Finder takes long time to display files

Does this happen with all folders, or only some?

If only some, are they on a network server?

Please read this whole message before doing anything.

This procedure is a test, not a solution. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.

Step 1

The purpose of this step is to determine whether the problem is localized to your user account.

Enable guest logins and log in as Guest. For instructions, launch the System Preferences application, select Help from the menu bar, and enter “Set up a guest account” (without the quotes) in the search box.

While logged in as Guest, you won’t have access to any of your personal files or settings. Applications will behave as if you were running them for the first time. Don’t be alarmed by this; it’s normal. If you need any passwords or other personal data in order to complete the test, memorize, print, or write them down before you begin.

As Guest, launch the application(s) and test. Same problem(s)?

After testing, log out of the guest account and, in your own account, disable it if you wish. Any files you created in the guest account will be deleted automatically when you log out of it.

Step 2

The purpose of this step is to determine whether the problem is caused by third-party system modifications that load automatically at startup or login.

Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed for the test, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards. Boot in safe mode and log in to the account with the problem. The instructions provided by Apple are as follows:

• Be sure your Mac is shut down.
• Press the power button.
• Immediately after you hear the startup tone, hold the Shift key. The Shift key should be held as soon as possible after the startup tone, but not before the tone.
• Release the Shift key when you see the gray Apple icon and the progress indicator (looks like a spinning gear).

Safe mode is much slower to boot and run than normal, and some things won’t work at all, including wireless networking on some Macs.

The login screen appears even if you usually log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.

Test while in safe mode. Same problem(s)?

After testing, reboot as usual (i.e., not in safe mode.) Post the results of steps 1 and 2.

By creating the Guest Account and logging into it, the Finder did not display any files, so could not guage about its performance.

I'm not sure what that means. The home folder of the guest user would be almost empty, but the Finder should be able to open plenty of folders in other parts of the filesystem, such as the Applications folder. Did you try that? If not, please do.

The description of the problem seems to have changed. Yesterday you wrote that all folders were displaying slowly. Now the Applications folder is displaying instantly, and "All My Files," which is not a folder but a Spotlight search, is displaying slowly. Which version of the story is correct? You have to remember that I know only what you tell me. If you give inconsistent or incomplete information, I can't help you.

Launch the Console application by entering the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select "system.log" from the file list. Enter "backupd" (without the quotes) in the Filter text field. Post the messages from the last backup, beginning with "Starting standard backup." Post the log text, please, not a screenshot. Edit out excessive repeats, if any. Some personal information, such as the names of your files, may be included -- edit that out, too, but don’t remove the context.

Correction to my last post:

Launch the Console application by entering the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Enter "mdworker" (without the quotes) in the Filter text field. Post the messages that appear in the Console window -- the text, please, not a screenshot. Edit out excessive repeats, if any. Some personal information, such as the names of your files, may be included -- edit that out, too, but don’t remove the context.

Do the same with the search string "mds".

Select  ▹ System Preferences ▹ Spotlight ▹ Privacy. The list of items excluded from Spotlight indexing is shown (it may be empty.) Click the plus (+) icon to add an item to the list. Select your boot volume (under DEVICES) and add it to the list. Then remove it from the list by selecting it and clicking the minus (-) icon.

Spotlight will rebuild the index. If you try to do a Spotlight search now from the magnifying-glass icon in the top right corner of the display, a pulsing dot will appear in the icon. When the dot disappears, the indexing is complete. Try the search again.

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