Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Finder totally broken. Just spits out the alert sound over and over

Some times Finder works, and some times it doesn't. If I'm lucky and it works at start up, with in an hour or two it's back to not working.


When it doesn't work, Finder just spits out the alert sound over and over non-stop, and some times also spits out another type of sound at the same time, even with the keyboard unplugged.


I also can't use the drop-down options, move files, or change settings that require a password. When trying to type, you get one or two letters in, and it then quickly closes.


It just suddenly started doing this.

Posted on Jan 16, 2015 9:40 AM

Reply
11 replies

Jan 16, 2015 10:21 AM in response to Jesse Smith1

Run Apple Hardware Test.

Apple Hardware Test is for Macs produced prior to June, 2013. Later Macs use Apple Diagnostics.


Determine if the same problems also occur in "Safe Mode":

  • Safe Mode or "Safe Boot" is a troubleshooting mode that bypasses all third party system extensions and loads only required system components. Read about it: Starting up in Safe Mode
  • You must disable FileVault before you can start your Mac in Safe Mode.
  • Starting your Mac in Safe Mode will take longer than usual, graphics will not render smoothly, audio is disabled on some Macs, and some programs (iTunes for example) may not work at all.
  • Merely starting your Mac in Safe Mode is not intended to resolve the problem, it's to observe its performance without certain additional components.
  • To end Safe Mode restart your Mac normally. Shutdown will take longer as well.

Jan 16, 2015 10:36 AM in response to John Galt

I got the iMac less than three months ago. When I try Apple Diagnostics, I just get an alert sound when finder starts up. Nothing else.


Most of the time in Safe Mode it also generates this. I was on the phone with Apple yesterday, until getting disconnected, once it was fine in Safe Mode, and twice we tried it and it wasn't working. Got disconnected on the call, and I then re-installed the system, which is what we were about to do. Still got the problem. Created a test user. Still got the problem.


Disk Utility shows no problems.


I also tried trashing com.apple.finder.plist.

Jan 16, 2015 11:58 AM in response to Jesse Smith1

The alert sound is a concern. Depending on exactly what alert sound it is, it may indicate a hardware problem, and since you are unable to run Apple Diagnostics no further information can be determined.


Call Apple again and refer to the case number they assigned to you. It's under warranty so have them fix it. You shouldn't have to bother doing anything more than you already have.

Jan 16, 2015 1:47 PM in response to John Galt

Do you think a Time Machine back-up restore might fix it? I got every thing double back-ed up, and some stuff is backed up three times!


When I first got this bug, I couldn't do anything on finder, using a browser, or typing. Now, usually when I turn it on, it can take an hour or more before finder then messes up, and I think I just discovered a temporary fix, pressing the power button down for like less than half a second, until the screen first goes black, then stop. Finder then acts normally. I'll soon know how long this fix lasts before it messes up!


I got the AppleCare Protection on this, so I'll definitely call back first before doing a complete restore.

Jan 16, 2015 2:16 PM in response to Jesse Smith1

Launch the Console application in any of the following ways:

☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)

☞ In the Finder, select Go Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.

☞ Open LaunchPad and start typing the name.

Step 1

For this step, the title of the Console window should be All Messages. If it isn't, select

SYSTEM LOG QUERIES All Messages

from the log list on the left. If you don't see that list, select

View Show Log List

from the menu bar at the top of the screen.

In the top right corner of the Console window, there's a search box labeled Filter. Initially the words "String Matching" are shown in that box. Enter the name of the crashed application or process. For example, if Safari crashed, you would enter "Safari" (without the quotes.)

Each message in the log begins with the date and time when it was entered. Select the messages from the time of the last crash, if any. Copy them to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C. Paste into a reply to this message by pressing command-V.

☞ The log contains a vast amount of information, almost all of which is irrelevant to solving any particular problem. When posting a log extract, be selective. A few dozen lines are almost always more than enough.

Please don't indiscriminately dump thousands of lines from the log into this discussion.

Please don't post screenshots of log messages—post the text.

☞ Some private information, such as your name, may appear in the log. Anonymize before posting.

Step 2

In the Console window, select

DIAGNOSTIC AND USAGE INFORMATION User Diagnostic Reports

(not Diagnostic and Usage Messages) from the log list on the left. There is a disclosure triangle to the left of the list item. If the triangle is pointing to the right, click it so that it points down. You'll see a list of crash reports. The name of each report starts with the name of the process, and ends with ".crash". Select the most recent report related to the process in question. The contents of the report will appear on the right. Use copy and paste to post the entire contents—the text, not a screenshot.

I know the report is long, maybe several hundred lines. Please post all of it anyway.

If you don't see any reports listed, but you know there was a crash, you may have chosen Diagnostic and Usage Messages from the log list. Choose DIAGNOSTIC AND USAGE INFORMATION instead.

In the interest of privacy, I suggest that, before posting, you edit out the “Anonymous UUID,” a long string of letters, numbers, and dashes in the header of the report, if it’s present (it may not be.)

Please don’t post other kinds of diagnostic report—they're very long and rarely helpful.

Jan 16, 2015 9:21 PM in response to Linc Davis

SYSTEM LOG QUERIES ▹ All Messages


1/16/15 10:47:22.846 AM Finder[201]: *** remoteObjectProxyWithErrorHandler failed: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=4097 "Couldn’t communicate with a helper application." (connection to service named com.apple.internetaccounts) UserInfo=0x600000c62240 {NSDebugDescription=connection to service named com.apple.internetaccounts}; {

NSDebugDescription = "connection to service named com.apple.internetaccounts";

}

1/16/15 10:47:46.670 AM loginwindow[65]: ERROR | -[SessionLogoutManager quitFinder] | Finder is killable, calling SMJobRemove

1/16/15 10:48:56.229 AM com.apple.xpc.launchd[1]: (com.apple.Finder) ThrottleInterval set to zero. You're not that important. Ignoring.

1/16/15 10:48:58.805 AM Finder[201]: assertion failed: 14B25: libxpc.dylib + 97940 [9437C02E-A07B-38C8-91CB-299FAA63083D]: 0x89

1/16/15 12:06:12.981 PM Finder[201]: CGContextDrawImage: invalid context 0x0. This is a serious error. This application, or a library it uses, is using an invalid context and is thereby contributing to an overall degradation of system stability and reliability. This notice is a courtesy: please fix this problem. It will become a fatal error in an upcoming update.

1/16/15 12:06:12.983 PM Finder[201]: CGContextRestoreGState: invalid context 0x0. This is a serious error. This application, or a library it uses, is using an invalid context and is thereby contributing to an overall degradation of system stability and reliability. This notice is a courtesy: please fix this problem. It will become a fatal error in an upcoming update.

1/16/15 12:06:12.984 PM Finder[201]: CGContextRestoreGState: invalid context 0x0. This is a serious error. This application, or a library it uses, is using an invalid context and is thereby contributing to an overall degradation of system stability and reliability. This notice is a courtesy: please fix this problem. It will become a fatal error in an upcoming update.

1/16/15 12:16:37.023 PM Finder[201]: CGContextScaleCTM: invalid context 0x0. This is a serious error. This application, or a library it uses, is using an invalid context and is thereby contributing to an overall degradation of system stability and reliability. This notice is a courtesy: please fix this problem. It will become a fatal error in an upcoming update.

1/16/15 12:16:37.025 PM Finder[201]: CGContextSetFillColorWithColor: invalid context 0x0. This is a serious error. This application, or a library it uses, is using an invalid context and is thereby contributing to an overall degradation of system stability and reliability. This notice is a courtesy: please fix this problem. It will become a fatal error in an upcoming update.

1/16/15 12:16:37.026 PM Finder[201]: CGContextSetStrokeColorWithColor: invalid context 0x0. This is a serious error. This application, or a library it uses, is using an invalid context and is thereby contributing to an overall degradation of system stability and reliability. This notice is a courtesy: please fix this problem. It will become a fatal error in an upcoming update.

1/16/15 12:16:37.027 PM Finder[201]: CGContextGetCTM: invalid context 0x0. This is a serious error. This application, or a library it uses, is using an invalid context and is thereby contributing to an overall degradation of system stability and reliability. This notice is a courtesy: please fix this problem. It will become a fatal error in an upcoming update.

1/16/15 12:16:37.029 PM Finder[201]: CGContextGetDefaultUserSpaceToDeviceSpaceTransform: invalid context 0x0. This is a serious error. This application, or a library it uses, is using an invalid context and is thereby contributing to an overall degradation of system stability and reliability. This notice is a courtesy: please fix this problem. It will become a fatal error in an upcoming update.

1/16/15 12:16:37.031 PM Finder[201]: CGContextSaveGState: invalid context 0x0. This is a serious error. This application, or a library it uses, is using an invalid context and is thereby contributing to an overall degradation of system stability and reliability. This notice is a courtesy: please fix this problem. It will become a fatal error in an upcoming update.

1/16/15 12:16:37.032 PM Finder[201]: CGContextConcatCTM: invalid context 0x0. This is a serious error. This application, or a library it uses, is using an invalid context and is thereby contributing to an overall degradation of system stability and reliability. This notice is a courtesy: please fix this problem. It will become a fatal error in an upcoming update.

1/16/15 12:16:37.034 PM Finder[201]: CGContextSaveGState: invalid context 0x0. This is a serious error. This application, or a library it uses, is using an invalid context and is thereby contributing to an overall degradation of system stability and reliability. This notice is a courtesy: please fix this problem. It will become a fatal error in an upcoming update.


There's a total of 77 CGContext errors. If you want me to, I'll post them all, but I think only the CGContext name is different on them all, and I think I got one of each CGContext error. 'Overall degradation of system stability and reliability.' It sure has that right!!!!


1/16/15 12:29:09.558 PM Finder[201]: Layout still needs update after calling -[TListScrollView layout]. TListScrollView or one of its superclasses may have overridden -layout without calling super. Or, something may have dirtied layout in the middle of updating it. Both are programming errors in Cocoa Autolayout. The former is pretty likely to arise if some pre-Cocoa Autolayout class had a method called layout, but it should be fixed.

1/16/15 12:45:49.554 PM WindowServer[117]: disable_update_timeout: UI updates were forcibly disabled by application "Finder" for over 1.00 seconds. Server has re-enabled them.

1/16/15 12:45:50.278 PM WindowServer[117]: common_reenable_update: UI updates were finally reenabled by application "Finder" after 1.72 seconds (server forcibly re-enabled them after 1.00 seconds)

1/16/15 1:52:27.790 PM WindowServer[117]: disable_update_timeout: UI updates were forcibly disabled by application "Finder" for over 1.00 seconds. Server has re-enabled them.

1/16/15 1:52:27.848 PM WindowServer[117]: common_reenable_update: UI updates were finally reenabled by application "Finder" after 1.06 seconds (server forcibly re-enabled them after 1.00 seconds)




User Diagnostic Reports...


This is just one of each type of error. There's a lot of


Finder[201]: com.apple.message.domain: com.apple.coregraphics.context.invalid


errors for example. With the SenderMachUUID lines removed.




1/15/15 9:57:00.559 PM Finder[209]: OSActivityID: 0x0000000dfffffffe

com.apple.message.domain: com.apple.AddressBook.accounts.summary

com.apple.message.summarize: YES

com.apple.message.carddav_accounts: 0

com.apple.message.disabled_accounts: 1

com.apple.message.enabled_accounts: 1

com.apple.message.exchange_accounts: 0

com.apple.message.ldap_accounts: 0

com.apple.message.total_accounts: 3



1/16/15 10:47:22.609 AM Finder[201]: OSActivityID: 0x00000017000000b6

com.apple.message.domain: com.apple.AddressBook.accounts.providers

com.apple.message.signature: com.apple.icloud.iaplugin

com.apple.message.summarize: YES

com.apple.message.num_accounts: 1


1/16/15 12:05:14.380 AM ReportCrash[783]: com.apple.message.domain: com.apple.crashreporter.writereport.crash

com.apple.message.signature: Finder

com.apple.message.signature2: com.apple.finder ||| 10.10.1 (10.10.1)

com.apple.message.signature3: 8E93ECBDE41620E7C47A27B67ABDD1B2

com.apple.message.result: YES

com.apple.message.summarize: YES



1/16/15 12:17:15.665 PM Finder[201]: com.apple.message.domain: com.apple.coregraphics.context.invalid

com.apple.message.context-pointer: 0x0

com.apple.message.calling-function: CGContextRestoreGState

com.apple.message.process: Finder

com.apple.message.bundle.id: com.apple.finder

com.apple.message.bundle.version: 10.10.1 (10.10.1)

com.apple.message.backtrace: 0 CoreUI CUIRenderer::Draw(CGRect, CGContext*, __CFDictionary const*, __CFDictionary const**) + 2536

1 CoreUI CUIDraw + 205

2 AppKit __44-[NSAppearance _drawInRect:context:options:]_block_invoke + 64

3 AppKit -[NSCompositeAppearance _callCoreUIWithBlock:] + 183

4 AppKit -[NSAppearance _drawInRect:context:options:] + 127

5 AppKit __NSRenderSpinningIndeterminateIndicator + 1222

6 AppKit -[NSProgressIndicator _setupSurfaceAndStartSpinning:] + 884

7 AppKit -[NSProgressIndicator startAnimation:] + 259

8 AppKit -[NSProgressIndicator _windowOcclusionChanged:] + 132

9 CoreFoundation __CFNOTIFICATIONCENTER_IS_CALLING_OUT_TO_AN_OBSERVER__ + 12

10 CoreFoundation _CFXNotificationPost + 3140

11 Foundation -[NSNotificationCenter postNotificationName:object:userInfo:] + 66

12 CoreGraphics CGSConnectionNotifier::invoke_callbacks(unsigned int, void*, unsigned long) const + 577

13 CoreGraphics (anonymous namespace)::notify_datagram_handler(unsigned int, CGSDatagramType, void*, unsigned long, void*) + 103

14 CoreGraphics CGSDatagramReadStream::dispatch_next_main_queue_datagram() + 280

15 CoreGraphics CGSDatagramReadStream::dispatch_next_datagram() + 42

16 CoreGraphics CGSDatagramReadStream::dispatch_datagrams() + 50

17 CoreGraphics invocation function for block in CGSDatagramReadStream::dispatch_datagrams_async(dispatch_queue_s*, CGSDatagramReadStream*) + 18

18 libdispatch.dylib _dispatch_call_block_and_release + 12

19 libdispatch.dylib _dispatch_client_callout + 8

20 libdispatch.dylib _dispatch_main_queue_callback_4CF + 861

21 CoreFoundation __CFRUNLOOP_IS_SERVICING_THE_MAIN_DISPATCH_QUEUE__ + 9

22 CoreFoundation __CFRunLoopRun + 2159

23 CoreFoundation CFRunLoopRunSpecific + 296

24 HIToolbox RunCurrentEventLoopInMode + 235

25 HIToolbox ReceiveNextEventCommon + 431

26 HIToolbox _BlockUntilNextEventMatchingListInModeWithFilter + 71

27 AppKit _DPSNextEvent + 964

28 AppKit -[NSApplication nextEventMatchingMask:untilDate:inMode:dequeue:] + 194

29 AppKit -[NSApplication run] + 594

30 AppKit NSApplicationMain + 1832

31 Finder <base> + 22880




1/16/15 8:54:31.424 PM diagnostics_agent[275]: com.apple.message.domain: com.apple.usage.app_activetime

com.apple.message.signature: Finder

com.apple.message.signature2: com.apple.finder ||| 10.10.1 (10.10.1)

com.apple.message.value: 1827

com.apple.message.value2: 22

com.apple.message.value3: 0

com.apple.message.value4: 0

com.apple.message.value5: 2

com.apple.message.value6: 1

com.apple.message.value7: 201

com.apple.message.result: YES

com.apple.message.summarize: YES


Next time I get the error, I'll then do this again, so I can pinpoint what ones are done when it starts, and what ones are created when I go to sleep and awake to 'fix' Finder.

Jan 16, 2015 9:44 PM in response to Linc Davis

DIAGNOSTIC AND USAGE INFORMATION User Diagnostic Reports

shows nothing from finder since this started. The last finder error was eight days ago, well before this started.

Process: Finder [818]
Path: /System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/MacOS/Finder
Identifier: com.apple.finder
Version: 10.10.1 (10.10.1)
Build Info: Finder_FE-932001003000000~1
Code Type: X86-64 (Native)
Parent Process: ??? [1]
Responsible: Finder [818]
User ID: 501


Date/Time: 2015-01-08 11:17:21.596 -0800
OS Version: Mac OS X 10.10.1 (14B25)
Report Version: 11
Anonymous UUID: 7D3A0DE1-DE0B-88D7-FBB2-495C468FBB23



Time Awake Since Boot: 6600 seconds


Crashed Thread: 0 Dispatch queue: com.apple.main-thread


Exception Type: EXC_BAD_ACCESS (SIGSEGV)
Exception Codes: KERN_INVALID_ADDRESS at 0x000007fbc7b89b10


VM Regions Near 0x7fbc7b89b10:

VM_ALLOCATE 000000012b259000-000000012b25a000 [ 4K] rw-/rwx SM=PRV

-->

MALLOC_NANO 0000600000000000-0000600000600000 [ 6144K] rw-/rwx SM=PRV


Application Specific Information:

objc_msgSend() selector name: retain



Thread 0 Crashed:: Dispatch queue: com.apple.main-thread

0 libobjc.A.dylib 0x00007fff91f010dd objc_msgSend + 29
1 com.apple.AppKit 0x00007fff8c6f98e7 -[NSTableView _delayedSelectRow] + 102
2 com.apple.Foundation 0x00007fff90a55abb __NSFireDelayedPerform + 364
3 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x00007fff85c20b44 __CFRUNLOOP_IS_CALLING_OUT_TO_A_TIMER_CALLBACK_FUNCTION__ + 20
4 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x00007fff85c207d3 __CFRunLoopDoTimer + 1059






Process: Finder [818]
Path: /System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/MacOS/Finder
Identifier: com.apple.finder
Build Info: Finder_FE-932001003000000~1
Responsible: Finder [818]
15 com.apple.finder 0x000000010f5b3960 0x10f5ae000 + 22880
1 com.apple.finder 0x000000010f5d269d 0x10f5ae000 + 149149
2 com.apple.finder 0x000000010f5f8a32 0x10f5ae000 + 305714
3 com.apple.finder 0x000000010f7d01fe 0x10f5ae000 + 2236926
4 com.apple.finder 0x000000010f5b4cb8 0x10f5ae000 + 27832
0x10f5ae000 - 0x10fa9cffb com.apple.finder (10.10.1 - 10.10.1) <33C3024A-4A16-3485-B2B1-89FA33B9558A> /System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/MacOS/Finder





Process: Finder [206]
Path: /System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/MacOS/Finder
Identifier: com.apple.finder
Build Info: Finder_FE-932001003000000~1
Responsible: Finder [206]
15 com.apple.finder 0x000000010b364960 0x10b35f000 + 22880
1 com.apple.finder 0x000000010b38369d 0x10b35f000 + 149149
2 com.apple.finder 0x000000010b41eee3 0x10b35f000 + 786147
3 com.apple.finder 0x000000010b5811fe 0x10b35f000 + 2236926
4 com.apple.finder 0x000000010b365cb8 0x10b35f000 + 27832
1 com.apple.finder 0x000000010b38369d 0x10b35f000 + 149149
2 com.apple.finder 0x000000010b3a9a32 0x10b35f000 + 305714
3 com.apple.finder 0x000000010b5811fe 0x10b35f000 + 2236926
4 com.apple.finder 0x000000010b365cb8 0x10b35f000 + 27832
0x10b35f000 - 0x10b84dffb com.apple.finder (10.10.1 - 10.10.1) <33C3024A-4A16-3485-B2B1-89FA33B9558A> /System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/MacOS/Finder
0x1147e0000 - 0x11486cfff +com.trankynam.XtraFinder (0.25.2 - 0.25.2) <BA87E611-B4BE-3A64-92CA-DB8E2DAC8DAF> /Library/ScriptingAdditions/XtraFinder.osax/Contents/MacOS/XtraFinder
0x11491b000 - 0x114938fff +Sparkle (1.5) <EE53830F-F1EA-3DFB-A2F5-123D94969ADD> /Library/ScriptingAdditions/XtraFinder.osax/Contents/Frameworks/Sparkle.framewo rk/Versions/A/Sparkle
0x114952000 - 0x114962ff7 +com.kulakov.ShortcutRecorder (2.0) <5468DB3A-A488-372B-B120-0E97639F7D6D> /Library/ScriptingAdditions/XtraFinder.osax/Contents/Frameworks/ShortcutRecorde r.framework/Versions/A/ShortcutRecorder

Jan 16, 2015 9:55 PM in response to Jesse Smith1

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.

Jan 17, 2015 9:04 PM in response to Linc Davis

I think I figured it out and got it fixed. Spent at least an hour in both Guest User and Safe Mode.


Guest User: No problems

Safe Mode: No finder problems now, even though when I was on the phone with apple, two out of three times it messed up in Safe Mode.


I did see a few other problems in Safe mode that might not be problems. Volume was muted, and TextWrangler was messed up as seen in this image...



User uploaded file


other than that it was normal.


Back to Normal mode: No problems now.

Apple Hardware Test: Now it works.


And for if any one else ever get's this and finds this on Google...


What I *think* it was: About 10 feet away from my iMac I have the Bluetooth keyboard and mouse that came with the iMac. I noticed preference showed the battery levels for one of them, keyboard or mouse, not sure which. So a day ago I took the batteries out to see if some how they had been pressing something over and over some how causing finder to go bonkers. (It was also effecting typing, like when trying to enter passwords in preference.) Since then I haven't had the problem, though I just put the batteries back in so I can find out for sure it was this, if this ever happens again, by simply removing the batteries.


And if you ever do get this, *don't* try to do any partitioning stuff while it's going on!!! I did to then try re-installing the system on a new harddrive, and then I got this...



User uploaded file


Preparing to partition disk message quickly goes away and it does nothing. I think the massive typing being generated from the other keyboard some how destroyed that part of the hard drive, and I'm guessing a total erase would be the only way to fix it! When doing nothing, it's stuck in this format...



User uploaded file

Finder totally broken. Just spits out the alert sound over and over

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.