Can't access desktop

Hello!
I can't remember what I did, but suddenly, when restarting my iMac the whole desktop (along with hard disk icon) became empty.
I can access all folders that were (are) there thru Finder, but can't see them on desktop.
I also can't copy nothing to desktop. It is completely locked.
I went to Finder/Preferences and clicked all the items to show on desktop, I runned Disk Utility (Verify & Repair Permissions) from computer and from install disk, runned skript from terminal that i found in a similar topics here on Apple Support forums, but nothing helped.
Thanks for your help!
iMac Mac OS X (10.4.8)
iMac Mac OS X (10.4.8)
iMac Mac OS X (10.4.8)
iMac Mac OS X (10.4.8)
iMac Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Hi.
Open a new finder window and nagivate to your home directory. Select your desktop folder and press... "Apple-i". Make sure that you have permissions to Read and Write to your desktop.
If you do have permissions, and have tried everything else, a reinstall might be called for.
If you don't have permissions, reset them then restart.
If you don't have permissions and don't have permission to set them... enable the <Root> user by accessing UTILITIES (Shift-Apple-U), run NetInfo Manager, go to Security in the menu bar, and select Enable Root User. Once that is complete, log onto the Root user and change the permissions for your desktop.
Root is basically a.. "super admin".
I found that running the Verify & Repair Permissions feature in Disk Utility doesn't always change things like this.
Good Luck

Similar Messages

Can't access Desktop from Import menu

When on the import menu, the Desktop tab on the left hand side has a little buffer symbol next to it and I can't click on it or access the files to import them.
This also happens on iMovie. Does it have something to do with my hard-drive?

OliBMX wrote:
No I can only select Macintosh HD from that dropdown.
Thanks
This is rather suspect. I believe this may not be related to FCP X.
Where is your home folder? Did you set it to some place other than the default?
It should appear there under Users, next to "Shared". This is so not normal.
Go to the Finder and press Cmd-Shift-D. You see a window titled "Desktop" showing the contents of your desktop folder. Cmd-click the title of that window. You should see something like the following picture (with your own username below "Desktop" and above "Users", and the name of your hard drive and machine below):

Can't access Desktop and Screensaver Preferences

Hello,
I have had my macbook for 3 months and absolutely love it. I just have one problem which has occurred over the last couple or days.
When I go into the System Preferences folder I cannot access the Desktop and Screensaver Preferences. And instead of the regular icon for this, there is the System Preferences icon and the letters are jumbled below the icon.
I've searched through this forum to find a solution and have followed the following steps, to no avail:
I've checked for software update but my computer is updated
Have used Disk Repair using startup disk, but no errors found
Downloaded and ran Yasu, to clear check and clear caches
Deleted apple.com.screensaver.xxx.plist - in Home/library/Preferences/Byhost
Finally, I attempted to delete com.apple.preferencepanes.cache, and also com.apple.preferencepanes.searchindex.cache, but they always reappear in the Cache folder, no matter if I move them to desktop and delete them, or just put them straight in the Trash.
This all sounds really longwinded, sorry if it's unnecessarily long. I hope someone is able to help!
Cheers.
Tokyoanna
Macbook Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Read this...
http://www.macsimumnews.com/index.php/archive/macosgdiagnosing_a_system_preferencesproblem
-Bmer
Mac Owners Support Group
Join Us @ MacOSG.com
ITMS: MacOSG Podcast
 An Apple User Group 

Can't access desktop icons

Hello,
I'm having an intermittent problem with the desktop icons on my MacBook Pro. Occasionally, the desktop icons become inaccessible. I'll hover over them with the mouse and can't click on them. I'll also sometimes add a document to the desktop and it doesn't show up. Both of these problems can be solved by clicking on the "desktop icon view" and changing the size of the icons briefly. I hate having to do this so often. Can anyone help with this?
Thank you!
Erin

Welcome to Apple Discussions!
One thing to try would be to repair your disk. You will have to boot from your install disc and navigate to Disk Utility on the install disc. The select your hard drive by brand name and go to the First Aid Tab and click on the "Repair Disk" button. Repeat until there is nothing left to repair.
If you get errors you cannot repair, then you will need a more powerful utility such as Disk Warrior to repair your drive.
You could also try creating a new user account and see if the problem is there in it.
You could also try reinstalling the OS, but don't do this until any errors reported by Disk Utility are repaired.
Good luck!

Can't Access Desktop & Screen Saver Preferences

Hi everyone,
Can't figure this one out!!!
In the main System Preferences>Show All, the title of Desktop & Screen Saver icon has changed to "DesktopScreenEffectsPrefDock". It is all smashed together like that and partially overlays the "Appearance" title to the left of it.
When I click on the icon, the new window appears, but the Desktop & Screen Saver preferences don't display inside it. The title appears in the top bar of the window, but it is empty below that. Any other preferences icons I click on display fine.
Any thoughts?
I did just have the processor upgrade done, and also removed some bad memory. Not sure if that's contributing? I'd be grateful for any help.
TJ
G4 800 MHz, upgraded to dual 1.8MHz processor Mac OS X (10.3.9)
G4 800 MHz Mac OS X (10.3.9)
G4 800 MHz Mac OS X (10.3.9) Recent upgrade to Sonnet Duet Dual 1.8 GHz processor
G4 800 MHz Mac OS X (10.3.9) Recent upgrade to Sonnet Duet Dual 1.8 GHz processor

TJ,
I am unfamiliar with all of the options provided by YASU, and other than flipping a coin or throwing caution to the wind I am unable to advise.
Perhaps an Archive and Install followed by the 10.3.9 Combo Update, and Security Update 2006-003 (10.3.9 Client) may be called for.
;~)

Can't access desktops with gestures in Maverick

I am gesture friendly, not menu friendly. I have Mavericks and when I swipe up with four fingers I don't have all my desktops showing across the top, and not able to access a new one by tapping the upper right corner.

I finally found a solution: I had to uninstall both Acrobat and Pagemaker and reinstall them both but Acrobat first.
But that has only solved one problem.
Will post another thread with the other problem.

Can't access desktop Mac from Laptop Mac via Airport/Ethernet

Hi.
I have an iMac G5 running 10.3.9 and a MacBook Pro running 10.4.8. I have recently gotten DSL. I have a DSL MODEM connected to a Belkin Router. The router is not wireless. I bought it when I got the iMac a couple of years ago, and the iMac had no Airport card in it.
I have connected the router to the MODEM, and the iMac (which does not have an Airport card) to the router via Ethernet. I have an Airport Express Base Station connected to the Belkin Router via Ethernet.
My MacBook Pro connects to the router via Airport.
I am connected to the internet with no problem.
My first problem is that, on the laptop in Finder, I can connect to my iMac through Connect to Server with no problems. However, I cannot do the same (i.e., connect through Connect to Server) from the iMac to the laptop.
The second problem is that I cannot use the printer connected (USB) to the iMac from the laptop. I could when the laptop was connected via Ethernet alone, but not since I introduced the Airport intot the network.
What am I doing wrong? BTW, I don't have an extra Ethernet cable or the right USB cable to connect the printer to the DSL MODEM, so I haven't tried that yet.
Thanks for any help you can give me.

Make sure that the AirPort Express Base Station (AX) has "Distribute IP addresses," found on the Network tab of the AirPort Admin Utility, disabled.

Still can't access Skype desktop 6.11 nor with Sky...

Hello. I tried to find a solution to my problem, could not. I can't access the desktop client with my skype name and password, although I can access skype.com with the same credentials (no mistake, I checked multiple times). Skype says: "Skype can't connect"
Then I linked the skype to MS Account and I can access outlook.com and use skype from there, but can't access desktop application with it also. I have 6.11.0.102 version installed on Windows 8.
When I try to sign in Skype says: "Sorry, we did not recognize your sign-in details. Please check your Skype NAme and password, then try again."
Need help. THanks.

Guys, I updated to 6.21 version and the problem is solved

Application no longer assignable to a desktop in Spaces. Useable only in full screen, can't access it when not in full screen.

This is a repost to correctly ID this as a Spaces issue. I am using a MacBook Pro with a second monitor in extended desktop. I put iMovie in full screen and when I put it back, it disappeared off of both desktops. I can see it in Spaces and I can use it in full screen. However, it is not available when not in full screen. When I drag and drop it in Spaces to a desktop, it animates off of the top of the screen versus landing on that desktop. I have tried to change the application assignment by right clicking on the iMovie Icon > Options > Assign To, but it affects nothing. I have rebooted both with the external monitor and without, I have uninstalled and reinstalled iMovie and I have tried many combinations of screen resolutions and it is still assigned somewhere other than a desktop. It appears to no longer be associated with or assignable to a desktop. Anyone have any ideas?

Can you access iMovie without being in fullscreen when you do not have an external monitor connected? I cannot. No matter the monitor configuration, it is only accessible in full screen for me.
I agree - it is for sure a bug.

All my desktop icons are Adobe Reader icons, can't access related files

I was trying to open a file this morning, and when a pop-menu asked what application I wanted to choose (from a list) to open it, I clicked on Adobe Reader - just as a guess. After that, just about all my desktop icons are Adobe icons, and when I click on them, the pop up menus says I can't access the file. These icons also show up on my menu of all my MS Office programs like Outlook, Word, Excel, etc.
Tech support at Adobe recommended I use System Restore, but it also is now an Adobe icon, so I can't open it. If anyone can help reverse this, I'd greatly appreciate it.
Thanks,
David

Hi,
This also happened to me this morning. Now all my icons are PDF symbols and Reader opens when I try to open any other program. I uninstalled Reader it and it fixed itself but when I reinstalled the program the same issue occurred.
I wanted to make PDF reader the default application when openning PDF's vs. Distiller, tinkered and broke my computer.
Any clues on how to bring everything back to normaL?

I have just acquired an iMac desktop. I want to sign on to my airport wireless network, but cannot remember the password. How can I access the password or reset it. I already use a MacBook Pro and an iPad on the network.

I have just acquired an iMac desktop (about 4 years old). I want to connect to my Apple airport wireless network, but cannot remember the password. How can I access the password or, if necessary, reset it. I already use a MacBook Pro and an iPad on the network and don't want to jeopardize what already works well. I am not all that computer literate.

How can I access the password or, if necessary, reset it.
Read the user manual that came w/your Airport router or you can cross-post in one of the AirPort Forums for instructions.

I Can't Access my Creative Cloud account on my Desktop.

I frequently use AE Premiere Pro, photoshop, and many other Creative Cloud apps. I used to get these messages that would pop up in the upper right hand of my screen saying that it "couldn't sync with creative cloud" or that it "couldn't log in". I didn't think much of these messages, because i didn't really need to update the apps i use, and I didn't even need to be connected to creative cloud to use them. But recently the new After Effects update that includes the Cinema 4D Lite came out, and I've been wanting to update After Effects, but since I can't access Creative aCloud on my desktop, I can't. I have changed my password at least 3 times, and on my browser, I can log in to my Adobe ID just fine, so I tried to download the update from there, but it just redirected me to the desktop version of Creative Cloud. It's very frustrating, and I NEED HELP!

You should be able to install the Creative Cloud application from https://creative.adobe.com/products/creative-cloud when signed in with your Adobe ID. This application will handle downloading and installing CC or CS6 applications.
If this does not work direct download links are here:
Mac OS X: http://download.adobe.com/pub/adobe/creativesuite/cs/mac/ApplicationManager7.0_all.dmg
Windows: http://download.adobe.com/pub/adobe/creativesuite/cs/win/ApplicationManager7.0_all.exe

I don't have a wireless keyboard or mouse for my 2007 iMac, is there any way that can use remote desktop and access it from my 2010mbp.

i don't have a wireless keyboard or mouse for my 2007 iMac, is there any way that can use remote desktop and access it from my 2010mbp

Hi champrider,
You can use an application such as Apple Remote Desktop to control your iMac remotely. See this article -
OS X Mavericks: Allow access using Apple Remote Desktop
This help page will provide you with some other useful resources for Apple Remote Desktop -
Remote Desktop Help
Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.
Best,
Brett L

HT5306 I do not want to give remote access to anyone but myself as privacy is my friend. Can this remote desktop software still be for me personally unless I allow access and for my MAC lap top only? What if I do not update? compatibility issues with wh

Hello:
Thank you for the update for remote access for desktops.
Personally, I do not want to give remote access to anyone but myself as privacy is my friend. Can this remote desktop software still be for me personally unless I allow access and for my MAC lap top only? What if I do not update? I do use this lap top in other countries. compatibility issues with what?

Apple Remote Desktop is off be default. It has to be enabled for some one to be able to remotely connect to the computer. And then, you still have to have a user name and password on the computer to remotely connect with.
If you want to see if remote access has is enabled for Apple Remote Desktop; you can find the setting in, Apple Menu, System Prefrences, Sharing. If it's enabled, Remote Management or Screen Sharing will be checked.
Beucase Apple Remote Desktop Agent is part of the Mac Operating System; even if your not using it, Apple Software Updates will from time to time offer updates for ARD Agent. Software Updates can some times be stacked ontop of each other; so chosing not to install an update, can mean other updates you may want may not be offered. At least until you install the updates those updates require. Also software updates can improve the security of your computer.

Corrupt font book & spinning wheel of death means I can't access my desktop! HELP!!!

I hope someone can help as this is driving me CRAZY!!!
I am running Mac OS X 10.6.8 on my mac and earlier installed some fonts to font book - which appears to have corrupted the font book. I am frozen out of my desktop. I can ONLY log in using safe boot to access my desktop. If I try my usual log in, all I get is the spinning wheel of death!!! Aargghhh!! It's proving a problem as I can't access any of my servers using the safe boot.
Really hope someone can help!!
Thanks,
Lee

What BDAqua said. Get those crummy fonts you added off the drive. At least one of them must be so bad that's it's corrupting RAM every time the system tries to load it.
A Safe Mode boot removes the user cache files of the account you log into in Safe Mode, and clears Font Book's database. Normally, that would allow you to restart normally since Font Book's database is not rebuilt until you launch Font Book. That you can't even get that far means you have some really BAD fonts.
Boot into Safe Mode again. Make a new folder on the desktop and move all of the fonts you added out of the /Library/Fonts/ folded, or the Fonts folder of your user account. Whichever one you put them in.
Now you should be able to startup normally.

Can't access desktop

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for