Lion OS Folder Icons and Settings Change

Question

My new 8 core Mac Pro with Lion arrived August 29 to replace an older Mac Pro with Snow Leopard. FYI - Just before the new Mac Pro arrived, I checked and repaired any permissions issues via the Disk Utility. Once the new Mac arrived, it took four days to finally get things moved over from the main hard drive because of various problems. I held up the transfer from the other 3 drives and am glad that I did. After a bad optical drive was replaced, constant Finder problems have been occurring which appear to revolve around permission conflicts. In essence, the Mac OS on my Mac Pro appears to be schizophrenic and apparently, it is in need of a frontal lobotomy. In reviewing posts in this forum, I was surprised to learn that users have been reporting similiar issues ever since Lion was released. I was given the impression that my complaint about it was the first for the techs who have attempted to resolve the problem.
I do a large amount of photography using the HDR technique so it is important to arrange image icons in specific groupings and order within folders. We have all gotten used to having icons in the same place or configuration in folders each time we open them. This not only gives us a feeling of consistency but is a critical time save when dealing with images and other graphic files. Unfortunately, because of some overlooked programming issue, the Mac OS Lion is confused as to what permissions it should pay attention do. While working, icon arrangements are constantly changing causing many hours of additional work without let-up. There is also an issue that happens I would call Blinking for no better of a word to use. In certain folders, icons will dissappear then quickly show again. This can happen about every 10 - 14 seconds sometimes.
I have also noticed related problems with new software upgrades. They work fine at first, then all of a sudden, they do not. Simple slideshows exported to video using Lightroom now appear completely black. In Dreamweaver CS 5.5, I can connect to the ftp server but am not allowed to upload. I am stuck in limbo, not being able to migrate all my work over from the older computer because all folder icon layouts will be destroyed if I start working in them. It has also created licensing issues because now softwares are on two Mac Pros and a laptop. The latest tech support request is to either erase my new startup disk and installing softwares one at a time, or consider installing the more stable Snow Leopard. Has anyone figured out an answer? I have never had such a bad experience with an Apple product in over 20 years. I would highly recommend to professional graphic artists, photographers, or other visual professionals that rely on the consistency of icon views in folders to stay away from Mac OS Lion until the problems have been resolved. Hopefully Apple intends to correct this. It has already taken several months.

Answer 1

What finally worked for me!
My internal Mac hard drive is my “filing cabinet” with all folders installed by Lion (Applications, Users, System, and Library) plus my personal folders and data in each visible when I click on and open the harddrive. My internal Mac hard drive icon is on my desktop. After a restart the file and folder icons inside most of the first level of my personal folders would shrink and rearrange themselves.
After an hour on the phone with Apple Tech Support andt rying a variety of approaches, we finally solved the problem of the shrinking and rearranged icons. (Thank you Manny!!!) This is what finally worked for me and my new MacbookPro 15-inch delivered with Lion already installed.
BTW I use a mouse….
Right clicked on the internal hard drive icon on my desktop. (Note: “Out of the box “ when you startup with Lion the first time the Mac Hard Drive probably will not be visible on the desktop and you have to reveal it!)
In the dialogue box that opened I selected and clicked on “Get Info.”
A long window opened. We looked at Sharing & Permissions at the very bottom of the window. In the “You have custom access” window my log in name was not there. This was the culprit!!! But the box was grayed out.
At the lower right hand corner of the long window I clicked on the padlock to open it.
A dialogue box opened with my user name and asked for my Password. I entered my Password and clicked “OK.”
The grayed out area of the Sharing & Permissions box immediately darkened.
I clicked on the plus sign at the bottom left hand corner of the long window.
A window opened at the top of the long box. I highlighted my name on the right hand side and then clicked on the “Select” button.  My name then appeared in the Sharing & Permissions box at the bottom of the long window.
To the right of my name un "Privelege" I made sure that “Read & Write” was turned on (use the little arrows.)
Back to the lower left hand corner and clicked on the gear and when the box opened I clicked on “Apply to enclosed items.”
Back at the lower right hand corner of long window, clicked on the open padlock to close it and lock the settings.
In each folder using “Show View Options”dialogue window I resized all the shrunken icons, set the Arrange to by “Name,” anything else I wanted, clicked on “Use as defaults” closed the window and moved on. When I rebooted everything had stabilized!