l008com

Q: Maps Won't Load Map Data, Never Has

My primary computer is a Mac mini desktop. The Maps app has NEVER worked in my account on this Mac, and I can't figure out why. It works on my laptop, it works on my phone and iPad of course. It works on OTHER USERS on THIS Mac. But it don't work on my user. What I get is that blank grid, with no map imagery or satellite imagery loaded.

 

So it sounds simple at first. Delete prefs, app support files, and I should be golden. But all I could find is one prefs file for Maps, and one folder in ~/Library/Containers. I dumped both of those but Maps STILL doesn't open. Hopefully someone else has some thoughts on this because I'm at a loss.

 

The Maps app didn't work in this account in 10.9 either. Now in 10.10, same deal. My disks are fine, no failure, no other issues. I'm a Mac tech by trade so I know all about the normal stuff you'd look out for, and everything is running great.

Mac mini, OS X Yosemite (10.10.1)

Posted on Apr 10, 2015 1:03 PM

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Q: Maps Won't Load Map Data, Never Has

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  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Apr 10, 2015 4:28 PM in response to l008com
    Level 9 (71,155 points)
    iTunes
    Apr 10, 2015 4:28 PM in response to l008com
    Try a restart.

     

    Do a backup, using either Time Machine or a cloning program, to ensure files/data can be recovered. Two backups are better than one.


    Try setting up another admin user account to see if the same problem continues. If Back-to-My Mac is selected in System Preferences, the Guest account will not work. The intent is to see if it is specific to one account or a system wide problem. This account can be deleted later.

     

    Isolating an issue by using another user account


    Try booting into the Safe Mode using your normal account.  Disconnect all peripherals except those needed for the test. Shut down the computer and then power it back up after waiting 10 seconds. Immediately after hearing the startup chime, hold down the shift key and continue to hold it until the gray Apple icon and a progress bar appear and again when you log in. The boot up is significantly slower than normal. This will reset some caches, forces a directory check, and disables all startup and login items, among other things. When you reboot normally, the initial reboot may be slower than normal. If the system operates normally, there may be 3rd party applications which are causing a problem. Try deleting/disabling the third party applications after a restart by using the application un-installer. For each disable/delete, you will need to restart if you don’t do them all at once.

     

    Safe Mode - About

     

     

    Safe Mode - Yosemite

  • by l008com,

    l008com l008com Apr 10, 2015 4:31 PM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (43 points)
    Servers Enterprise
    Apr 10, 2015 4:31 PM in response to Eric Root

    As I said in my initial question, it DOES work normally on other users on this computer. This issue IS only on this one user. But this user is my primary user.

  • by l008com,

    l008com l008com Apr 10, 2015 4:48 PM in response to l008com
    Level 1 (43 points)
    Servers Enterprise
    Apr 10, 2015 4:48 PM in response to l008com

    And also, safemode had no effect. Still unable to load any map data.

  • by l008com,

    l008com l008com Apr 11, 2015 1:24 AM in response to l008com
    Level 1 (43 points)
    Servers Enterprise
    Apr 11, 2015 1:24 AM in response to l008com

    I've had this Maps problem for years, and then a day after I finally try to fix it here, I inadvertently fixed the problem on my own while working on something else entirely. To explain how will take some time though.

     

    My setup is a Mac mini with two internal drives, an SSD and an HDD. I have the system installed on the SSD, and then I moved my user folders over to the HDD, and 'linked' them their accounts in System Prefs > Users & Groups > Advanced user settings. Works great, nothing sketchy about that setup.

     

    Then, I picked some specific things out of my User folder that I wanted to live on the SSD for the extra speed boost, and since I had plenty of space left. This included my entire Mail folder, my iPhoto library, and importantly, my ~/Library/Caches folder. I figured having every app's cache on my SSD could only benefit me. I didn't bother making a symlink or anything. Since these were all user level files, I figured a regular old Mac alias would work. And it seemed to. Except for Maps. Today, while fishing around with other stuff, I moved the Caches folder back to the real library folder in my user folder, instead of having it be an alias. And just like that, maps are back. I suppose I could put it back on the SSD and use a symlink instead of an alias. Or... meh. It's about time that lazy HDD has a little more work to do.

  • by l008com,

    l008com l008com Apr 11, 2015 1:25 AM in response to l008com
    Level 1 (43 points)
    Servers Enterprise
    Apr 11, 2015 1:25 AM in response to l008com

    File this one under:

    Solutions that will never work for anyone else, ever.