bak ~/Desktop/.DS.Store

 

Follow this command by an OPTION-click & hold on the Finder's Dock icon and select Relaunch. That will restore the view.

The problem is that the corruption continues to periodically happen.

That, I can't help with. It stopped for me.

If you want to report this issue to Apple's engineering, send a bug report or an enhancement request via its Bug Reporter system. To do this, register as an Apple Developer—it's free and available for all Mac users and gets you a look at some development software. Since you already have an Apple username/ID, use that. Once a member, go to Apple BugReporter and file your bug report or enhancement request. You'll get a response and a follow-up number; thus, starting a dialog with engineering.

John,

A BR has been submitted.

The solution presented worked for 2-3 re-boots.

Now I have the same problem again.

One observation I've made is that it doesn't seem to rearrange the alias icons on the desktop.

For me it rearranges everything, including aliases.

Everyone who has this problem, please tell Apple:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/macosx.html

I've sent feedback and a bug report. This is still happening for me. The second terminal command above gives me an error message "-bash: cp : command not found" but I'm not fluent enough in terminal to understand it. Seems like a workaround not a fix though.

Come on Apple - having my Mac windows and icons stay where I put them is the basics!

Did I mention my windows all move and resize themselves too, my windows that have jpeg backgrounds lose them? Very frustrating.

The error message indicates that your installation has issues. For that, I suggest that you first create a new admin user account, log into it, and see if Terminal works. If so, you need to resolve the issues with the original account. If not, then it's system-wide and reinstalling is in order.

I believe there was a small typo in this code.

baltwo wrote:

 

cp ~/Desktop/.DS_Store.bak ~/Desktop/.DS.Store

 

Follow this command by an OPTION-click & hold on the Finder's Dock icon and select Relaunch. That will restore the view.

This correction worked for me.

cp ~/Desktop/.DS.Store.bak ~/Desktop/.DS_Store

Great idea baltwo, now I don't have to rearrange my icons by hand anymore! 

Yes, you're correct, since I mucked up the original command. I thought I posted a correction. The second step should be, after rearranging everything on the Desktop;:

cp  ~/Desktop/.DS_Store ~/Desktop/.DS_Store.bak

then my code works, as intended. Sorry for the confusion.

It is a shame that we pay for an upgrade and get problems that we have to resolve ourselves. It has been like this on my MacBook since OSX10 was launched, very frustrating, and I think the fix it yourself solution is all very well for those who have enthusiasm for that sort of thing but it seems a lot of hassle to me for something that should work from day one. Not fit for purpose would be a good way to express it. If only we got what we paid for.