Images on MacBook Desktop/Folders/Finder not opening in Preview

Question

Hello, everyone.I originally posted this problem at MacForums and although I had gotten a lot of good assistance, so far no one has been able to solve this. I&#x27;m really hoping someone here can help me with this continuous problem that&#x27;s getting in the way of my ability to work.For the past few weeks since November I have been having a real issue with pictures (jpeg., png., and gif.) not opening up in Preview when I click on them. Before I went to MacForums, the problem was much worse: before when I would turn on my computer, the pictures "Get Info" section would always show Photoshop or some other random program as the Default instead of Preview like it should be. After spending several weeks going around updating and deleting Plug-In/Drives, the problem now is now restricted when I drag-and-drop pictures to my desktop/Finder folders, the "Open With" category changes from Preview to Photoshop. And before anyone asks, yes I have been selecting the "Always Open With" and "Change All..." whenever I have to change the setting back to Preview. I also noticed that there are now weird icons that represent PNGs, JPEGs, and GIFs, https://i.imgur.com/9W6muPs.png instead of the Preview icons like they should be.I have also been performing EtreChecks while trying to fix this. I will post my latest EtreCheck in the next post.I have no idea what is causing this, so any and all help is greatly appreciated. I just want this fixed.- MalGV

Eric Root · Answer

If you open the files from Preview, do they work normally?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 accountIf the problem is still there, 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. 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 or by using the developer’s uninstall instructions. For each disable/delete, you will need to restart if you don&#x27;t do them all at once.               Safe ModeSafe Mode - MavericksMight 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.

Miss Mal · Answer

EtreCheck version: 3.4.6 (460)Report generated 2017-12-13 14:55:50Download EtreCheck from https://etrecheck.comRuntime: 2:07Performance: ExcellentProblem: Other problemHardware Information: ⓘ    MacBook Pro (17-inch, Mid 2010)     [Technical Specifications] - [User Guide] - [Warranty &amp; Service]    MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro6,1    1 2.53 GHz Intel Core i5 (i5) CPU: 2-core    8 GB RAM Upgradeable - [Instructions]        BANK 0/DIMM0            4 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok        BANK 1/DIMM0            4 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok    Handoff/Airdrop2: not supported    Wireless:  en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n    Battery: Health &#x3D; Normal - Cycle count &#x3D; 140Video Information: ⓘ    Intel HD Graphics - VRAM: 288 MB    NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M - VRAM: 512 MB        Color LCD 1920 x 1200Disk Information: ⓘ    MKNSSDCL480GB-DX disk0: (480.1 GB) (Solid State - TRIM: No)    [Show SMART report]        (disk0s1) &lt;not mounted&gt;  [EFI]: 210 MB        (disk0s2) &lt;not mounted&gt;  [CoreStorage Container]: 479.24 GB        (disk0s3) &lt;not mounted&gt;  [Recovery]: 650 MB    HL-DT-ST DVDRW  GS23N  ()USB Information: ⓘ     EHCI Root Hub Simulation          hub_device             Apple Inc. Built-in iSight             Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver      EHCI Root Hub Simulation          hub_device             Tablet PTK-640             Apple Inc. BRCM2070 Hub                 Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller             Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad Virtual disks: ⓘ    MAL HD (disk1 - Journaled HFS+) /  [Startup]: 478.89 GB (171.05 GB free)        Physical disk: disk0s2 479.24 GB OnlineSystem Software: ⓘ    OS X Mavericks 10.9.5 (13F1911) - Time since boot: about one hourGatekeeper: ⓘ    Mac App Store and identified developersKernel Extensions: ⓘ        /Library/Extensions    [not loaded]    com.FTDI.driver.D2XXHelper (1.0 - SDK 10.11) [Lookup]        /System/Library/Extensions    [not loaded]    com.wacom.kext.wacomtablet (Wacom Tablet 6.1.5-2) [Lookup]System Launch Agents: ⓘ    [not loaded]    6 Apple tasks    [loaded]    144 Apple tasks    [running]    34 Apple tasksSystem Launch Daemons: ⓘ    [not loaded]    48 Apple tasks    [loaded]    139 Apple tasks    [running]    62 Apple tasksLaunch Agents: ⓘ    [not loaded]    com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist (Adobe Systems, Inc. - installed 2017-02-16) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.adobe.AdobeCreativeCloud.plist (Adobe Systems, Inc. - installed 2017-07-31) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.adobe.CS5ServiceManager.plist (? 40cdc1ff 21868ea0 - installed 2017-02-16) [Lookup]    [not loaded]    com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist (? 0 ? - installed (null)) [Lookup]    [running]    com.wacom.wacomtablet.plist (Wacom Technology Corp. - installed 2015-11-03) [Lookup]Launch Daemons: ⓘ    [running]    com.adobe.adobeupdatedaemon.plist (Adobe Systems, Inc. - installed 2017-07-31) [Lookup]    [running]    com.adobe.agsservice.plist (Adobe Systems, Inc. - installed 2017-09-20) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.adobe.fpsaud.plist (? 2afb3af7 96972bcc - installed 2017-11-27) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist (? 6d8cb30e afb3bef0 - installed 2010-08-25) [Lookup]    [not loaded]    com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist (? 0 ? - installed (null)) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.wacom.displayhelper.plist (Apple, Inc. - installed 2015-11-03)User Launch Agents: ⓘ    [loaded]    com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist (Adobe Systems, Inc. - installed 2017-02-16) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist (? e18d8339 63c5d68b - installed 2013-05-14) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.google.keystone.agent.plist (Google, Inc. - installed 2017-09-27) [Lookup]User Login Items: ⓘ    iTunesHelper    Application (Apple, Inc. - installed 2017-07-20)        (/Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/MacOS/iTunesHelper.app)    EpsonLowInkReminderAgent    Application         (/Applications/Epson Software/Epson Low Ink Reminder.app/Contents/EpsonLowInkReminderAgent.app)Internet Plug-ins: ⓘ    AdobeAAMDetect: 3.0.0.0 (installed 2017-07-31) [Lookup]    FlashPlayer-10.6: 28.0.0.126 (installed 2017-12-12) [Lookup]    QuickTime Plugin: 7.7.3 (installed 2016-08-03)    Flash Player: 28.0.0.126 (installed 2017-12-12) [Lookup]    AdobePDFViewer: 9.5.5 (installed 2013-05-14) [Lookup]    Default Browser: 537 (installed 2014-11-04)    WacomNetscape: 1.1.0-5 (installed 2010-02-25) [Lookup]    SharePointBrowserPlugin: 14.4.3 (installed 2014-07-08) [Lookup]    PepperFlashPlayer: 28.0.0.126 (installed 2017-12-12) [Lookup]    Silverlight: 5.1.20125.0 (installed 2013-04-09) [Lookup]    WacomTabletPlugin: WacomTabletPlugin 2.1.0.6 (installed 2015-11-03) [Lookup]Safari Extensions: ⓘ    [not loaded]    AdBlock - BetaFish, Inc. - https://getadblock.com (installed 2017-12-04)3rd Party Preference Panes: ⓘ    Flash Player (installed 2017-11-27) [Lookup]    WacomTablet (installed 2015-11-03) [Lookup]Time Machine: ⓘ    Skip System Files: NO    Mobile backups: ON    Auto backup: YES    Volumes being backed up:        MAL HD: Disk size: 478.89 GB Disk used: 307.84 GB    Destinations:        [redacted]&#x27;s Backup [Local]         Total size: 2.00 TB         Total number of backups: 14         Oldest backup: 7/14/17, 10:22 PM         Last backup: 12/7/17, 1:41 AM         Size of backup disk: Excellent            Backup size 2.00 TB &gt; (Disk size 478.89 GB X 3)        MalArt Glob [Local]         Total size: 498.46 GB         Total number of backups: 2         Oldest backup: 12/10/13, 3:38 PM         Last backup: 12/10/13, 3:38 PM         Size of backup disk: Too small            Backup size 498.46 GB &lt; (Disk used 307.84 GB X 3)        Data [Network]         Total size: 2.00 TB         Total number of backups: 44         Oldest backup: 7/18/15, 3:57 PM         Last backup: 11/29/16, 10:22 AM         Size of backup disk: Excellent            Backup size 2.00 TB &gt; (Disk size 478.89 GB X 3)Top Processes by CPU: ⓘ        40%       mdworker        39%       mdworker        10%       firefox         6%       plugin-container         5%       WindowServerTop Processes by Memory: ⓘ    869 MB        plugin-container    850 MB        firefox    706 MB        plugin-container    642 MB        kernel_task    624 MB        plugin-containerTop Processes by Energy Use: ⓘ      9.60    firefox      8.46    plugin-container      4.32    WindowServer      4.12    plugin-containerVirtual Memory Information: ⓘ    1.56 GB       Available RAM    50 MB         Free RAM    6.44 GB       Used RAM    1.51 GB       Cached files    0 B           Swap UsedSoftware installs (last 30 days): ⓘ    Adobe Flash Player:  (installed 2017-11-14)    Adobe Pepper Flash Player:  (installed 2017-11-14)    Wacom Tablet:  (installed 2017-12-04)    Adobe Flash Player:  (installed 2017-12-12)    Adobe Pepper Flash Player:  (installed 2017-12-12)    Install information may not be complete.Diagnostics Events (last 3 days for minor events): ⓘ    2017-12-13 14:21:44    Microsoft Word.app Hang [Open]    2017-12-13 11:22:13    Finder.app Hang [Open]

Miss Mal · Answer

Thank you for your advice and information. Here is what I have found thus far:Yes, all the files open normally when I open them from Preview.I set up a second account called "SystemSleuth" and the same problem happened in that account. I then went into Safe Mode under my account and found the problem still occurred even in Safe Mode! Before I did all this I did a backup with the only Drive I currently have. I have backups dating back to before this problem occurred (back before I updated to the latest Firefox), and if I can&#x27;t figure out how to fix this problem, I&#x27;m seriously considering just reinstating my OS X from one of those old backups, though that will be a long ordeal. 😟However, I haven&#x27;t tried the removing plist(s) from Finder/Library yet, so I&#x27;m going to attempt that now. With the new information that I have provided, if there is anything you think I should do/know, please let me know.

Miss Mal · Answer

I also forgot to mention something else: this problem started after I updated Firefox after being prompted by a small "this version of Firefox is insecure" (I don&#x27;t recall exactly what the message said). I clicked on this message at the bottom corner of my browser and my Firefox updated to this new version. It is only when I drag-and-drop images from Firefox that I get this problem, not from any other browser. I also noticed there&#x27;s this Safe Finder search engine attached to my Firefox and Safari that I can&#x27;t seem to cancel out of since I use Google.Could these be related?

Eric Root · Answer

You are welcome. Try removing Safe Finder using this program.Download this program which was written by Thomas Reed, a long time poster. The program will do the work for you which makes it easy. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac      10.9 and later

Miss Mal · Answer

Thanks for the link, but I am running on OS X Mavericks, so I located and downloaded version 1.2.6.730. It&#x27;s a great program at getting rid of Safe Finder among some other nasty things I wasn&#x27;t aware of.Unfortunately after I restarted my computer and tried dragging over a picture from Firefox, I still have the same problem. Do you have any other suggestions?

Miss Mal · Answer

Hey, sorry for the long response time. I was actually able to figure out what the problem was: the issue with files from Firefox not opening in Preview had to do with the new Firefox update. I think it&#x27;s just not compatible with my system, because as soon as I deleted it and used my Backups to go back to a Disk with the older Firefox, everything is now working great again! Whenever I&#x27;m asked to "update" anything, I&#x27;ll just do a quick backup before proceeding (like I&#x27;ve done before trying Yosemite).Again, thank you for your help!

Eric Root · Answer

You are welcome.  Try doing a Get Info (command - I) on the file and set Open with to Preview. Then click Change all.

Eric Root · Answer

You are welcome.