Lion keeps hiding my desktop - no icons, no background picture, just the standard grey background.

It usually happens after a few minutes from turning the computer on and running few apps.
I can still see my Desktop & icons through Finder, but it's pretty frustrating.

First, Safe Boot , (holding Shift key down at bootup), use Disk Utility from there to Repair Permissions, move these files to the Desktop.
/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist
/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.desktop.plist
Then reboot once more.
Does that get us there?

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No thumbnail/icons for personal pictures in the finder..

So, I bought an iMac recently and I'm really liking it - but one irritating issue. On my personal pictures (not default pictures like the iChat icons in the same folder, pictures I've saved onto there) in the Pictures folder in the Finder, the pictures aren't a thumbnail/icon - they're just a white sheet of paper and to view them I have to double click on them. The finder is in icon view and show icon preview is checked. I have found a way to solve it - by changing the file extension to .jpg, but I don't really want to do this every time. Is this only doing this because by default I saved these pictures as preview documents? Do I need to save them as "All Files" (the only other option under Save As)?
By the way, is there a setting to not make file extensions visible (like in Windows), I like my files straight and to the point, not all that .jpg and .gif stuff. I read there is a setting to hide extensions for individual files, but is there not a master setting that just hides them altogether?
Message was edited by: xTRIGGER092x

Finder->Preferences->Advanced->uncheck Show all filename extensions.

I updated my apple TV and now it is frozen with the itunes icon and a picture of the apple TV. ??

How do I fix my apple TV? Since I did the latest update, it has been frozen on a screen which shows the itunes icon and an apple TV with a cord going from one to the other. I have tried unplugging it and plugging back in. I have also tried plugging it into my computer and updating it through itunes and nothing has worked.

It is in recovery mode, it must be connected to a computer and restored via iTunes.
What happens when attempting this?

HT1766 I did the most recent IOS update 7.1.1 and my phone will no longer stay on, other than to show the itunes icon and a picture of the USB cord we use to charge. Verizon is saying there is nothing that can be done because it is stuck in recovery mode

The phone is stuck on that screen once it is turned on and then turns itself right back off. Unfortunately it doesn't appear the phone was backed up on Icloud. The software update came through on my settings and I performed the update, ever since I have lost over a year and a half of information, pictures etc. Any ideas at all would be appreciated.

If you have not set up iCloud backup or backed up using iTunes, all data on the phone was lost once it entered recovery mode.
Your only option is to restore it and start new.
~Lyssa

I received an error message when updating my iPhone that the update failed. My phone is now locked up with the iTunes icon and a picture of the USB cord on the display. It will not reset or turn on, what do I do?

My iPhone will not reset and is no longer recognized in iTunes. Any suggestions?

See Here > http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1808
You may need to try this More than Once...
Be sure to Follow ALL the Steps...
But... if the Device has been Modified... this will Not necessarily work.

HT201210 I have an ipad 2 and was upgrading to ios 5. Unfortunately, the cable was pulled out mid sync and now the ipad won't work. When I power on, I get an iTunes icon and a picture of the cable to connect to iTunes. What do I do?

disconnected mid-stream. Now when I turn on the ipad or connect it to the PC, I get the iTunes logo and a picture of the connecting cable (which is plugged in). What do I do?

iOS: Device not recognized in iTunes for Windows

I'm unable to open the Finder as it keeps hiding behind screens., I'm unable to open the Finder as it kees hiding behind screens.

Just upgraded my BacBook Pro to OS X ( 10.7.2) on a Macbook and unable to open the Finder Menu as it keeps hiding behind screens. Please help.

Usually clicking on the Finder icon on the Dock brings up the Finder window to the front.
Restart and try.

OS X System Preferences Desktop Screensaver ICON DISAPPEARED

How can I get the DESKTOP Screensaver ICON to show up in the
System Preferences Sceen? I either deleted the application by
mistake or .......
Any help is appreciated,
Spanky

Welcome to Apple Discussions.
Try this....
Quit System Preferences. Then go to Users/yourname/Library/Caches
Delete these 2 files...
com.apple.preferencepanes.cache
com.apple.preferencepanes.searchindexcache
Then, relaunch System Preferences. Did that help?
If you actually deleted the Preference Pane in /System/Library/Preference Panes. Then, you'll need to reinstall from your install disk using Pacifist to extract and install just that package from your install disks.
-mj

My Macbook pro often won't start up since I installed Lion, and I have to shut it down using power button. My desktop icons don't appear and the dock won't open. I only have the little circle of color spinning endlessly. What's wrong now!

My Macbook pro often won't start up since I installed Lion, and I have to shut it down using power button. My desktop icons don't appear and the dock won't open. I only have the little circle of color spinning endlessly. What's wrong now!

Please read this whole message before doing anything.
This procedure is a diagnostic test. It’s unlikely to solve your problem. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.
The purpose of this exercise is to determine whether the problem is caused by third-party system modifications that load automatically at startup or login. Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed for the test, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards. Boot in safe mode and log in to the account with the problem. The instructions provided by Apple are as follows:
Be sure your Mac is shut down.
Press the power button.
Immediately after you hear the startup tone, hold the Shift key. The Shift key should be held as soon as possible after the startup tone, but not before the tone.
Release the Shift key when you see the gray Apple icon and the progress indicator (looks like a spinning gear).
Note: If FileVault is enabled under Mac OS X 10.7 or later, you can’t boot in safe mode.
Safe mode is much slower to boot and run than normal, and some things won’t work at all, including wireless networking on certain Macs.
The login screen appears even if you usually log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.
Test while in safe mode. Same problem(s)?
After testing, reboot as usual (i.e., not in safe mode) and verify that you still have the problem. Post the results of the test.

How do I view only the desktop with icons and the finder?

I have a hot corner set up to show the desktop.. in Snow Leopard when I exposed the desktop and then clicked on the finder in the dock *just* the finder would show.
Now, with Lion, when I click on the finder it comes into view but all the other open applications come sweeping back in hiding the desktop.
Can I change this back to the way it was before? Or is there another sneaky quick way to show only the desktop and the finder? Set up an entirely different "desktop" in mission control dedicated only to having nothing open in it?
In short: I need a fast way to drag icons from the desktop into folders in the finder. Also, this is driving me nuts.
thanks to anyone who can help.

If you can see a patch of Desktop, with a program (any program other than Finder) window active, hold down both Option and Command and click that patch of Desktop. This will auto-hide all windows for all other programs and switch focus to the Finder/Desktop at the same time.
This works when going from any active program to another, except that the Desktop itself will not get hidden (open Finder folders will get hidden).
To bring a program's windows back to visible status, just click the program's icon in the Dock. For open Finder windows which are hidden, just click the Desktop (plain click).
If you want to hide the windows of just one program, with it the active program hold down just the Option key and click in the window of another program (the Desktop or a folder window counts for this purpose). All windows of the original program will be hidden, and focus will switch to the second program.

When I put a website Icon on my desktop, how do I make firefox use the Icon native to that website instead of the default Firefox Icon?

When I drag and drop a website onto my desktop, how can I make Firefox use the icon native to that website instead of the default firefox icon?
I have even gone painstakingly (SEVERAL TIMES) to the sites with IE, dragged the site onto my desktop in order to obtain the site native icons for my desktop (and deleted the ones with the Firefox icon) .... but they all soon revert to the default Firefox icon.
E X T R E M E L Y F R U S T R A T I N G !!!!!!!!!

I don't want icons from the Firefox library.
I want the icon that comes from the website I'm making the shortcut for.
(If you go to a site in IE you will see the site generated icon at the left end of the URL in the address field.)
If I make IE my default browser I am able to get (and keep) those icons as shortcuts on my desktop without a problem.
I want to keep Firefox as my default browser.
So I want to know how to make Firefox accept the icon that comes from the website like IE does.
I have even gone to the trouble to use IE to create the shortcuts with the site specific icons.....but after I do that...... FIREFOX CONVERTS THEM TO THE FIREFOX DEFAULT ICON as soon as I re-boot or refresh my desktop.
I generally prefer Firefox as a browser....but If there's no fix.....I'm going to dump Firefox.

Keep losing my desktop picture on macbook

I have my macbook pro linked to a samsung syncmaster SA550. i keep losing my desktop picture, when i leave the machine and return it from sleep mode, I am left with a grey screen, sometimes with no icons?

Probably the desktop picture is no longer on the macbook but on the syncmaster. Make sure that the desktop picture (itself, and not an alias) is on your macbook (e.g. the pictures folder) and set it again in the SystemPreferences/Desktop settings.

After installing an App, the icon does not appear on the desktop?

After installing an App, the icon does not appear on the desktop? Where would I find it?

Some people have found that an app (usually iBooks for some reason) hasn't appeared on a homescreen until after the iPad has been reset and has restarted : press and hold both the sleep and home buttons for about 10 to 15 seconds (ignore the red slider), after which the Apple logo should appear - you won't lose any content, it's the iPad equivalent of a reboot.
Also depending on what the app is have you got an age rating set in Settings > General > Restrictions that is hiding it ?

How do I remove the Skype icon from the desktop that is on my left on the taskbar ?

Greetings to all, I have a Windows 7. 64--bit with SP--1. I have been unable, by searching, to find a way to remove the Skype icon from the desktop. It is on my left on the taskbar. Do I need to remove it in the registry ? If yes, how ? Thank you Ldxrunner

Hi,
Are you trying to remove Skype entirely, or just get rid of the tool tray icon?
IIRC, you get that icon as long as Skype is running in the background. There's a checkbox in Skype options that will keep it from running on startup. That will eliminate the icon but you won't get notified for incoming calls.
Z.
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Notifications cover my desktop file icons

I like having my Notifications appear and stay (until dismissed) on my iMac. They line up along the right side by default. However, I also like to save files to my desktop (call me old school). Unfortunately, my Notifications cover any newly saved desktop files -- even when I switch to a new Space. Is there an easy way around this? like, a way to temporarily hide Notifications? or to have new desktop items appear on the left of my screen instead of the right? Or anything else I should be trying and getting used to?... Thanks

Show Desktop: If you have a Trackpad spread thumb and three fingers out to show desktop it will push your notifications out the way, if you don't have a trackpad you can also make a keyboard shortcut for it System Preferences >> Keyboard >> Shortcuts >> Mission control >> Show Desktop and set your desired key.
OR
Turn on "Do Not Disturb" Open notification centre and scroll up you should find a toggle for "Do Not Disturb" by activating this mode your notifications that are waiting to be dismissed will be hidden and deactivating it will show them again.
OR
Alternatively if you don't like the above options you could mess around with your grid spacing settings for icon arrangement on your desktop simply right click on your desktop >> Show view Options >> and change the grid spacing slider, this may or may not work depends on your icon size and if you keep a lot of other stuff around on your desktop it's going to mess around with their positions too, I would imagine you will need the option "snap to grid" to be enabled for it to work, or you could just fill up the first 2 or 3 columns with folders or other files you don't always use then any new files will be saved after them. But I'm Sure the first 2 options will suffice, this last one was just some extra information....

Lion keeps hiding my desktop - no icons, no background picture, just the standard grey background.

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