/Applications Folder not opening in Finder but works in Terminal

Hi guys,
I recently upgraded to Yosemite, but I'm not sure if this is a Yosemite-related bug.
My application folder (/Applications) does not open in finder (see screenshots)
The spinner keep spinning in the bottom right corner.
Also, when I "Get Info", it keeps calculating the size and never completes.
Also, when I drag the Applications folder to the dock, nothing happens.
However, it works fine in Terminal:
$ cd /; ls -lh
drwxrwxr-x+ 129 root   admin   4.3K Oct 17 03:14 Applications
When I go inside the Applications folder (in terminal), I can list all the files in it.Oddly enough, most of them are greyed out, and it only says "total 8" when I have way more than 8 apps.
$ cd /Applications; ls -lh
total 8
drwxr-xr-x   4 root   wheel   136B Apr 23  2013 3Hub.app
drwxr-xr-x@  4 myusername  staff   136B May 20 13:02 Adium.app
drwxrwxr-x   5 root   admin   170B Feb  7  2013 Adobe
drwxrwxr-x@  7 root   admin   238B Feb 14  2013 Adobe Acrobat XI Pro
lrwxr-xr-x   1 root   admin    92B Feb 14  2013 Adobe Application Manager -> /Applications/Utilities/Adobe Application Manager/CCM/Utilities/AdobeCreativeCloudClient.app
drwxrwxr-x@  8 root   admin   272B Feb  7  2013 Adobe Bridge CS6
drwxr-xr-x@  3 myusername  staff   102B Jul 20  2012 Adobe Cleaner.app
drwxr-xr-x@  3 myusername  staff   102B Dec 12  2012 Adobe Download Assistant.app
drwxrwxr-x@  6 root   admin   204B Feb  7  2013 Adobe Extension Manager CS6
drwxrwxr-x@ 13 root   admin   442B Feb  7  2013 Adobe Illustrator CS6
drwxrwxr-x@ 13 root   admin   442B Feb  7  2013 Adobe Photoshop CS6
drwxr-xr-x   3 root   wheel   102B Feb  7  2013 Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4.app
drwxr-xr-x@  3 myusername  admin   102B Oct 15  2012 Air Video Server.app
drwxr-x---@  5 myusername  staff   170B Dec 12  2013 Android Development Kit
drwxr-xr-x+  3 root   wheel   102B Jul 11 15:49 App Store.app
I can even open my apps in Terminal:
$ cd /Applications; open Notes.app
Mission Control works fine as well.
Does anyone know how I can see my Applications in Finder?
I've tried the usual Disk Utility (verify/repair permissions) and even reinstalled a fresh copy of Mac OSX Yosemite (using recovery).
Note: I did mess around with ~/Library/Preferences immediately after installing Yosemite because of the background flashing bug (I deleted some plists files to fix that bug).
Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

RonHerrema wrote:
Drew, I have previously done everything you have listed as possible remedies, with no success.
Well in that case the options I see are…
1.
This seems like a 'defaults write tweak' or similar system level modification that is failing on the latest OS.
Revert any applied system tweaks from apps like Secrets or Onyx, that is if you remember applying any (these can be things like 'no-glass dock', no shadows on screenshots etc).
Your Terminal may have the command history saved. Try 'history' in that app to see if you have any 'defaults write' changes listed. Post them here for help to revert them.
It seems likely to me that the 'background flashing bug' mentioned earlier by helloziy was fixing a bad defaults write setting (preferences store the defaults write tweaks). If you have one 'bad tweak', there are probably others elsewhere on the system.
2.
I would consider backing up, erasing the internal disk & clean installing the OS. Migrate ONLY your user data back to the new install (avoid Applications & 'other files' - they could be the reason for this issue). You will need to reinstall apps as you need them.
3.
Another possibility is using EtreCheck to view what everyone has installed & running…
http://www.etresoft.com/etrecheck
It would basically be a case of comparing affected reports & then removing or reinstalling apps until something changes (a crapshoot).
Etrecheck will not tell you about any 'defaults write' or other system modifications.
4.
I'd backup & consider removing all system preferences. This is drastic & may break many things until you alter the default settings!
Reboot into recovery mode & remove the contents of /Library/Preferences from the boot disk, it will need to be done in Terminal.
You need to do this when the OS isn't running because Mac OS will cache preferences and some values will be written back to new files even after deleting the original files. Keep a backup of the files handy incase the OS breaks on next reboot!
Sorry it's not a solution, but it may help some diagnosis that get you closer to one.

Similar Messages

  • Applications folder not opening?

    I just reinstalled Mavericks. This was after the mac came back from the service center, hard disk wiped clean. The Applications folder is not opening. And when I try to view as a folder its tranlucent and does not open. Says calculating size.
    Also I just uninstalled Photoshop using the uninstaller, and it hasn't gone from the launchpad. Cannot be deleted using the x either. And I have no access to the applications folder. So I really don't know how to go about this. Help?

    you have a notebook, we here deal with 65lb towers.
    normally I would tell you to clone the system to another drive, make sure TimeMachine is current, then do a clean install and use Setup Assistant.
    Up to it?
    MacBook Series Forumshttps://discussions.apple.com/community/notebooks?view=discussions
    Mac OS X Forumhttps://discussions.apple.com/community/mac_os?view=discussions

  • JPG Image saved in CS4 not opening in IE,but works in Firefox

    Hi All,
    I have received images from my client which are edited & saved in CS4. But when i m trying to open these images in IE its not opening, but it is opening in Firefox.
    Wat is the solution for this??
    I m here attaching a file in which i have shown the screenshot of IE and Firefox. And also the properties of images saved in CS3 and CS4.
    Please mail me at [email protected]

    Are the documents all RGB?  Most browsers don't speak CMYK.
    Also, next time, use the camera icon to add an image, don't put them as attachments -- the virus scanning queue for attachments is busted at the moment.

  • Invisible Folder/File(s) in Finder, but visible in Terminal

    Me and my father run 10.4.11 on our Dual G5 machines and are experiencing some strange behaviour of the Finder in the last weeks.
    Folders and single/multiple files have gone "missing" in the Finder, but they do exist (I checked with the Terminal). And no, there are no special flags or permissions set on them or anything else. When we tried to create new folders/files, the Finder says he can't because there is already an item named like that, so it's just the display of the Finder, that doesn't work.
    And it's not limited to internal hard drives, but also appears on my father's network drive by LaCie, he's accessing with the Finder (AFP) and is a default HFS+ volume also.
    Any attempts to get this fixed with the disk utility failed, so help or at least some more information to fix it would be appreciated.

    OK, I got my folder fixed with "FileSheriff". But why was it invisible, after all? Afaik in unix all files beginning with a "." are invisible and therefore are not displayed in Finder windows, so far so good. Don't tell me, that Apple does still permit the setting of some old System 6-9 flags on files and folders via the Carbon framework, that would interfere with some unix concepts? Then I guess it's some HFS thing?

  • Applications/documents not opening from Finder/Desktop

    iMac 17" 800. I returned home after 3 months away to find the iMac in a mess (it is used by my wife and daughter). I repaired preferences and then found the disk to be not repairable with Disk Utilities. I started as a Target Drive and repaired from my MBP using Mac Pilot. Disk Utility showed repair to be good.
    The problem is that I can start applications from the Dock and from the Finder using the "Action" box>Open. I cannot open an application by clicking on it nor a document in the Finder. Folders on the Desktop are equally not responsive.
    I have done an Archive and Install to Tiger 10.4 and updated back to 10.4.11. The fault was the same throughout. I have deleted User/Library/Preferences/com.apple.desktop.plist-com.apple.finder.plist-com.app le.LaunchServices.plist. All to no avail and the fault remains.
    The only other outstanding fault is that the Return key on the keyboard appears to be out of action, although I now get an audio acknowledgement of it being pressed, if nothing else. I am, as all the above has so far failed, wondering if there is some obscure connection?
    Any ideas would be much appreciated.
    TY
    PS Can a keyboard still be flushed out under the tap?

    To those of you who might have the same problem!
    Just after making this post, I decided to try logging out and logging back in, something I had not done, as far as I can remember, since the computer came out of the box some years ago. I have no idea what happens when you do this with regard to software, but lo and behold, everything is working again. How this happened after an archive and install plus all the upgrades failed to achieve anything I have no clue.
    Now to stick the keyboard under the tap - you never know!?
    TY

  • Tax simplifier statement pdf does not open in chrome, but works in IE

    Hi,
    we are using the Tax simplifier statement
    http://server:port/sap/bc/webdynpro/sap/hress_a_rep_in_ssitp?sap-wd-configId=HRESS_AC_REP_IN_SSITP&sap-accessibility=X#
    it is opening properly in Internet explorer, but in google chrome, it is not displaying, instead, giving following message.
    I already have latest adobe reader.
    is there anything, we can do to enable to open in chrome.
    i tried to enhance the component HRGRT_FC_DOCUMENT_DISPLAY to make the xstring OUTPUT_CONTENT-PDF_SOURCE to download the pdf, but that too works only in IE but not in chrome.
    is there any way to enable/make it available in chrome.
    Madhu_1980

    check out page 4 of this document:
    http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/water_pdf/pluginsdoc.pdf

  • Attempted to Install 2.3 upgrade,installer folder installed into harddrive but application will not open or replace 2.0 as it says it "should" . I have tried too many times now. Always same response.

    I installed 2.3 upgrade,
    installer folder is in  harddrive but application will not open or replace 2.0 as it says it "should". When I attempt to it just reinstalls the installer, never the functioning application.  I have tried too many times now. Always same response. WOuld love to upgrade ( and purge all the alias 2.3 off hardrive!

    when I went to the library folder there was no receipts only 
    com.adobe.Reader whihc included install.log
    so I guess that means something is missing?
    If above still doesn't resolve problem - go to the folder named 
    "Receipts" in the Mac OS X Library folder (i.e. the main Library 
    not you Users Library) and delete the file named Adobe Photoshop 
    Lightroom 2.pkg
    >

  • I have a Mac running 10.9.2. My wireless mouse with not scroll in mail but works fine in other applications? Any suggestions?

    I have a Mac running 10.9.2. My apple wireless mouse will not scroll in Mail but works fine in other applications.
    Any suggestions?

    First, see this discussion. If the solution suggested there doesn't work for you, continue.
    If you've installed a Mail plugin called "Mail Unread Menu" and you know how to remove it, please do that, then quit and relaunch Mail. Test. Otherwise, see below.
    Back up all data.
    1. Triple-click anywhere in the line below on this page to select it:  
    ~/Library/Mail/Bundles
    Right-click or control-click the highlighted line and select 
    Services ▹ Open
    from the contextual menu.* A folder may open, or you may get an error message that the item can't be found. Either result is normal. If the folder does open and has contents, move the contents to the Desktop. Relaunch Mail and test. If there's no change, put the contents of the folder back and quit Mail again.
    2. Repeat with this line:
    /Library/Mail/Bundles
    This time you may be prompted for your login password when you remove the items. Make sure they're removed from the folder and not just copied to the Desktop. If necessary, copy them first and then move the originals to the Trash.
    *If you don't see the contextual menu item, copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination  command-C. In the Finder, select
    Go ▹ Go to Folder...
    from the menu bar and paste into the box that opens (command-V). You won't see what you pasted because a line break is included. Press return.

  • I successfully installed Adobe Digital Edition but the application will not open

    I installed Adobe Digital Edition for Windows on a Windows 7 PC.  It successfully installed, but the application will not open.  I double click on the icon and it gives the borders, but never opens.  I have waited 30 minutes and still nothing.

    It is on Windows 8.
          From: shreya <[email protected]>
    To: Marilyn Kelly <[email protected]>
    Sent: Thursday, March 26, 2015 1:06 AM
    Subject:  I see Adobe Digital Editions on desktop but when I click on it it will not open. I have uninstalled and re-installed Adobe Digital Editions but it still will not work. I used it a few days ago and it worked but won't now.
    I see Adobe Digital Editions on desktop but when I click on it it will not open. I have uninstalled and re-installed Adobe Digital Editions but it still will not work. I used it a few days ago and it worked but won't now.
    created by shreya in Adobe Digital Editions - View the full discussionYou are facing this problem on Windows or Mac ? and which version? Please let us know. Thanks If the reply above answers your question, please take a moment to mark this answer as correct by visiting: https://forums.adobe.com/message/7351396#7351396 and clicking ‘Correct’ below the answer Replies to this message go to everyone subscribed to this thread, not directly to the person who posted the message. To post a reply, either reply to this email or visit the message page: Please note that the Adobe Forums do not accept email attachments. If you want to embed an image in your message please visit the thread in the forum and click the camera icon: https://forums.adobe.com/message/7351396#7351396 To unsubscribe from this thread, please visit the message page at , click "Following" at the top right, & "Stop Following"  Start a new discussion in Adobe Digital Editions by email or at Adobe Community For more information about maintaining your forum email notifications please go to https://forums.adobe.com/thread/1516624.

  • I bought a second hand G4 iBook with iLife 09 on it.  I have copied iLife to my new Macbook Pro. The applications would not open, so I did a software update and update all three applications, but they will still not open.  Can anyone help?

    I bought a second hand G4 iBook with iLife 09 on it.  I have copied iLife to my new Macbook Pro. The applications would not open, so I did a software update and update all three applications, but they will still not open.  Can anyone help?

    The seller should have given you the original disk so that you can reinstall as needed. But it likely was a single-user license (which really means single computer) so you can only have a copy on one computer at a time. If the seller didn't give you the disk he is probably still using the software on his new Mac. Your best option to get any of the iWork apps to use in OS X 10.6.6 or later is through the Mac App Store. You can then install them on any Mac you have that has access to the Mac App Store using your Apple ID.

  • Some applications are not opening, including mail and Word.  Clicking on the icon stirs it on the dock, but will not open it.

    Some applications are not opening, including Mail and Word.  Clicking on the icon stirs it on the dock, but will not open it.  Any suggestions?  Thank you!

    Ok, that's plenty of space.
    Check the S.M.A.R.T. status on your HD: Boot from install disc (insert disc > restart > immediately hold down the c key and keep holding it until you see “Preparing Installation”) > at first screen select the language and click Continue > click on the Utilities Menu in the menu bar > select Disk Utility > select your HD in the panel on the left side (the name of the HD’s manufacturer and the model number, usually the top item in the list) > look at the bottom of the main window next to S.M.A.R.T. status and see if it says “Verified” (good) or something more ominous like “Failing.”
    If S.M.A.R.T. status is "Verified," run Repair Disk > click Repair Disk at bottom of main window. Run this at least twice, and keep running it until it says “appears ok” twice in a row. If that doesn’t happen, you may need a stronger utility (such as DriveGenius, TechToolPro, DiskWarrior) or if the directory is damaged beyond repair, you may need to reinstall the OS, or you may have a damaged HD which will need to be replaced (repair utilities can only repair the directory structure, not the HD itself). When this is finished, quit Disk Utility, quit the installer, and restart. Once booted normally, go to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility and run Repair Permissions.

  • Mail application will not open

    My mail application quit opening a few weeks ago. When I try to open it with the icon on the dock and in the finder the screen just blinks. Even my computer savvy wife cant figure it out. My next stop is the genius bar unless there are some geniuses here. I can still get mail via .mac log in but cannot send links or documents as the OS mail application will not open when I need to send them.
    Any suggestions????

    I would take your OS X installation disc and insert it in the drive, then restart the Mac and hold down the C key until you see the spinning cursor on screen. When it finishes loading, select Disk Utility from the Installer menu and first Repair Disk, then Repair Permissions, then reboot from your HD, eject the OS X disc and try Mail again.
    If that doesn't work, then the best thing in terms of time and effort would be to do an Archive and Install of OS X 10.5, with the Preserve Users and Network Settings option. This will install a new copy of 10.5, while preserving all of your current folders and applications, and moving all the old ones to a folder named Previous System. You can then use Software Update to bring it current to 10.5.3, run Repair Permissions when that's done, then Mail should work normally again. Once you've confirmed that and that all your other programs and files are intact and working, you can delete the Previous System folder.
    Mulder

  • New Applications folder window opens always half outside the screen

    As in the subject, only the first time after a log-in or finder restarting, when i press shiftA to open a new window of applications folder, it opens always in the same ugly position, i.e., on my right side of the desktop, half out of it, half inside. This happens only with this folder. If after restarting finder, restarting the mac, log-out log-in, I press +N to open a new window, it opens correctly on the center of the screen. If I try to grab the new applications window either in the center of the screen or in whatever position I want, next log-in, reboot, etc... it opens in the ugly position as I mentioned.
    I tried deleting .Ds_Store file in it, deleting com.apple.finder.plist, repairing permissions (both in leopard and by using the installation dvd), clearing caches, executing maintainance tasks, searching google, asking in it.comp.macintosh, praise the lord, but nothing. Now I'm going crazy, so I need to solve this.
    Ps: Maybe this problem start when I installed magnifique. It's an applications that let you change leopard themes (since shapeshifter works only on 10.4). I uninstalled after two days, being shure to delete its preference files and any other stuff that could have been reconducted to it, but the problem is still there. I tried creating a new user and the problem still exists.

    Hm, I guess that makes sense - the idea is to save power; but the process of trying to transfer control between display interfaces on the fly would have to be somewhat perilous.  This (hot swap of display interfaces) is just not the kind of thing that would normally be expected by software designers.
    Are the two display subsystems made by nVidia?  If not, I'd imagine it to be a practically impossible task to get right.  GPU makers aren't normally friendly with one another!
    It makes sense that a manual switch to the more powerful GPU would be needed to run Photoshop properly, as complex as it is.
    -Noel

  • Application will not open because it may be damaged or incomplete - any thoughts?

    I photo application will not open because it may be damaged or incomplete.  Any thoughts on how to fix this?

    Reinstall it:
    To re-install iPhoto
    1. Put the iPhoto.app in the trash (Drag it from your Applications Folder to the trash)
    2. Download it from the App Store to reinstall It's on your Purchases List* there.
    For older versions that have been installed from Disk you'll need these additional steps:
    2a: On 10.5:  Go to HD/Library/Receipts and remove any pkg file there with iPhoto in the name.
    2b: On 10.6: Those receipts may be found as follows:  In the Finder use the Go menu and select Go To Folder. In the resulting window type
    /var/db/receipts/
    2c: on 10.7 or later they're at
    /private/var/db/receipts
    A Finder Window will open at that location and you can remove the iPhoto pkg files.
    3. Re-install.
    If you purchased an iLife Disk, then iPhoto is on it.
    If iPhoto was installed on your Mac when you go it then it’s on the System Restore disks that came with your Mac. Insert the first one and opt to ‘Install Bundled Applications Only.
    *Sometimes iPhoto is not visible on the Purchases List. it may be hidden. See this article for details on how to unhide it.
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4928
    One question often asked: Will I lose my Photos if I reinstall?
    iPhoto the application and the iPhoto Library are two different parts of the iPhoto programme. So, reinstalling the app should not affect the Library. BUT you should always have a back up before doing this kind of work. Always.

  • One of my applications does not open. how can i delete and reinstall, one of my applications does not open. how can i delete and reinstall

    One of my applications does not open. how can i delete and reinstall it?

    Uninstalling Software: The Basics
    Most OS X applications are completely self-contained "packages" that can be uninstalled by simply dragging the application to the Trash.  Applications may create preference files that are stored in the /Home/Library/Preferences/ folder.  Although they do nothing once you delete the associated application, they do take up some disk space.  If you want you can look for them in the above location and delete them, too.
    Some applications may install an uninstaller program that can be used to remove the application.  In some cases the uninstaller may be part of the application's installer, and is invoked by clicking on a Customize button that will appear during the install process.
    Some applications may install components in the /Home/Library/Applications Support/ folder.  You can also check there to see if the application has created a folder.  You can also delete the folder that's in the Applications Support folder.  Again, they don't do anything but take up disk space once the application is trashed.
    Some applications may install a startupitem or a Log In item.  Startupitems are usually installed in the /Library/StartupItems/ folder and less often in the /Home/Library/StartupItems/ folder.  Log In Items are set in the Accounts preferences.  Open System Preferences, click on the Accounts icon, then click on the LogIn Items tab.  Locate the item in the list for the application you want to remove and click on the "-" button to delete it from the list.
    Some software use startup daemons or agents that are a new feature of the OS.  Look for them in /Library/LaunchAgents/ and /Library/LaunchDaemons/ or in /Home/Library/LaunchAgents/.
    If an application installs any other files the best way to track them down is to do a Finder search using the application name or the developer name as the search term.  Unfortunately Spotlight will not look in certain folders by default.  You can modify Spotlight's behavior or use a third-party search utility, Easy Find, instead.  Download Easy Find at VersionTracker or MacUpdate.
    Some applications install a receipt in the /Library/Receipts/ folder.  Usually with the same name as the program or the developer.  The item generally has a ".pkg" extension.  Be sure you also delete this item as some programs use it to determine if it's already installed.
    There are many utilities that can uninstall applications.  Here is a selection:
    AppZapper
    Automaton
    Hazel
    CleanApp
    Yank
    SuperPop
    Uninstaller
    Spring Cleaning
    Look for them at VersionTracker or MacUpdate.
    For more information visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQ on removing software.

Maybe you are looking for