Everything on the desktop has disappeared!

Everything on my desktop has disappeared but you can still access the desktop through a new finder window. Does anyone know how I can make my items on my desktop including my hardrives to reappear?

Certainly couldn't hurt to try Repairing Permissions.
It's not guaranteed to solve your problems, but users here have seen RP fix many strange issues that normally wouldn't appear to be related to permissions.
Open up Disk Utility, select your Hard Drive on the left side, and press the Repair Permissions button.
Let that finish, then reboot your system and see if anything has improved.
EDIT: You could also try trashing your Finder preferences altogether.
Delete this file and reboot:
HD > User > Library > Preferences > com.apple.finder.plist

Similar Messages

Everything from my desktop has disappeared and when i try and dragging it back to the desktop it doesnt work, everything from my desktop has disappeared and when i try and dragging it back to the desktop it doesnt work

everthing frozz and then dissappered

I'd try starting Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility and running Repair Permissions followed by Verify Disk
Bob

I was archiving folders and everything from the "Inbox" has disappeared???

It was split up into folders by years in the Archives folder - Now they are ALL gone!! Can't "repair" anything.
Also you told me to change my password because of suspicious activity... I did. But it doesn't ask me for the new login...?? Ask I don't seem to be able to receive new mail now. ALTERNATE EMAIL: [email protected]

I'd try starting Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility and running Repair Permissions followed by Verify Disk
Bob

My MacBook Air shows only the desktop, the "dock" has disappeared. This happened before, and a technician said it had to do with the settings. Does anyone out there know how to retrieve the "dock" so it reappears? thanks, roger

My MacBook Air display shows only the desktop background, the dock has disappeared. Does anyone know how to restore the dock to the desktop? thanks

The dock can be configured to automatically show and hide when moving the mouse cursor over the current location. You can try to move the mouse over the dock area to see if it appears. Hopefully it will, and if you don't want that setting you can then change it to show permanently in the System Preferences > Dock settings.
If that doesn't work you can change the dock location in the preference settings to align on a different side of the window to see if it appears. That's all I can suggest at the moment.
Let us know how you make out.

I've cleared almost 30 gig off of my hard drive in the past 2 weeks, and it will temporarily show that in the Get Info box. But hours later, I am still getting a disk full error and all of the memory has disappeared.

I've cleared almost 30 gig off of my hard drive in the past 2 weeks, and it will temporarily show that in the Get Info box. But hours later, I am still getting a disk full error and all of the memory has disappeared. I have cleared my backup logs from Time Machine, checked the mail folder, cleaned out tons of photos and videos and it still keeps filling back up.
In checking the log files, here is the message repeated over and over....
Jul 4 07:18:13 Donald-Keele-Jrs-iMac-123.local CalendarAgent[213]: CoreData: error: (21) I/O error for database at /Users/donjr/Library/Calendars/Calendar Cache. SQLite error code:21, 'unable to open database file'
Jul 4 07:18:13 Donald-Keele-Jrs-iMac-123.local CalendarAgent[213]: Core Data: annotation: -executeRequest: encountered exception = I/O error for database at /Users/donjr/Library/Calendars/Calendar Cache. SQLite error code:21, 'unable to open database file' with userInfo = {
NSFilePath = "/Users/donjr/Library/Calendars/Calendar Cache";
NSSQLiteErrorDomain = 21;
Jul 4 07:18:14 Donald-Keele-Jrs-iMac-123.local cfprefsd[180]: CFPreferences: error creating file /Users/donjr/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iPhoto.plist.t3l894p: 28
Jul 4 07:18:30 Donald-Keele-Jrs-iMac-123.local Printer Pro Desktop[275]: Empty task
Jul 4 07:18:33 Donald-Keele-Jrs-iMac-123.local Microsoft Sync Services[8149]: [0x16697c0] |ISyncSession|Warning| com.microsoft.Entourage2008: transitioning to cancel - session cancelled by server: Client 'com.microsoft.Entourage2008' tried to start a session for the plan 45AD80C3-0D52-4CF2-8CBA-103564B6C47C and the plan no longer exists.
Jul 4 07:18:33 Donald-Keele-Jrs-iMac-123.local Microsoft Sync Services[8149]: Warning: NSBundle NSBundle </Applications/Microsoft Office 2008/Office/Microsoft Sync Services.app/Contents/Resources/MicrosoftOfficeNotes.syncschema> (not yet loaded) was released too many times. For compatibility, it will not be deallocated, but this may change in the future. Set a breakpoint on __NSBundleOverreleased() to debug
Jul 4 07:18:33 Donald-Keele-Jrs-iMac-123.local Microsoft Sync Services[8149]: Warning: NSBundle NSBundle </Users/donjr/Library/Sync Services/Schemas/MicrosoftOfficeNotes.syncschema> (not yet loaded) was released too many times. For compatibility, it will not be deallocated, but this may change in the future. Set a breakpoint on __NSBundleOverreleased() to debug
Jul 4 07:18:45 Donald-Keele-Jrs-iMac-123 kernel[0]: (default pager): [KERNEL]: default_pager_backing_store_monitor - send LO_WAT_ALERT
Jul 4 07:18:45 Donald-Keele-Jrs-iMac-123 kernel[0]: macx_swapoff SUCCESS
Jul 4 07:19:31 Donald-Keele-Jrs-iMac-123.local Printer Pro Desktop[275]: Empty task
Any ideas on what to do next?
I'm running and iMac 20-inch early 2009
Processor 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Memory 8 GB 1067 MHz DDR3
Graphics NVIDIA GeForce 9400 256 MB
Software OS X 10.8.4 (12E55)

Step 1
Quit Calendar. Triple-click the line below to select it:
~/Library/Calendars/Calendar Cache
Right-click or control-click the highlighted line and select
Services ▹ Reveal
from the contextual menu. A Finder window should open with a file named "Calendar Cache" selected.
Move the selected file to the Trash. There may be one or two other files in the same folder with names that begin in "Calendar Cache". If so, delete those files too.
Step 2
Empty the Trash if you haven't already done so. If you use iPhoto, empty its internal Trash as well:
iPhoto ▹ Empty Trash
Then reboot. That will temporarily free up some space.
According to Apple documentation, you need at least 9 GB of available space on the startup volume (as shown in the Finder Info window) for normal operation. You also need enough space left over to allow for growth of your data. There is little or no performance advantage to having more available space than the minimum Apple recommends. Available storage space that you'll never use is wasted space.
To locate large files, you can use Spotlight. That method may not find large folders that contain a lot of small files.
You can more effectively use a tool such as OmniDiskSweeper (ODS) to explore your volume and find out what's taking up the space. You can also delete files with it, but don't do that unless you're sure that you know what you're deleting and that all data is safely backed up. That means you have multiple backups, not just one.
Deleting files inside an iPhoto or Aperture library will corrupt the library. Any changes to a photo library must be made from within the application that created it. The same goes for Mail files.
Proceed further only if the problem isn't solved by the above steps.
ODS can't see the whole filesystem when you run it just by double-clicking; it only sees files that you have permission to read. To see everything, you have to run it as root.
Back up all data now.
Install ODS in the Applications folder as usual. Quit it if it's running.
Triple-click the line of text below to select it, then copy the selected text to the Clipboard (command-C):
sudo /Applications/OmniDiskSweeper.app/Contents/MacOS/OmniDiskSweeper
Launch the 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. Click Utilities, then Terminal in the icon grid.
Paste into the Terminal window (command-V). You'll be prompted for your login password, which won't be displayed when you type it. You may get a one-time warning not to screw up. If you see a message that your username "is not in the sudoers file," then you're not logged in as an administrator.
The application window will open, eventually showing all files in all folders. It may take some minutes for ODS to list all the files.
I don't recommend that you make a habit of doing this. Don't delete anything while running ODS as root. If something needs to be deleted, make sure you know what it is and how it got there, and then delete it by other, safer, means. When in doubt, leave it alone or ask for guidance.
When you're done with ODS, quit it and also quit Terminal.

Can't find Finder and Dock and Desktop has disappeared

I was backing up my MBA (OS 10.6.0) today using Superduper and something strange happened.
My hard drive became corrupted and filled with files (105 GB used and 0 GB available). The HDD capacity is 120GB. About 15GB is bootcamp. The backup failed.
I deleted a few files and freed up 200MB when I realized the hard drive had become full (I had 20GB free space on the Macintosh HD before this).
When I checked Disk Utility it told me my hard drive was corrupted and I should repair it using the operating system disc (Snow Leopard) to start up the computer and then go to Disk utility and perform Repairs.
I did all that and Disk Utility told me the hard drive was OK after the repair.
However, when I restart the computer, I get a blue screen. I cannot see the Dock. And Finder cannot be found. When I do Force Quit, there is no Finder in the list.
For some reason even though I do not have a Dock, I was able to get a menu at the top. I don't know what I did to get it. Suddenly I got a message saying I couldn't open iTunes even though I didn't try to open it (the Dock has disappeared). But at least I got some menu at the top.
With the menu I was able to open some items on Recent Items including Firefox.
I went to my email and tried to send some files to the same email address. I was able to browse Finder by doing this and my Desktop seems to be OK. I can open various files by using the browse function in upload files in my email and they all seem OK.
So I know that my Desktop files are intact. I haven't checked them all (I have like 50 files on my desktop) but on a quick look, all the Desktop items appear to be there.
How can I get the Desktop and the Dock back?
How can I get Finder to show up?
I just have a blue screen at the moment.
When I get the Desktop back I want to erase some files and create space.
Somehow the hard drive got filled up when I tried to do a backup using Superduper.

All resolved.
I attached an external drive to the MBA in an attempt to export Firefox Scrapbook files onto it.
Exporting failed (my fault – I didn't follow the steps correctly) and I ended up having to restart the computer.
Surprisingly the screen opened in bootcamp.
Because there was an external hard drive connected to the computer, I presume this is what prompted the computer to open in bootcamp. Normally I would have to hold down the Option key to open bootcamp but my computer's hard drive had been corrupted so ....
From bootcamp (Windows XP) I restarted the computer, this time holding down the Option key.
I selected the Mac volume as the startup disk.
When it booted, it sputtered a few times and it looked like it was going to open in the blue screen again (I could see the familiar strange things that occur when it opens in the blue screen). However, after a while, it opened with the Desktop screen.
All the icons I had on the Desktop appeared and I had the screen back to normal with Dock and everything there.
I deleted some items (I only had 200MB left) to create some room on the hard drive.
After browsing the web, I came across the reason for why my HD suddenly filled up during the failed back up before things went awry.
From Pink Mutant
http://pinkmutant.com/articles/TigerMisc.html
"Failed Backups and the Volumes Folder
Another potential stealer of hard drive space is a failed backup, where the drive the backup was supposed to go to was unavailable, so the backup software simply copied the files into the invisible /Volumes folder. Again, use the Go and Go to Folder menu bar item ....."
This is exactly what happened to me. I found the two volumes, "Untitled" and "Untitled 1" as Pink Mutant said I would in "Go" ("Go to Folder") and I deleted them (I should have backed up my computer before doing this though). Straightaway, 20GB of space came back on my HD.
My computer had copied the backup onto my HD instead of the external HD during the failed backup operation. That's why the internal HD filled up.
So it's a relief that I got the Desktop back again – purely by accident – and I also found what was filling up all the HD space.
So a tip: if someone finds their backup fails for whatever reason, don't try to back up again. Check HD space and if it has suddenly shrunken, go to "Go", and then "Go to Folder", type "/Volumes" and click "Go". That should bring up the offending volumes if any. Move them to Desktop. Check "Get Info" and have a look at the contents if you can (I couldn't). Do a backup of the computer. Then delete the problem volumes (if you find that these volumes are the cause of the problem). You can then delete the same volumes from the backup at this point.

Everything saved in PAGES has disappeared!! Help!

everything i PAGES saved has disappeared!! Help!!"

Hi again AnonyMouse,
Can you startup to your install cd/dvd and Repair Disk using Disk Utility?
Insert your insall cd/dvd #1 and then restart while holding down the "c" key. Hold down till you see the bootup grey screen and the spinning cursor and then release.
When booted to the installer splash screen, go directly to the top Menu Bar and select Disk Utility from the Installer Menu. When Disk Utility opens select your HD in the left pane and then the First Aid tab and then click on Repair Disk.
When Disk Utility finishes, note any errors it reports, and if any are not repaired rerun. Quit Disk Utility and then quit the Installer and the computer will restart.
If the computer boots back up to your normal desktop you can then run Repair Permissions from your HD/Applications folder/Utilities/DiskUtility/Repair Permissions.
post back with comments or questions,
littleshoulders

Everything on my iPod has disappeared.

I'm having some trouble with my iPod. I have recently downloaded the new software, and it was working fine until just a few days ago. I purchased a song and a window kept popping up saying it couldn't be copied to the iPod because it couldn't be played on that kind of iPod. And ever since I purchased that one song, EVERYTHING on my iPod has disappeared. But whenever I hook it up to the computer, and iTunes comes up, it acts like all my playlists and songs are still on there. As soon as I eject it, it's completely blank again.

Same problem here.....downloaded the iPod update a couple days ago. Everything seemed fine. Last night I hooked my iPod up to my buddies X-Box and it was acting very weird (iPod name came up as Audiobooks, playlists we are all gone etc etc). When I disconnected the iPod it was EMPTY!!!!! When I checked system info it said 0 songs, 0 videos.....BUT the space remaining on the iPod indicated the music was there (somewhere) as it said I have 36GB (out of 80GB) of space remaining???
When I got home I plugged my iPod into my computer iTunes recognized everything normally!!!!! BUT as soon as I disconnected from the computer my iPod was EMPTY.
I just tried updating my iTunes as suggested above - AND IT WORKED!!!!!!!!!!!! Everything is back up and running - what a RELIEF
BUT WHY DID THIS HAPPEN??????? - ANY IDEAS

Most of the music has disappeared from my iPhone!

For no apparent reason about 80% of the music has disappeared from my iPhone, and I am traveling so most of those songs live on my home hard drive and are inaccessible to me. How and why does that happen, and how do I fix it? iPhone 5, iOS 8.0.2. I did absolutely nothing other than plug my phone in to charge it prior to this happening.

I posted a similar issue. My new iPhone 6 with iOS 8.0.2 only partially syncs my music library. Even bought the 128GB to ensure no issues. Apple Care could not help.

VERTICAL SLIDING BAR ON RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN HAS DISAPPEARED - HOW DO I GET IT BACK PLEASE?

VERTICAL SLIDING BAR ON RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN HAS DISAPPEARED - HOW DO I GET IT BACK PLEASE?

This issue can be caused by the Babylon Toolbar extension
*https://support.mozilla.com/kb/Troubleshooting+extensions+and+themes
Start Firefox in <u>[[Safe Mode]]</u> to check if one of the extensions is causing the problem (switch to the DEFAULT theme: Firefox (Tools) > Add-ons > Appearance/Themes).
*Don't make any changes on the Safe mode start window.
*https://support.mozilla.com/kb/Safe+Mode

How do i open a new tab in firefox 6.01? the + symbol has disappeared

how do open a new tab in firefox 6.01? the + symbol has disappeared - the tab grouping stuff is not intuitive

You can find the New Tab button showing as a '+' on the Tab bar.
You can open the Customize window and drag the New Tab button that shows as a plus sign (+) from the Tab bar on another toolbar and it will become a regular toolbar button like the New Tab button that you have in Firefox 3 versions.
If you can't find the New Tab button then click the "Restore Default Set" button in the Customize window.<br />
If you want the New Tab button at the far right end of the Tab bar then place a flexible space to the left of it.
Open the Customize window via "View > Toolbars > Customize" or via "Firefox > Options > Toolbar Layout"
*https://support.mozilla.com/kb/Back+and+forward+or+other+toolbar+items+are+missing
* New tab toolbar button: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/new-tab-toolbar-button/

Somehow my application icon in the dock has disappeared and I have no idea where it went or how to get it back. I am not all that computer knowledgeable. Thanks for your help.

Somehow my application icon in the dock has disappeared. I have no idea where it went but it contains all my applications that i use. How do I get the application icon to return to the dock. Thanks for your help. I am not computer literate by any means. Thanks

Goto your application folder, find your app then drag/drop it back to the dock.

Using OS 10-6-8. For no apparent reason, mail refused to open and the icon in the dock changed and the application has disappeared except in iWork. Under Iwork, the message says: "yoou tried to open Mail version 4.5 (1084/1085) in: /Applications/iWork '06

Using OS 10-6-8. For no apparent reason, mail refused to open, the icon in the dock changed appearance and the application has disappeared except in iWork. Under Iwork, the message says: "you tried to open Mail version 4.5 (1084/1085) in: /Applications/iWork '06. Using OS 10-6-8. It can't be used on thius version of Mac OS X. Try opening the version of Mail located in the Applications folder..." How do I get back to mail and retrieve my existing messages?

You should consider downloading the 10.6.8 combo updater and applying it again.
http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1399
Pondini has a great page about upgrading.
http://pondini.org/OSX/Combo.html

My tool bar (the one that is usually to the left - not the palettes on the right) has disappeared. How do I get it back?

My tool bar (the one that is usually to the left - not the palettes on the right) has disappeared. How do I get it back?

Window > Tools

I book the app has disappeared off my screen. How do I reinstall it?

i book the app has disappeared off my screen. How do I reinstall it?

Hi maggiejones400,
As always, you can download iTunes from the Apple website:
Apple - iTunes - Download iTunes Now
http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/
Thanks,
Matt M.

Everything on the desktop has disappeared!

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