Suddenly I can no longer use Finder. I open a Finder window and click on a folder but can go no farther to get to a file. The Finder window is just frozen. What could cause this? How do I get to my files now? I've never had this problem before on my Mac.
MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9.5)
After I restart my computer I am able to open and navigate a few folders in
finder but when I try to select a group of files nothing happens. When I click on the name of a file a rectangle the size and shape of the filename appears with some parts of a graphic like a task bar all mixed up. I can double click on a photo file and see it in Preview but I cannot select, move or copy any files.
I am not familiar with Safe Mode.
Follow instructions in the link provided on how boot into safe mode.
Do you have Google Drive installed?
There is a known problem with Mavericks, Google Drive and the Finder.
If you don't have Google Drive installed see below.
Finder – Fix Google Drive Problem
Might be a corrupt .plist.
Do a backup, preferably 2 backups on 2 separate drives.
Go to Finder and select your user/home folder. With that Finder window as the front window, either select Finder/View/Show View options or go command - J. When the View options opens, check ’Show Library Folder’. That should make your user library folder visible in your user/home folder. Select Library. Then go to Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist. Move the .plist to your desktop.
Re-launch Finder by restarting the computer and test. If it works okay, delete the plist from the desktop.
If the same, return the .plist to where you got it from, overwriting the newer one.
Thanks to leonie for some information contained in this.
Kappy,
I rebooted in safe mode and was able to navigate in Finder and access my files. I then rebooted normally and I am now able to navigate in Finder normally. There's just one strange thing that is happening. Sometimes the Finder window disappears for about a second and then reappears. Now that seems to have stopped happening and things are working well in Finder for now. Thank you for your help.
Bob
I do have Google Drive installed. I've had it for 2-3 years and have not had any problems before. So far it looks like rebooting in Safe Mode and restarting in Normal Mode has solved my problem. If the Finder problem comes back should I just uninstall Google drive?
Thanks.
Bob
Now my Finder windows disappear every 60 seconds for about 1 second and reappear. ???
Maybe you should follow Bob's suggestion regarding Google Drive. You can also try deleting these items:
/Home/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist.
/Home/Library/Caches/com.apple.finder/ folder.
Three Ways to Make the Home/Library Folder Visible
A. This method will make the folder visible permanently. Open the Terminal application in the Utilities folder and paste the following at the command prompt:
chflags nohidden ~/Library
Press RETURN.
B. Click on the Desktop, press the Option (⌥) key, select Library from the Finder's Go menu.
C. Select Go To Folder from the Finder's Go menu. Paste the following in the path field:
~/Library
Click on the Go button.
Robert Riedlinger wrote:
I do have Google Drive installed. I've had it for 2-3 years and have not had any problems before. So far it looks like rebooting in Safe Mode and restarting in Normal Mode has solved my problem. If the Finder problem comes back should I just uninstall Google drive?
Thanks.
Bob
As you have found, it will come back.
A) stop using Google Drive
or
B) upgrade to a version of OS X newer than Mavericks (and unless you have previously downloaded Yosemite or El Capitan, your only choice is Sierra, just released today).
Hi Bob,
I turned off Google Drive and my problems with Finder went away. The Finder windows are stable now with no blinking or freezing up. Thank you for the suggestion.
Bob
Much discussion on this about a month ago when a bug in Google Drive reappeared under Mavericks ...
If you want to keep using Google Drive you can unset a preference to work around the problem .... see here ...
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7641986
Chris.
Finder is locked up and I can't navigate to my files
