my-username-was-taken
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Apple TV

Q: -600 The application xxx can't be opened.

I keep randomly getting these error dialogs. It can be any application (even the calculator). The horrible thing is I can't focus the dialogs to click "Ok" to close them. Can't command-tab to them or anything. However they sit on top of everything.

 

It's the most annoying error I think I've ever seen. If the error dialog would at least allow other windows to be overtop it, then I'd deal with it. Annoying...But at least I'd be able to manage.

 

I didn't do a fresh install of Mavericks, I upgraded. I use this computer for work so often that it's hard to take the time to do a install from scratch...an upgrade really should have worked too.

 

Anyone else get this error?

The only thing I can do is restart my computer each time. Fortunately I can save my work...but it's a very big distraction and I see the error almost once a day.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mavericks (10.9.2)

Posted on May 1, 2014 11:05 PM

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my-username-was-taken

Q: -600 The application xxx can't be opened.

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  • by my-username-was-taken,

    my-username-was-taken my-username-was-taken May 2, 2014 7:46 PM in response to my-username-was-taken
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apple TV
    May 2, 2014 7:46 PM in response to my-username-was-taken

    ok, either way. done.

  • by my-username-was-taken,

    my-username-was-taken my-username-was-taken May 9, 2014 1:05 PM in response to my-username-was-taken
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apple TV
    May 9, 2014 1:05 PM in response to my-username-was-taken

    Still crashes randomly. It didn't for a few days, but opening up the System Preferences just brought the dialog and I had to restart my computer. Super annoying. I wish Apple would their software as nice as their hardware.

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis May 9, 2014 10:28 PM in response to my-username-was-taken
    Level 10 (208,037 points)
    Applications
    May 9, 2014 10:28 PM in response to my-username-was-taken

    Remove "Boom" and test.

    Any third-party software that doesn't install by drag-and-drop into the Applications folder, and uninstall by drag-and-drop to the Trash, is a system modification.

    Whenever you remove system modifications, they must be removed completely, and the only way to do that is to use the uninstallation tool, if any, provided by the developers, or to follow their instructions. If the software has been incompletely removed, you may have to re-download or even reinstall it in order to finish the job.

    I never install system modifications myself, and (unless otherwise specified in this comment) I don't know how to uninstall them. You'll have to do your own research to find that information.

    Here are some general guidelines to get you started. Suppose you want to remove something called “BrickMyMac” (a hypothetical example.) First, consult the product's Help menu, if there is one, for instructions. Finding none there, look on the developer's website, say www.brickmymac.com. (That may not be the actual name of the site; if necessary, search the Web for the product name.) If you don’t find anything on the website or in your search, contact the developer. While you're waiting for a response, download BrickMyMac.dmg and open it. There may be an application in there such as “Uninstall BrickMyMac.” If not, open “BrickMyMac.pkg” and look for an Uninstall button. The uninstaller might also be accessed by clicking the Customize button, if there is one.

    Back up all data before making any changes.

    You will generally have to restart the computer in order to complete an uninstallation. Until you do that, there may be no effect, or unpredictable effects.

    If you can’t remove software in any other way, you’ll have to erase and install OS X. Never install any third-party software unless you're sure you know how to uninstall it; otherwise you may create problems that are very hard to solve.

    WARNING: Trying to remove complex system modifications by hunting for files by name often will not work and may make the problem worse. The same goes for "utilities" such as "AppCleaner" and the like that purport to remove software.

  • by my-username-was-taken,

    my-username-was-taken my-username-was-taken May 10, 2014 8:47 AM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apple TV
    May 10, 2014 8:47 AM in response to Linc Davis

    Boom came off the App store, I'd think that it would at least be somewhat legit, but I'll give it a try.

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis May 10, 2014 9:23 AM in response to my-username-was-taken
    Level 10 (208,037 points)
    Applications
    May 10, 2014 9:23 AM in response to my-username-was-taken

    I don't know what the one in the App Store does, but the version you have is a low-level system modification and could not have come from there. Merely deleting an application will not remove it.

  • by my-username-was-taken,

    my-username-was-taken my-username-was-taken May 26, 2014 9:44 AM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apple TV
    May 26, 2014 9:44 AM in response to Linc Davis

    Well, it did. However there were additional things it installed once downloaded from the App Store.

     

    Surprisingly enough (despite seeing patch notes about Mavericks) that may have been the problem. I can't imagine a simple thing like that would cause the issues. I might just be lucky here, but things do seem a bit more stable. I'll post back if that wasn't it.

     

    My sound isn't so great now though, I'll need to find another EQ app I guess.

  • by my-username-was-taken,

    my-username-was-taken my-username-was-taken May 29, 2014 10:01 AM in response to my-username-was-taken
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apple TV
    May 29, 2014 10:01 AM in response to my-username-was-taken

    Nope. Not Boom =( I just got another -600.

    I swear it happens after wake up. I think Mavericks has bugs with coming out of standby.

  • by my-username-was-taken,

    my-username-was-taken my-username-was-taken May 29, 2014 10:34 AM in response to my-username-was-taken
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apple TV
    May 29, 2014 10:34 AM in response to my-username-was-taken

    God this is killing me...I have all this work open and I have to restart. I can't even find the dialog window process to kill. Finder is inaccessible while this box appears as well, I can't focus any of the finder windows...Killing Finder also doesn't clear the dialog. It restarts and I still can't touch those windows. Activity Monitor and other tools also inaccessible while this dialog shows.

     

    I can open Disk Utility, but I can't touch it either. I see the window opened behind my web browser in this case (I opened as I was typing this), but I can't focus it. You simply can't focus any system window. Other apps are ok though. I can access everything in the top bar as well...That is until I go to open date preferences for example. System preferences can't be opened.

     

    I'd be completely content with the bug if I could just kill/restart the process that's responsible for all this. I really wouldn't mind opening the terminal and killing the process on these rare occassions for the rest of my life using Apple products...I seriously wouldn't care...But restarting the **** machine when I have all this open work (and fortunately I can save it) is the biggest pain in the rear I think I can imagine...Short of not being able to first save the work.

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis May 29, 2014 12:33 PM in response to my-username-was-taken
    Level 10 (208,037 points)
    Applications
    May 29, 2014 12:33 PM in response to my-username-was-taken

    Back up all data to at least two different storage devices, if you haven't already done so. One backup is not enough to be safe. The backups can be made with Time Machine or with Disk Utility. Preferably both.

    Erase and install OS X. This operation will destroy all data on the startup volume, so you had be better be sure of the backups. If you upgraded from an older version of OS X, you'll need the Apple ID and password that you used, so make a note of those before you begin.

    When you restart, you'll be prompted to go through the initial setup process in Setup Assistant. That’s when you transfer the data from a backup.

    Select only users and Computer & Network Settings in the Setup Assistant dialog—not Applications or Other files and folders. Don't transfer the Guest account, if it was enabled.

    After that, run Software Update.

    If the problem is resolved after the clean installation, reinstall third-party software selectively. I can only suggest general guidelines. Self-contained applications that install into the Applications folder by drag-and-drop or download from the App Store are usually safe. Anything that comes packaged as an installer or that prompts for an administrator password is suspect, and you must test thoroughly after reinstalling each such item to make sure you haven't restored the problem.

    I strongly recommend that you never reinstall commercial "anti-virus" products or "utilities," nor any software that changes the user interface or modifies the functions of built-in applications. If you do that, the problem is likely to recur.

    Before installing any software, ask yourself the question: "Am I sure I know how to uninstall this without having to wipe the volume again?" If the answer is "no," stop.

    Never install any third-party software unless you know how to uninstall it.

  • by my-username-was-taken,

    my-username-was-taken my-username-was-taken May 29, 2014 12:38 PM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apple TV
    May 29, 2014 12:38 PM in response to Linc Davis

    Yea, I was hoping to not have to re-install from scratch =( Such a pain in the rear. Thanks for your help though.

  • by my-username-was-taken,

    my-username-was-taken my-username-was-taken Jun 16, 2014 8:30 PM in response to my-username-was-taken
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apple TV
    Jun 16, 2014 8:30 PM in response to my-username-was-taken

    I think I may have figured it out!

     

    I read somewhere else that power nap was causing a problem for some people. Specifically when using a NAS with Time Machine.

     

    So went to the preferences > energy saver ... and unchecked enable power nap while pluged into a power adapter

     

    Everything seems a LOT more stable and it seems to fit logically.

     

    1. I started seeing the issues after upgrading to Mavericks (which is when I started using Time Machine...I backed up before upgrading)

     

    2. I noticed the error more often after the computer lid was shut ... I rarely had issues after a fresh start of the system (and of course I had to restart in order for the dialog to go away, so I got to spend a lot of time working with the computer after a fresh boot and the next day after I went to bed closing the lid)

     

    It's a rare combination I guess. Most people don't back up over an SMB share. I created a sparsebundle and everything in order to be able to do it. The drive connect reliably, but it also disconnects a lot. Napping will sometimes disconnect. I take my machine to work and of course my network drive doesn't follow. So there's always times when it's not available and that's fine for Time Machine. It says, "Hey, I can't backup." and never had an issue and I never saw any issues while using the computer...But when sleeping? Who knows what happens when it tries to back up while sleeping when the network drive isn't connected. Sounds like a good place for an edge case in some code. It's not like Apple is going to test all those scenarios.

     

    It's been over a week with the new settings and I haven't seen the issue at all. I'm pretty hopeful that this is the issue, though I've been around computers too long to ever be fully confident.

     

    If I see the issue again I will re-post here so that anyone else with this situation doesn't think this is a solution...But for now, it's working.

  • by my-username-was-taken,

    my-username-was-taken my-username-was-taken Jun 19, 2014 12:28 PM in response to my-username-was-taken
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apple TV
    Jun 19, 2014 12:28 PM in response to my-username-was-taken

    Nope. Happened again. I hate OS X. I wish I could go back to linux =(

  • by my-username-was-taken,

    my-username-was-taken my-username-was-taken Jun 29, 2014 12:32 PM in response to my-username-was-taken
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apple TV
    Jun 29, 2014 12:32 PM in response to my-username-was-taken

    Reformatted. Apparently time machine doesn't back up data in /usr/local ... despite that not being listed in the .plist file or any FAQ out there or anywhere. Of course it also doesn't backup hidden folders (which is known) so that kinda destroys any user settings. No, don't back up my settings but give me 5 copies of calculator. Sure...The app that comes with the operating system, back that up 5 times just to make sure we don't lose it because it's a very important app. Utter junk. So I lost a lot of data.

     

    ...And guess what? -600 errors STILL persist after a re-format. Mavericks is the WORST operating system in the world. It's 100% official. It ranks below Windows.

     

    I'm completely shocked how no one else seems to have this issue. A completely fresh install of the operating system. I've only installed a few apps and I can try removing each one and testing but I'm in utter shock. It's not like I'm using some obscure app. Others surely must have the same apps installed.

     

    I pray Yosemite fixes things this fall, but I've completely lost faith in this worthless company.

  • by brianvon best,

    brianvon best brianvon best Oct 7, 2014 9:22 AM in response to my-username-was-taken
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 7, 2014 9:22 AM in response to my-username-was-taken

    I experience the same problem with "iMovie.app"

    The -600 OK window is stuck right on the face of the display in the foreground, and it cannot be eliminated.  without a complete system reboot and context  loss.

    I do NOT have NAS but do have a power nap likely enabled. 

     

    This problem seems to recur every week.  Rebooting is a waste of users' time and comprises a lobotomy in the middle of a workweek.

     

    Any suggestions on how to address?

  • by brianvon best,

    brianvon best brianvon best Nov 1, 2014 6:01 AM in response to my-username-was-taken
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 1, 2014 6:01 AM in response to my-username-was-taken

    Has this problem been solved in Yosemite?

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