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

desktop menu icons disappeared

I can get iTunes & web. What happened & how to fix?

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Sep 1, 2015 12:49 AM

Reply
8 replies

Sep 1, 2015 2:12 PM in response to Eric Root

I can't take a screen shot because the instructions you posted don't work. There is nothing on my desktop except iTunes and an internet window. The screen was just blue for the longest time while I repeatedly restarted the machine, and I don't know how iTunes & the web came back eventually. All icons, folders, etc. are gone. The icons in the dock are gone. The internet toolbars are gone. I am able to use email and search sites, but am afraid to turn the computer off because it may not come back again. I can access documents in folders by attaching them via an email and sending them to myself, but it takes forever. So I am totally lost.


Thank you for responding to my post, I appreciate any help you may be able to provide.

Sheldon

Sep 2, 2015 7:32 AM in response to sheldonhaun


Do a backup.



Go to your user/home folder. Select Library. Then go to Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist and com.apple.desktop.plist. Move the .plists to your desktop.



Re-launch Finder by restarting the computer and test. If it works okay, delete the plists from the desktop.


If the same, return the .plists to where you got it from, overwriting the newer one.


Thanks to leonie for some information contained in this.

Sep 2, 2015 8:31 AM in response to Eric Root

I can't take a screen shot because the instructions you posted don't work. There is nothing on my desktop except iTunes and an internet window. The screen was just blue for the longest time while I repeatedly restarted the machine, and I don't know how iTunes & the web came back eventually. All icons, folders, etc. are gone. The icons in the dock are gone. The internet toolbars are gone. I am able to use email and search sites, but am afraid to turn the computer off because it may not come back again. I can access documents in folders by attaching them via an email and sending them to myself, but it takes forever. So I am totally lost.


Thank you for responding to my post, I appreciate any help you may be able to provide.

Sheldon


Hi Eric & thanks Leonie,

I cannot get to my user/home folder. As I said, all folders and icons have disappeared. I can't get to the plists. I can see files if I look through Browse to attach to an email, but cannot access them on this computer. Nor can I find said files in Preferences.

desktop menu icons disappeared

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