Dock problems/opening new windows

Question

Help! Sometimes when I use the dock, the computer will not open the window directly. Instead it opens the applications window and I then need to click on the icon in the applications window before it will open the program (ie. mail, safari, etc.) One time it will work from the dock, and other times not. I am also having a lot of problem with the error message of -10810. This all happened after I took my computer to be "spring cleaned" by an authorized Apple repair store. Unfortunatley, they don't know how to fix the error code. The could not get the computer to repeat the error message. My computer has been a mess since then. Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you!
Sue
eMac   Mac OS X (10.3.9)  

Answer 1

Hi Again Sue!
First navigate to HD > Users > Your Account > Library > Preferences.
Delete the file com.apple.dock.plist.
Then run Repair Disk & Repair Permissions. Instructions below.
THESE ARE THE STEPS FOR USING DISK UTILITY TO REPAIR YOUR HD
1.Insert your Mac OS X CD-ROM disc or Restore DVD disc, then restart the computer while holding the C key.
2.Once started up from CD or DVD, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu.
Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from disc to access Disk Utility.
3.Click the First Aid tab.
4.Click the disclosure triangle to the left of the hard drive icon to display the names of your hard disk volumes and partitions.
5.Select your Mac OS X volume, if necessary.
6.Click Repair. If DU reports errors it has fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported.
7.When finished, select Quit Disk Utility from the Installer menu.
8.Select Quit Installer from the Installer menu.
9.In the resulting pop-up window, choose restart.
10.After the computer has restarted, you can eject the CD.
TO REPAIR PERMISSIONS ON THE STARTUP DISK
1.Open Disk Utility, located in Applications/Utilities, and select the startup disk in the left column.
2.Click First Aid.
3.Click Verify Disk Permissions to test permissions or Repair Disk Permissions to test and repair permissions. (I never "Verify". Just run "Repair".)
Rerun RP until the only message it reports is:
"We are using special permissions for the file or directory ./System/Library/Filesystems/cd9660.fs/cd9660.util.
New permissions are 33261"
This is a status message and not a cause for concern. You may safely ignore it.
Or these:
"We are using a special uid for the file or directory ./private/var/at/jobs. New uid is 1"
"We are using a special uid for the file or directory ./private/var/at/spool. New uid is 1"
Again, these are status messages, which appeared after Security Update 2005-001.
There may be others that you can ignore. Complete list at link below.
Spurious Permissions Errors Using: 10.3.x
When "Repair Permissions" is complete. Quit "Disk Utility".
You will now have a Default Dock, so you will have to reset any custom configurations.
Report your results here.
Good Luck!
ali b