Q: Finder keeps quitting while trying to restore its windows

This has been a problem for people in the past, where the system will output a "seed mismatch" error with the handling of the "ISGetIconFamilyFromStorage" function, and result in the Finder crashing repeatedly. While there is a common underlying basis for it, the approach that has been successful for most is to reinstall OS X over the current installation, either by running the latest "Combo" updater for the OS from Apple, or by simply reinstalling from the OS X installation drive and then updating the system again.

Reinstalling the OS should not hurt the system or your data, and should keep your account, preferences and settings, installed applications, and data all intact while it replaces the system software. With OS X Lion and later, Apple includes a Recovery HD partition that you can load by holding Command-R at bootup, and then running the option to reinstall the OS. This will access and download the installer from the Mac App Store and get you up and running without the need for physical installation media.

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Your problem will not be solved until you delete the corrupt file that's causing the Finder to crash. Neither reinstalling the OS nor anything else will have any effect.

For my own reference, I would like to know whether you carried out the last procedure I suggested. I've never known it to fail in a case like yours. Thanks.

The Apple "Geniuses" won't know how to solve your problem. They will erase your boot volume and install OS X without restoring any of your data. The crashing will then stop, and they will hand the computer back to you with a smile -- problem solved. When you get home and restore your data from a backup, the crashing will resume.

The problem may be related items you have configured for the menu bar in your account, among other issues with some relevant user preferences.

If you have a third-party menu extra that is loading and causing the problem then it could very well be the root of the issue. If you can navigate through the Finder, then try going to the user preferences folder by holding the Option button and selecting "Library" from the Go menu. In here, go to the Preferences folder and remove the following files (this action will not hurt your system in any way):

     com.apple.systemuiserver.plist

     com.apple.finder.plist

In addition, go to the "ByHost" directory within this folder and remove the following files (NUMBERSTRING is an identifier in the name that is unique to your computer):

     com.apple.finder.NUMBERSTRING.plist

     com.apple.systemuiserver.NUMBERSTRING.plist

In addition to removing these preferences, back in the Library folder remove the contents from the following directories:

     Caches/com.apple.finder/

     Saved Application State/com.apple.finder.savedState (you did this one before, but do it again for good measure)

I didn't tell you to reinstall OS X. I suggested yesterday that you run a command in a Terminal window. Did you do that?

I had same problem, I tried deleting the com.apple.finder.plist file in the ~/Llibrary/Preferences folder (I did this using Terminal since Finder didn't work) and then restarting but that didn't help, try putting into safe mode things were just worse, then I tried hardware restart by pressing and holding the OFF button and what do you know once it booted up again I had the same Finder pop-up "Restore Windows" or "Don't Restore Windows" but I chose don't re-open and finder just worked from then on. Everything is back to normal. I have OSX 10.8.2. Hope that helps someone.

Hi sorry to jump your thread but I am having the same issue as karen.  When I tried the DS_Store delete command I got back this:

find: /Users/stylr/Sites/the_weblog_of_a_nobody/index.xml: Permission denied

Any help?  This is to Linc.  Thanks in advance

Hello Linc,

I've been having the same problem as Karen today and I found your thread. So far, I have followed your instructions on this thread up to the step where you asked her to enter "rm -i L*/Pre*/{.Gl,com.apple.{rec,sid}}*.plist" into Terminal. My error number was 475. How do you advise that I should proceed?

Thanks in advance for your help - I know that Karen had this problem two years ago, so apologies for troubling you with an old issue. 

Cheers

Tom