Finder not showing Desktop

Question

Finder not showing Desktop

Running Mavericks, checked Finder Preferences and 'Desktop' IS checked to show... but it doesn't show the desktop in the left column any longer. Finder _usually_ shows all my drives including internal, external USB, FW, and NAS. Prior to Mavericks I _never_ had the problems showing or accessing anything. Opening files stored on NAS from Apps like Photoshop CS4 sometimes works sometimes doesn't... storing an open file or even a new file on the NAS from PS CS4 almost never works now. Have to first store to a USB or internal drive, then copy to NAS, then delete file on USB or internal so as not to clog drive with hundreds of client graphics files that I use repeatedly.

Is Mavericks this buggy or am I doing something wrong? I'm trying to keep my root HDD at least 1/3rd empty for performance sake.

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9.1), iMac, MacBookPro, iPad, iPhones

Posted on Mar 27, 2014 8:20 AM

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Answer 1

Mar 27, 2014 8:34 AM in response to LightningMike

Try removing the Finder plist file, move it to the desktop. Restart Finder and the plist will be recreated. It may need the Finder preferences changing to suit yourself. The recreated plist is the default one.

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Answer 2

Apr 8, 2014 2:23 PM in response to rack0 tack0

I tried this, moved the PList file to the desktop, closed Finder, then re-opened and nothing has changed. In fact, for some reason I can't even see Application in the left column either. Desktop is checked in Finder Preferences as is Applications but neither is showing up in the left column.

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Answer 3

Apr 12, 2014 7:01 AM in response to LightningMike

Any more ideas?

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Answer 4

Apr 17, 2014 7:19 AM in response to LightningMike

Nobody has the answer for this?

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Answer 5

andyBall_uk

Level 7

20,516 points

Apr 17, 2014 8:15 AM in response to LightningMike

Does Desktop show in the sidebar using a new or Guest user account ?.

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Answer 6

Eric Root

Level 10

684,039 points

Apr 17, 2014 2:04 PM in response to LightningMike

Can you drag the folder 'Desktop' from your user folder to the sidebar?

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Answer 7

Feb 10, 2015 11:01 PM in response to LightningMike

Any chance the show / hide is not selected in your actual finder folder, not the preferences? I just went 'round with this for a half hour until I noticed that somehow the 'show' was clicked to 'hide' for some reason.....

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Answer 8

Feb 23, 2015 9:53 AM in response to Kaden2012

thank you -- this just made my life so much easier! i couldn't riddle my way out of this and this was exactly my problem. : ) high fives!

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Answer 9

May 1, 2016 12:04 PM in response to LightningMike

Thanks to this thread, I started thinking more creatively about how to solve the problem of nothing but my external drives ("Devices) showing up on any Finder window I opened. Finally I noticed that there was also a medium gray title, "Favorites" at the top. There is no visual information that this title is clickable (shame on you Apple! How about a twiddle, geez!). However, rolling the cursor over the title allowed me to select Show. Obviously, I had inadvertently turned on Hide at some point.

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Answer 10

Aug 11, 2016 6:38 AM in response to TheBeeFromHell

Thank you TheBeeFromHell! I have been trying to figure out the exact same problem for months. Searching and searching on posts. This is the only one that worked for me. Still do not know why Desktop does not appear in "Devices" but at least I can see it in Finder.

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