My dock won't reappear. I've gone to Terminal and typed killall Dock, and it says there is no process called that. So after literally two days of troubleshooting, I found the Dock.app file, and when I click it, the dock opens, my wallpaper (which was permanently blue) comes back, everything is fine. Until I quit. Then the Dock is missing again. So the Dock obviously isn't launching upon startup or login. How can I fix this?
MacBook2,1, Mac OS X (10.6.8)
Run the OnyX cache cleaning/repair disk routine outlined here
I'm pretty sure I did all the cleaning and maintenence repairs correctly, but the problem still isn't fixed. I also reset the PRAM and did a Safe boot, and nothing worked.
Remove (move to the desktop or whatever) the following two plists from your preferences:
com.apple.dock.plist
com.apple.finder.plist
I've tried this before, but just to be clear, these files are in /Users/username/Library/Preferences, correct? And I should move them (not copy) to the desktop, and then restart? Does it matter if I shut down and startup normally versus just pressing restart? I'm just making sure I'm doing it right.
Create another User acccount same problem?
No > Corrupt user account, follow the "Recreate user account method" to rebuild a new User Library
Yes > Consider a Resintall just OS X only install.
kibbles1053 wrote:
I've tried this before, but just to be clear, these files are in /Users/username/Library/Preferences, correct?
Correct. If you are using Lion your home Library is hidden so use the finder Go menu/Go to Folderr... and enter ~/Library/Preferences to open the preferenes diretory.
After removing them kill the finder, i.e., use the Force quit... to kill it. That way it won't get a chance to rewrite the finder plist from possible cached information on a normal exit. Want the plists to be recreated as fresh copies.
Answer is yes. If I reinstall the OS, what exactly happens to my data, settings, etc?
So move those two items to the desktop, kill the Finder, and press the power button and click restart?
I'm sorry I'm being so needy, but I tend to overlook simple details, and bad things happen. The more specific everyone is, the better I'll feel about the suggested fixes.
kibbles1053 wrote:
Answer is yes. If I reinstall the OS, what exactly happens to my data, settings, etc?
Nothing, OS X and bundled Apple programs are replaced only. (but you need to always backup regardless)
If a third party software has a kext file in OS X , then that will get bumped, you'll have to reinstall those third party programs from fresh sources and update.
You need to Software Update immediatly after a Reinstall Just OS X
I'm sorry I'm being so needy, but I tend to overlook simple details, and bad things happen. The more specific everyone is, the better I'll feel about the suggested fixes.
When you force quite the finder it will restart on its own. You do not have to log off, reboot, or anything else. Hopefully, with those plists gone, when the finder restarts you dock will reappear. If not, then removing those plists was not the answer so continue on trying to follow what ds store is telling you.
I moved both of those files to the desktop, and used Terminal to killall Dock. I checked, and the com.apple.dock.plist got recreated, but not the com.apple.dock.db. The Dock didn't disappear or anything. Should I killall Dock to make sure it comes back (In the past, it hasn't)?
For the record, I just used CandyBar to change my Dock; I clicked "Relaunch Dock" and it disappeared and did not reappear. The problem is not fixed.
Just so I understand the timing here. Your dock problems started after you installed CandyBar and you waited till now to post that info? Or did you already have dock problems and sometime later you installed Candybar?
The problems started quite a while after I installed CandyBar. My computer functioned fine for a day or two after using CandyBar. The problems started right after I tried to change the iCal icon without CandyBar; I deleted/moved a few files, such as the com.apple.dock preferences. After I restarted my computer, the Dock wasn't functioning. I did restore the dock and all the icons, as well as completely uninstalling CandyBar, and the Dock still wasn't fixed. Therefore, I do not think CandyBar was the culprit.
My Dock Won't Reappear
