Missing Dock and Desktop Image

Upon my latest restart in a new apartment, I have a few problems on the desktop. There is no dock unless I reset the PRAM with every restart. When I did try resetting the PRAM I was still without a desktop image, only a generic blue screen. As a result of having no dock, I cannot minimize any windows. All other desktop items appear normally and nothing else seems to be a problem. The desktop image I selected appears normally in the System preferences, as do the proper Dock settings. They're just not visible, though. PLEASE HELP!

That's good news! Log back into your normal user account:
Here's the whole litany for thoroughly checking your home folder. It's not nearly as daunting as it looks. Given your issues I'd try #2 and #4 first.
1. Navigate to ~(YourHome/Library/Fonts - drag this folder to the desktop.
• Restart and test your applications.
• If they work start adding the fonts back few at a time.
( Likely suspects are Times RO & Helvetica Fractions, also if you do not use Classic you can trash the classic fonts.)
2. Check Preferences Thoroughly;
• Navigate to ~(YourHome/Library/Preferences drag this folder to the desktop.
• Restart and test your applications.
• If this works, save the old preferences folder somewhere else or on disk, name it "old prefs" .
** Note: A very important file is the "com.apple.Mail.plist" preference file located in the Preferences folder which contains all email account settings and general mail preferences (hold this one and replace if your problem is not with Mail).
You'll have to go through some of your System Preferences and apps to set the preferences back to how you like them. (Or if you have the time and inclination, "cherry pick" through until you find the problem one or two.)
3. Check Permissions Inside Home Folder
• Navigate to YourHome/Library.
• Get Info (Command - i) on folders for apps you are having problems with.
• Open the "Ownership & permissions" disclosure triangle.
• Make sure you are the owner, with "read and write" access.
• Click on "apply to all"
• If this is correct, open the "Applications Support" folder and do the same procedure (Command+I) for the folders with the names of the applications you are having trouble with.
Note:
The reason to check this is because repairing permissions with Disk Utility doesn't touch permissions inside your home folder.
4. Navigate to YourHome/Library/Caches and drag this folder to the trash, then log out and back or restart. There is no need to replace this folder.
-mj
[email protected]

Similar Messages

Help help.... what part of the OS writes the dock and desktop changes to memory in the .plst files associated?

I've tried rewplacing .plst files, reinstalling the 10.5 and running 10.5.8 combo updates, gone line by line thru user prefs comparing to my working laptop using the same software, but nothing works. What I have noticed is that on my working OS10.5.8 on my MacBookPro the Dock.plst file gets updated everytime I restart. Something is broken in the ability for my MACPRO tower to write to the .plst and .db files associated with screen settings such as what folders are left open at closedown and any changes to the dock. I completly reinstalled 10.5.4 OS from the cd saving my user info because I have a lot of music software on here that I seem to be losing through all this, but the reinstall did not fix this problem. It just took a long time to get everything back to 10.5.8. The .plst files are in there from last month or last week and the just don't update. I replaced them in a test from my working laptop and they make everything look llke the laptop dock but then when I change them they don't save. Where is the app that saves these changes to the dock and desktop? If I knew I could see if that script/app etc would look like my laptop. Line by line I've tried to compare in all system and library folders, cashes preferences, but I can't seem to find it. Anyone here deep enough into this software to help me. I would be so very grateful... very... P.S.the dock reverts to an old setting and the screen looks like it did when I shut down about 3 weeks ago. Nothing I do is saved on these parts of the mac. I've redone permissions etc...
steve

no change....
I even went to the other user name I just set up where things work and put all the dock system etc and desktop .db & .plst files into the main user name where I'm having the problems and it opens upon restart looking like the other users settings, but when I make a change in views or dock or windows open on desktop they do not get saved when I restart. It's frozen as the one I put in there. I need to know what part op the OS writes to these .plst and .db settings so I can replace it or parts it needs to do this. It might be another part of the user Preferences as it only happens in my older user name. But that name has so many plug ins and apps tied to it, it would be insane to try to change all that...... maybe I can drag my older preference folder to a new user and see what happens.....

Setting which aliases users see in dock and desktop customization when log?

Hi,
In our school we have about 16 mac mini's running os x 10.4.11, which we have binded to our MS Windows server 2003 Active directory domain.
Our student users log onto the macs with their active directory logon accounts no problem.
What I am wondering is if it is possible to customize the dock and desktop so that when any user logs on with there network accounts they only see the applications on the dock or desktop that I want them to see.
Any help much appreciated.
James

Hi Thanks for this , however it doesn't seem to set the default dock when a new student user logs on.
I logged on as a local admin. I then customized the dock to display which shortcuts I desired. I then logged off and logged on as root.
Logged on as root I copied the com.apple.dock.plist from the local admin account to /System/Library/User Template/English.lproj/Library/Preferences.
I then rebooted the mac.
Next I created a new student account in Active Directory and logged on as it in OSX but the dock just had all the applications it normally would.
Could you or anyone advise me please?
Many thanks
James

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.

IPhoto 5 and Desktop images

When I choose an iPhoto 5 album or selection as my Desktop images (using either the organise toolbar or by Share…Desktop), that album also becomes my Screen Saver. Then I have to revert the Screen Saver to its previous setting.
The iPhoto help is rather vague on this topic, it does not say "this is normal' or "this is a bug".
Can anyone clarify this for me.

Haven't seen that happen before, and no it's not meant to.
Regards
TD

Box around curser, dock and desktop

I have a strange box around my curser, dock and anything on the desktop. Any help is appreciated.

Try starting in
Single-User-Mode(Hold the cmd()+S when you hear the tone and release when you see the Apple logo) this will give you a black screen with text (command-line) wait till it finishes booting up and you have a command prompt(localhost:/root#) then type in (/sbin/fsck -fy) this verifies and repairs your startup drive. If it finishes and reports the hard drive has been modified---repeat the command-line entry as above.
Do that until it report the hard drive is OK. then type in (reboot).
If that doesn't work, you might want to reset the <a href=http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=2238>PRAM</a>

Blue Screen, Missing Dock and Mac HD problems

There seem to be at least three problems with my iMAC:
1) the screen is blue even though under System Preferences, it is set for an image,
2) the Dock is missing even though under Dock Settings, it should not be hidden and should be at the bottom (oddly when I select "right" location for the dock, the radio button does not light up, but is changed if I close and reopen the preferences screen), and
3) clicking on the Macintosh HD does not open it or the other files (e.g., PDF, *.doc) on the Desktop.
The only recent change I made to the system was to add Clamxav for virus scans, but that was scheduled to run on Monday. I have been traveling and my spouse is not sure when the issues started.
I have tried the PRAM re-set explained elsewhere, but that did not help. Any other possible solutions?

Welcome to Discussions - my first response would be to reset the PRAM, even though yu have already done it Try doing it again and if that doesn't help, check your disk using Disk Utility:
1. Insert the Mac OS X Install disc that came with your computer, then restart the computer while holding the C key.
2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first.)
Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again 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.
6. Click Repair. Disk Utility checks and repairs the disk.
Please post back with results, it could be a combination of problems, or it coul be corrupted preferences, try running Preferential Treatment to see if that's the case.

What's the connection between iPhoto and Desktop Images?

I've had a problem for a couple weeks now, where I want to change my desktop wallpaper image and it won't stay set to the new image after I re-boot or re-start.
Yesterday, I stumbled upon a suggestion to re-load images into iPhoto so they show up under Events. I set the wallpaper image, rebooted and the old image came back.
This morning, I went back into iPhoto and selected each of the folders where I could see the new image. I selected the image, set it as desktop wallpaper and re-started. It worked. I changed the image to something else using the System Preferences --> Desktop & Screen Saver option, then re-booted and confirmed the new image I had selected was still set.
Voila! The problem was solved.
But what I don't know, is why iPhoto had anything to do with System Preferences --> Desktop & Screen Saver selections. I was trying to select the image in the main Pictures folder where I've always kept the images for my desktop but they wouldn't stay. The only way I was able to fix the problem is to use iPhoto and somehow, whatever it was that got corrupted was now fixed.
I've spent a good few hours over the course of the last couple weeks trying to fix the issue but I haven't yet found an actual fix until now as I stumbled upon it myself by chance. Any insights one may be able to share would be greatly appreciated.

Hi,
According to your post, my understanding is that you want to know the difference between User Profile Service and User Information List.
The user profile store in SharePoint contains information about users. User profiles can be created by importing users from a user account directory, or they can be created manually.
In most environments Active Directory will be used as the source for creating user profiles. The user profile imports can be scheduled to run on a regular basis and they can be either incremental or full.
However, the information in the user information list is stored in the UserInfo table in the content database of the site.
A user gets added to the user information list when he or she has accesses the site for the first time.
In the user information list a user's email address, login name and name are stored. SharePoint will make sure that user profile property information for those fields for users that are added to the user information list is sent to the user.
For more reference:
http://www.sharepointchick.com/archive/2009/06/17/user-profiles-and-the-user-information-list-or-userinfo-table.aspx
Thanks,
Jason
Forum Support
Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help and unmark them if they provide no help. If you have feedback for TechNet Subscriber Support, contact
[email protected]
Jason Guo
TechNet Community Support

System Preferences quits suddenly. I have lost the dock, including the trash and ability to change desktop image. How can I replace this part of System Preferences? Where can I find Trash?

System Preferences quits suddenly. I have lost the dock, including the trash and ability to change desktop image. How can I replace this part of System Preferences? Where can I find Trash? All other aspects of System Preferences work.

just that that is one method, and lacks provision for working boot image and for an emergency - Lion gives a small minimal emergency boot environment but may lack all the utilities you need to use and run, even some drivers that your mac requires for add on PCIe.
Just grab and look through Help in Carbon Copy and SuperDuper, both excellent and each has their use - together - for cloning.
And do you have two TM backup sets? ought to consider that also, rotate daily or make a weekly set. Otherwise you are putting all your eggs in the proverbial one basket.

I have a 13" macbook from 2009 and for some reason can no longer change my desktop image by just clicking on an image in system prererences I-Photo. Does anyone know what the problem could be?

I have a 13" macbook from 2009 and for some reason can no longer change my desktop image by just clicking on an image in system prererences>I-Photo. Does anyone know what the problem could be?

Your Desktop Picture settings and Dock items are stored in the files
/Users/your short user name/Library/Preferences/com.apple.desktop.plist and
/Users/your short user name/Library/Preferences/com.apple.dock.plist
in the "Preferences" folder in your user library. This looks like the system has trouble to write to these files. Check the permissions on your user library and remove the above files from your user library, then log off and on again.
Your user library is hidden in Lion and Mt. Lion. To reveal it, use the Finder's "Go" menu. Select "Go" in the Finder's main menu bar and hold down the alt/option key, until you see the "Library" in the drop-down menu. Double click it to open a Finder window, so you can browse the files inside.
Regards
Léonie

My Dock and Trash are missing

I think I accidentally deleted some essential files for my dock and now it is missing from my desktop. I have tried searching for the deleted files, but I can't find my Trash anymore. Also, my desktop background is blank and it won't let me change it. Any ideas?

Reinstall OS X without erasing the drive
Do the following:
1. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions
Boot from your Snow Leopard Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer.
If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.
2. Reinstall Snow Leopard
If the drive is OK then quit DU and return to the installer. Proceed with reinstalling OS X. Note that the Snow Leopard installer will not erase your drive or disturb your files. After installing a fresh copy of OS X the installer will move your Home folder, third-party applications, support items, and network preferences into the newly installed system.
Download and install the Combo Updater for the version you prefer from support.apple.com/downloads/.

Missing desktop images on imac

If someone can please shed any light on this problem?
After first switch on of the new year.... my desktop image had changed and when I went into the desktop image folder it was empty.... all of my iPhoto images
are still ok... just the desktop images that appear to be missing???
Not the end of the world but curious to know why this has pahhened and if anything else will have changed that I don't know about???
Any help greatly appreciated.
D

To see your user folder in the Finder sidebar open a Finder window. From the menu choose Finder > Preferences to open the Finder Preferences window. Under Favorites check your name (the user name you choose for yourself). Your username will show up in the Finder sidebar. You can also check Pictures to see to hopefully show the link to your iPhoto Library.
By default your iPhoto Library will be in your Pictures Folder unless you moved it.
This short video on YouTube explains it well: Display Missing Finder Sidebar / Icons - Mac OS X Mavericks - YouTube
If you still need help I would do to the Apple Support Communities at Welcome | Apple Support Communities since the Finder and iPhoto are both both Apple products.

I belong to a graphic site dreamies.de and my images are disappearing from there since I right clicked on what I thought was set as desktop background. There wa

I belong to a graphic site dreamies.de and my images are disappearing from there since I right clicked on what I thought was set as desktop background. There was another entry under it that said block images from dreamies.de. That is the one that I clicked on by accident and no one knows how to reverse it. Does anyone here know how to reverse it? I was using firefox 3.6 beta 3 when this happened. I am now on firefox 12.
I already tried right-click the page, choose View Page Info, then click Permissions. The first item is the site-specific permission for images and you should be able to reset back to the default here. This did not work.
I also tried right-click View Page Info and click Media. Click the first image on the list and observe the Block Images checkbox above the preview at the bottom. Arrow down the list until you come to a site that is blocked and unblock it. There was no unblock just a delete, so I deleted it. This did not work either.
I know it is a firefox issue because the images are all there when I log in using Internet explorer, but on firefox there are many of my images missing.

This is the question that I need an answer to:
I belong to a graphic site dreamies.de and my images are disappearing from there since I right clicked on what I thought was set as desktop background. There was another entry under it that said block images from dreamies.de. That is the one that I clicked on by accident and no one knows how to reverse it. Does anyone here know how to reverse it? I was using firefox 3.6 beta 3 when this happened. I am now on firefox 12.
I already tried right-click the page, choose View Page Info, then click Permissions. The first item is the site-specific permission for images and you should be able to reset back to the default here. This did not work.
I also tried right-click View Page Info and click Media. Click the first image on the list and observe the Block Images checkbox above the preview at the bottom. Arrow down the list until you come to a site that is blocked and unblock it. There was no unblock just a delete, so I deleted it. This did not work either.
I know it is a firefox issue because the images are all there when I log in using Internet explorer, but on firefox there are many of my images missing.

Dock reset after restart computer / desktop image cannot be changed

hi everybody!!
It is my first time in the discussion forum, so I hope I selected the right section to place my problem.
I have decided to give my old computer (Mac OS X 10.3) to a friend. I deleted the old administration account and created a new one with his name. After doing this, when I restart the computer the dock bar configuration is reset and I cannot change the image of the desktop. I change the configuration of the dock bar according to my preferences, shutdown the computer, start it again and the setting of the dock is lost again. Re the desktop image, it cannot be changed at all.
Advices are welcome,
Thanks

I'm not sure what's causing all this, but if you're giving the computer to somebody I would suggest erasing the hard drive then reinstalling the operating system. If you erase the hard drive with write zeros once you are taking better security measures for you in case somebody (either your friend or a future owner of the computer) decides to try to recover deleted files. It's also like doing a spring cleaning and ensuring that your friend receives the computer in the best condition possible. Of course it will also clear up the problem you are having.
Make sure you also give your friend the original discs that came with the computer as well as any discs for software (including system upgrades) that you re-install on the computer. This will make it easier for them to troubleshoot and to reinstall software should they need to at some stage, as well as being a legal requirement.

Desktop Image and Screensaver: doesn't work

I can not change my desktop image, and my screensaver won't start.
I was playing around in Desktop Preferences tonight, setting different speeds for the iTunes Artwork screensaver to see how it'd look, and suddenly, System Preferences just crashed on me. I wasn't doing ANYTHING strange, just playing with the options of the original screensavers that came with my computer, which is brand new. I don't have any third party screensavers loaded on my machine. The desktop image was one I made myself, with Photoshop. I have absolutely no idea why it's acting this way.
Even stranger, out of curiosity, I created a second user account and tried the screen saver while logged in the second account. The screensaver worked just fine. But still nothing in my main account. Any ideas?
When I try Desktop Images and Screensaver now (within System Preferences), it CRASHES on me. I get this error message:
"The application System Preferences quit unexpectantly.
Mac OS X and other applications are not affected.
Click Reopen to open the application again. Click Report to see more details or send a report to Apple."
If I reopen it again, I get the same thing. The second error dialog will always have the option to "try again." If I try again, I can actually open the Desktop Images and Screensavers window. I can't change anything, however. If I try changing something, I get the following message:
"System Preferences -- New Settings
New settings have been created for this application. Do you wish to use these settings from now on?"
With two buttons for yes or no. However, no matter which button I select, I get the same results.
I've run OSX through Jaguar and Panther, so it's not like I'm a new user who just clicked the wrong thing. I'm seriously stumped here. Can anyone help? I'm a little worried about this.... Thanks.
Dual Core Intel Mac Mini Mac OS X (10.4.6)

THANK YOU!!!! Yes, it was the preferences in my library causing the problems. I just deleted the screensaver preferences, and that fixed all the problems, including the desktop image problem.
I also think that maybe an alarm clock program I downloaded called Aurora may have been partly to blame. I had Aurora authorized to wake my computer from sleep, even though I had password protection enabled. This might have conflicted with the screensaver somehow, dunno.... Let me know if any of you are successfully using Aurora without any problems, and I will reinstall it. But for now, that program is off my system.
Anyways, thanks a load. You guys are all very helpful. -- Dean

Missing Dock and Desktop Image

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