Browser disappeared to the right

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Level 1

8 points

Browser disappeared to the right

I recently upgraded to Mac Yosemite but think it has some strange option that I just can't figure out.

30min ago, I was on the Chrome browser and happened to throw the browser to the right. Fyi, I'm not using mighty mouse and have only 1 monitor.

When I tried to bring it back to the center, I couldn't find it in anywhere on the right side of the monitor. It was gone.

But in the dock, chrome was showing that it's up and running just fine. I was also able to see that all the tabs were still open.

Thinking it's some glitch, I restarted the computer but when I clicked on Chrome, the issue remained same. And even after uninstalled, reinstalled Chrome!

I can see the top menu (as in the attached pics, the open browser is firefox) but browser doesn't appear at all.

No matter what I try so far, it just doesn't work. I can also click on those top menu, such as preference or history, but no window would pop up.

First I thought it was Chrome issue. But when I tried moving Firefox to the right, but hoping it at the edge of the right side of the screen, firefox was also about to disappear. The browser became very transparent. Because I still had Safari to use, I let go of the browser when it turned super transparent, then pshhhhhht! It's gone, too. Now firefox is showing the exactly same symptoms: open in the dock and the top menu but no browser, etc.

It's like some ghost game or something.

It's apparently working "fine" but there's nothing on my screen!

What do I do?

Mac Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.1)

Posted on Nov 30, 2014 3:32 PM

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Answer 1

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Nov 30, 2014 3:49 PM in response to sowhat59

1. From the application's menu bar, select

Window ▹ Zoom

2. Open Mission Control. Close all desktops except Desktop 1 by positioning the cursor over each one and then clicking the X button in the top left corner. In Desktop 1, move the missing window, if need be, so that it won't be hidden behind the Dock.

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Answer 2

sowhat59 Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 30, 2014 4:00 PM in response to Linc Davis

Thanks for the quick reply.

I already looked at the mission control screen. There's nothing except dashboard and desktop 1 which only has Safari open.

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Answer 3

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Nov 30, 2014 4:01 PM in response to sowhat59

Did you try Step 1? Does the Safari window appear in Mission Control?

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Answer 4

sowhat59 Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 30, 2014 4:05 PM in response to Linc Davis

Yes, I tried step 1 and I also tried click on zoom 2, 3 times, too in case it didn't zoom enough.

It didn't work on either firefox or chrome.

Safari does appear as you can see in the pic below.

This is getting very frustrating... :S

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Answer 5

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Nov 30, 2014 4:20 PM in response to sowhat59

Please read this whole message before doing anything.

This procedure is a test, not a solution. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.

Step 1

The purpose of this step is to determine whether the problem is localized to your user account.

Enable guest logins* and log in as Guest. Don't use the Safari-only “Guest User” login created by “Find My Mac.”

While logged in as Guest, you won’t have access to any of your documents or settings. Applications will behave as if you were running them for the first time. Don’t be alarmed by this behavior; it’s normal. If you need any passwords or other personal data in order to complete the test, memorize, print, or write them down before you begin.

Test while logged in as Guest. Same problem?

After testing, log out of the guest account and, in your own account, disable it if you wish. Any files you created in the guest account will be deleted automatically when you log out of it.

*Note: If you’ve activated “Find My Mac” or FileVault, then you can’t enable the Guest account. The “Guest User” login created by “Find My Mac” is not the same. Create a new account in which to test, and delete it, including its home folder, after testing.

Step 2

The purpose of this step is to determine whether the problem is caused by third-party system modifications that load automatically at startup or login, by a peripheral device, by a font conflict, or by corruption of the file system or of certain system caches.

Please take this step regardless of the results of Step 1.

Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed for the test, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards, if applicable. Start up in safe mode and log in to the account with the problem. You must hold down the shift key twice: once when you turn on the computer, and again when you log in.

Note: If FileVault is enabled in OS X 10.9 or earlier, or if a firmware password is set, or if the startup volume is a software RAID, you can’t do this. Ask for further instructions.

Safe mode is much slower to start up and run than normal, with limited graphics performance, and some things won’t work at all, including sound output and Wi-Fi on certain models. The next normal startup may also be somewhat slow.

The login screen appears even if you usually log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.

Test while in safe mode. Same problem?

After testing, restart as usual (not in safe mode) and verify that you still have the problem. Post the results of Steps 1 and 2.

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Answer 6

sowhat59 Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 30, 2014 5:11 PM in response to Linc Davis

First of all, thank you so much for taking time to help me.

Here's my result.

Step 1: it worked! I could see both browsers!

I believe I created the guest account just as you instructed. When I logged on as a guest, it looked like a brand new mac, both firefox and chrome worked. And when I was shutting the computer down, it asked me about deleting all the files. So I'm sure I followed your direction correctly.

Step 2: I left power cable, keyboard usb, and monitor cable and unplugged everything from the tower. (btw, I have early 2008 Mac Pro tower, if that's necessary to know at all) I started the mac in safe mode and the 2 browsers still didn't work.

One thing strange though, is that when the computer was booting from log in page there were multiple stripes on the screen, moving up and down. It looks similar to those old tv stations color correction screen. I wonder if this has something to do with my graphic card.

Anyway, Step 2 gave me the same problem.

Extra: before I had a small issue that I don't really remember what. When I searched online, it told me to PRAM reset.

I just did that too but that didn't help either.

Can I pour IV solution on the tower? Would that make it work fine? 😟

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Answer 7

sowhat59 Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 30, 2014 5:33 PM in response to Linc Davis

Interesting discovery!

When I replied to your comment, I took a screenshot using command-shift-3.

I've noticed before whenever I use this command, it somehow captures a blank desktop picture. So I've always had 2 desktop screenshots.

Because the file name is automatically named with date and time, I know the shot below was captured right when I took the mission control page screenshot.

But when I look at the mission control page, there really isn't anything other than desktop 1.

Wow, I think I might be looking at mission control page that only belongs to desktop 1. Possibly?

This is getting interesting.

In case you can't see the detail, it has the original Yosemite desktop wallpaper, desktop 2, and has firefox(2 tabs I opened) and chrome opened. And there is no dashboard.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Updates: altough it's a very small file, for some reason the picture isn't being uploaded.

I just tried screenshot the entire page again and as usual, I see 2 files created: Screen Shot 2014-11-30 at 5.30.48 PM and Screen Shot 2014-11-30 at 5.30.48 PM (2).

The second file, the one has (2) at the end, shows my firefox browser being opened in on the desktop. Apparently this is in the Vermuda's Triangle area of the mac.

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Answer 8

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Nov 30, 2014 6:33 PM in response to sowhat59

I'm not sure I fully understand your description. Are Firefox and Chrome the only applications you're having trouble with? All others draw their windows normally?

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Answer 9

sowhat59 Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 30, 2014 7:13 PM in response to Linc Davis

Hope you can see this.

Only Firefox and Chrome give me problem. Firefox, I intentionally experimented with just to see if moving it to far right really makes it disappear. And it did.

So when I took a screenshot of mission control page by shift-command-3, it automatically captured an unidentified desktop.

It's named desktop 2 and has both firefox and chrome just as how I set the homepage for each.

I think dragging the browsers to the right end of the screen somehow sent them to "desktop 2" which isn't really visible in the mission control.

Thus, I'm guessing that the mission control page I can see by pressing F3 only belongs to my true desktop.

This anonymous "desktop 2" doesn't even have the same wallpaper as mine.

I think the question now should be "how to find the hidden desktop 2?"

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Answer 10

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Nov 30, 2014 9:46 PM in response to sowhat59

So the image above is a single screenshot of Mission Control, not two screenshots, and you only see the left half on the screen? You say you have only one display, but have you connected a video adapter without a display?

Open the Mission Control pane in System Preferences and uncheck the box marked

Displays have separate Spaces

Test.

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Answer 11

sowhat59 Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 30, 2014 9:54 PM in response to Linc Davis

Yes, I only see one at a time. I just created two screenshots as one file because I had trouble uploading pictures.

Actually, the mystery just got solved.

"Mirroring display" was the culprit.

I tried changing resolution but didn't think about mirroring.

So that explains why my screenshot always automatically creates 2nd file of which wallpaper is set to default.
Both firefox and chrome were hanging out int the "mirroring" land and I dragged them back home.

Now, I want to clear this mirroring page out.
When I click on the arrangement tab in the display,
Mine looks like the picture below. (2 screen sizes look exactly the same: one smaller than the other)

http://instruct.ehc.edu/laptops/mac_pref.jpg

And I could move the smaller one around the bigger, main screen.

When I first opened the smaller one was on the right side of the main one, which is probably why the 2 web browsers disappeared when I dragged them to the far right.

I never used mirroring option or dual display.
But some months ago, I got some service done on my mac. I wonder if those service guys created dual monitor system and didn't deactivated the 2nd desktop.
Do you know how I get rid of this small screen so I only have 1 legitimate desktop?

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Answer 12

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Nov 30, 2014 11:20 PM in response to sowhat59

You only see that tab in the preference pane if there is a second display, or a connected video adapter, or an AirPlay connection.

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Answer 13

sowhat59 Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 1, 2014 12:29 AM in response to Linc Davis

Do you mean the small screen?

I think the small blue screen appears because the computer thinks I'm using an extra monitor screen or something.

That's what I'm trying to get rid of.

I don't use airplay or 2nd monitor. Just one monitor that's connected to the tower with video cable.

Is the small blue screen visible because I'm using the video cable for my only monitor?

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Answer 14

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Dec 1, 2014 9:53 AM in response to sowhat59

The small rectangle represents a second display. If you have only one display, it shouldn't be there. You seem to have ruled out third-party software as the cause. Is the original GPU still installed?

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Answer 15

sowhat59 Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 3, 2014 12:12 AM in response to Linc Davis

I only have 1 monitor which is why I thought it's very strange to see an extra rectangle.

Well, my screen was having some issues some months ago, and I brought it to the tech guys.

I'm suspicious whether they hooked an extra monitor to my computer while fixing it but didn't reset the display pane back to 1 display.

Back then, I needed to buy a new graphic card NVIDIA GeForce 8800GT 512 MB.

And for some reason, instead of single slot model which was originally installed on the tower, the double slot model was put in this time.

Did the double slot model make the small rectangle?

Single and double slot model look exactly same except the thickness.

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