Can't Open Macintosh HD Icon

Question

I've had an intermittent problem with opening my hard drive from it's icon on the desk top. Or indeed any folder on the desktop. I've tried deleting the desktop pref file which cured it for a while, but it keeps happening. Another wierd cure was dragging any file from the desktop on to the hard drive icon, but basically the error is - I double click on my HD icon to open it - the screen flashes - goes completely blank for a few seconds and then then returns to it's original state without opening anything. Not exactly the dream upgrade I'd been reading about!
I wished I'd waited a few months before installing SN as it's caused all kinds of grief - this being the most annoying. The other bug is saving all attachments in mail... which crashes it.

Answer 1

HI Jon,
Hopefully this is the upgrade causing this and not the hard drive itself.
Boot from your SL disk and check the startup disk for errors.
Insert Installer disk and Restart, holding down the "C" key until grey Apple appears.
Go to Installer menu (Panther and earlier) or Utilities menu (Tiger and later) and launch Disk Utility.
Select your HDD (manufacturer ID) in the left panel.
Select First Aid in the Main panel.
*(Check S.M.A.R.T Status of HDD at the bottom of right panel. It should say: Verified)*
Click Repair Disk on the bottom right.
If DU reports disk does not need repairs quit DU and restart.
If DU reports errors Repair again and again until DU reports disk is repaired.
When you are finished with DU, from the Menu Bar, select Utilities/Startup Manager.
Select your start up disk and click Restart
Check available disk space.
Control or right click the MacintoshHD icon on your Desktop. Click "Get Info". Under the General tab you will see Capacity and Available. Make sure there is at least 10% available disk space, 15% is better.
If the hard disk appears to be ok and there's plenty of disk space, then boot from your original install disk and run the Apple Hardware Test.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1509
Carolyn