Cannot move desktop icons

i can highlight them then "move to trash" that is all. cannot drag anything on the desktop to rearrange things. I cannot find any settings for this

Here's Apple KB Article TA21052. Apple says to restart your Mac as many times as it takes to allow drag and drop again. This problem is limited to some Jaguar users. It may take numerous restarts.
It is also suggested, in another Apple doc. I saw, you install the 10.2.8 Combo update. You can install right over your present 10.2.8 with no issues. Make sure you unplug all USB and FireWire before installing. Just to be safe, Repair Permissions before and after the install.
If that doesn't work try the following submitted by George Orville;
Drag & Drop not working...
You have a choice files to delete in ..... ~/LibraryPreferences
• com.apple.desktop.plist
• com.apple.dock.plist (your choice to delete this or not)
• com.apple.finder.plist
• com.apple.LaunchServices.LocalCache.csstore
• com.apple.LaunchServices. plist
• com.apple.LauchServices. UserCache.csstore
Also you have a choice of files to delete in........
/Library/Caches/ (folder)
Then restart your Mac and try!

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Hi mende1 and thank you; you got me to the place where i solved the problem.
When I got to the permissions dropdown in the Desktop Info window, it did not seem to be able to give me a chance to change things.
HOWEVER up above, under the General dropdown, at its bottom were two clickable boxes: "shared folder" and "locked"
"locked" was checked.
I unchecked it.
I went to my actual desktop and tried again to put a picture file on the desktop into trash
Trash accepted it!
All fixed!! I didn't go to the computer store today, btw, so glad I didn't now
Thank you DhinaKaren for the advice but i guess the problem wasn't that dire!

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ON version 10.9.5 Mavericks.
This was working but the past few days is no longer.
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Take these steps if the cursor changes from an arrow to a white "prohibited" symbol when you try to move an icon on the Desktop.
Sometimes the problem may be solved just by logging out or restarting the computer. Try that first, if you haven't already done it. Otherwise, continue.
Select the icon of your home folder (a house) in the sidebar of a Finder window and open it. The Desktop folder is one of the subfolders. Select it and open the Info window. In the General section of the window, the Kind will be either Folder or something else, such as Anything.
If the Kind is Folder, uncheck the box marked Locked. Close the Info window and test.
If the Kind is not Folder, make sure the Locked box is not checked and that you have Read & Write privileges in the Sharing & Permissions section. Then close the Info window and do as follows.
Back up all data before continuing.
Triple-click anywhere in the line below on this page to select it:
xattr -d com.apple.FinderInfo Desktop
Copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C.
Launch the built-in Terminal application in any of the following ways:
☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
☞ Open LaunchPad and start typing the name.
Paste into the Terminal window by pressing command-V. You should get a new line ending in a dollar sign ($). Quit Terminal.
Relaunch the Finder.
If the problem is now resolved, and if you use iPhoto, continue.
Quit iPhoto if it's running. Launch it while holding down the option key. It will prompt you to select a library. Choose the one you want to use (not the Desktop folder.)

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Hello,
I have a MacBook Pro with OS X 10.10.2 Yosemite, and when I try to move my desktop icons around the desktop they snap back to where they were before I tried to move them. I have tried changing settings and restarting my computer.
Cheers,
Adam

Hi. This doesn't resolve the problem on my end. The icons still can't be re-arranged or moved around. Sure, they will adjust to "Set by Sort", but I still can't drag them around, say from one folder into another. They are fixed to their spot.

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sorry I answered my own question. Thanks guys!
I just went ctrl+click on desktop.. > show view options > arrange by > none
bye

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Hi, I have 5 locked fonts on my desktop, G5 PPC, and cannot move to trash and delete. Anyone know how to delete these font icons? Thanks for helping.

Select them in the Finder, choose Get Info from the File menu, and clear the Locked box.
(59958)

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Robert B wrote:
I'm unable to start from the Install disk; I get the "Black Veil of Death" every time (You Need To Restart Your Machine...).
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A Safe Boot automatically runs Repair Disk as many times as needed to fix things. Trying to start from the Install disc gives you a kernel panic, and yet you are able to Safe Boot? I don't know what could cause this.
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However, as a temporary thing, try this.
Open the Terminal (from /Applications/Utilities) and copy and paste the following into the Terminal window, one line at a time, with a return after each line:
chmod -R -N .
chmod +a "everyone deny delete" . Desktop Documents Downloads Library Movies Music Pictures Public Sites
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Press Command-Option-8. Someone apparently turned on Zoom. (See System Preferences > Universal Access and click the Options button next to Zoom for more information.)

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Take these steps if the cursor changes from an arrow to a white "prohibited" symbol when you try to move an icon on the Desktop.
Sometimes the problem may be solved just by logging out or restarting the computer. Try that first, if you haven't already done it. Otherwise, continue.
Select the icon of your home folder (a house) in the sidebar of a Finder window and open it. The Desktop folder is one of the subfolders. Select it and open the Info window. In the General section of the window, the Kind will be either Folder or something else, such as Anything.
If the Kind is Folder, uncheck the box marked Locked. Close the Info window and test.
If the Kind is not Folder, make sure the Locked box is not checked and that you have Read & Write privileges in the Sharing & Permissions section. Then close the Info window and do as follows.
Back up all data before continuing.
Triple-click anywhere in the line below on this page to select it:
xattr -d com.apple.FinderInfo Desktop
Copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C.
Launch the built-in Terminal application in any of the following ways:
☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
☞ Open LaunchPad and start typing the name.
Paste into the Terminal window by pressing command-V. You should get a new line ending in a dollar sign ($). Quit Terminal.
Relaunch the Finder.
If the problem is now resolved, and if you use iPhoto, continue.
Quit iPhoto if it's running. Launch it while holding down the option key. It will prompt you to select a library. Choose the one you want to use (not the Desktop folder.)

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Cannot move files or folders on the desktop. This occurred suddenly - don't know what happened or how to undo this. Nothing on the desktop is moveable.
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Take these steps if the cursor changes from an arrow to a white "prohibited" symbol when you try to move an icon on the Desktop.
Sometimes the problem may be solved just by logging out or restarting the computer. Try that first, if you haven't already done it. Otherwise, continue.
Select the icon of your home folder (a house) in the sidebar of a Finder window and open it. The Desktop folder is one of the subfolders. Select it and open the Info window. In the General section of the window, the Kind will be either Folder or something else, such as Anything.
If the Kind is Folder, uncheck the box marked Locked. Close the Info window and test.
If the Kind is not Folder, make sure the Locked box is not checked and that you have Read & Write privileges in the Sharing & Permissions section. Then close the Info window and do as follows.
Back up all data before continuing.
Triple-click anywhere in the line below on this page to select it:
xattr -d com.apple.FinderInfo Desktop
Copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C.
Launch the built-in Terminal application in any of the following ways:
☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
☞ Open LaunchPad and start typing the name.
Paste into the Terminal window by pressing command-V. You should get a new line ending in a dollar sign ($). Quit Terminal.
Relaunch the Finder.
If the problem is now resolved, and if you use iPhoto, continue.
Quit iPhoto if it's running. Launch it while holding down the option key. It will prompt you to select a library. Choose the one you want to use (not the Desktop folder.)

Cannot move desktop icons

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