finder won't work/open
Nothing happens when I double click on the HD icon or try to open a new finder window through Finder.
Nothing happens when I double click on the HD icon or try to open a new finder window through Finder.
Using what Mac and what version of OS X?
MacBook Pro and Snow Leopard
Try this first:
Force Quit finder. When you get the force quit window select 'relaunch Finder'.
If that didn't work, go to Home/Library/Preferences and delete the file 'com.apple.finder.plist'.
Reboot your mac.
Any better?
Better. I can now open a new finder window using Finder. But I still can't open the Macintosh HD icon on my desk top. Nothing happens when I double click or right click-open.
Finder menu/General/ is the box 'show hard disks on the desktop' ticked?
Yup. It does show on the desktop. Just that nothing happens when I click on it.
Try unchecking that box, then reboot. Once you are up and running re-check that box. Any joy now?
If not try Plan B:
go to Home/Library/Preferences and delete the file 'com.apple.finder.plist'.
Reboot your mac.
Sigh. No luck with either of them.
I am assuming that we are talking about your internal startup disk and not an external hard drive?
Try repairing your hard drive in Disk Utility, but you have to boot up from your install disk to do that.
Yes, internal startup disk, not external hard drive. I've already run disk repair, but that didn't do anything. But I didn't boot up from the install disk though. Will try that.
That is the only way you can repair your hard drive.
You cannot do this from the same start-up disk. Reboot from your install disk (holding down the C key). Once it opens, select your language, and then go to Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. Select your hard disk as before and click Repair:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1782?viewlocale=en_US
Once that is complete reboot again from your usual start-up disk.
More useful reading here:
Resolve startup issues and perform disk maintenance with Disk Utility and fsck
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1417?viewlocale=en_US
For a full description of how to resolve Disk, Permission and Cache Corruption, you should read this FAQ from the X Lab:
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/repairprocess.html
Apple's advice on general maintenance:
Okay. I rebooted using the insatll disk and ran disk repair on my HD. No change to the problem, and now my trash won't empty either. I'll take a look at the other info you listed. Suggestions?
Actually, all is working now. I just realized that the windows for trash and the HD were opening, but off screen. When I activated the dock, the windows showed up as open. Not sure why this was happening, but all is well. Thank you for your help.
finder won't work/open