Primary Document Folder will not open

[mustique]

Model Name: iMac
Model Identifier: iMac6,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.16 GHz
MAC OS X 10.4.10


This is a problem that just started today. I have not made any changes to my computer or installed any new software.

Here is what happens:

1) I open the the \"Hard Disk\" icon off the dektop.

2) I go to the \"document\" folder and click on it to open.

3) Once I click on the document folder all of the icons on the screen (dektop icons, hard disk icons in window\" blink and disapear for a second and then the window I had open disapears and then all of the desktop icons reapear except the document icon i was trying to open.


No matter how I try and access the document folder the same thing happens.

Your help is greatly appreciated, I live and work in the remote jungles of Nortehrn Thailand and I have no access to any sort of support.

Many Thanks,

Jason

[jonathan]

Hi welcome to macmend.com

First check your disk is ok, restart your mac and at the chome press the Apple key and the S-key until single user mode appears, this is a wholeload of writing across the screen (white on black)

At the prompt type fsck -f and hit return, this will do a file check, if there are any problems type fsck -f at the next prompt as well...

If at the end of the file check it says something similar to Macintosh HD appears to be OK, then type the word reboot at the prompt and hot return.

If after two file checks there continue to be problems, that the file check says it cannot fix, then you need to buy a utility like disk warrior (http://www.alsoft.com)

I would then suggest, after the restart running some standard maintenance routines, download mainmenu or OnyX, and install them (at the moment I use mainmenu. from http://www.macupdate.com, better still download and install applejack (found also at macupdate.com)

Using mainmenu, I would fix permissions and delete the cache

if this doesn\'t fix things get back to us.

[mustique]

Hello,

Thank you for your prompt and through response to my question, your support is greatly appreciated.

I have tried everything you suggested and I get the same problem. No matter how I try and get into that document folder the same thing happens.

I can access my files through applications such as Word and Excel, i only can not get in there when I go through the Finder.

Thoughts?

Jason

[jonathan]

hmm it may be the folder, it may be the finder, it may be a font corruption

when did it last work, what were you doing before, have you just upgraded the OS.

for finder delete the finder preference file found here:

/Users/yourname/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist

Font corruption might have occurred

if so then
Select all your fonts in Font Book
In the file menu, select Validate Fonts
Select Warnings in the dropdown menu while Font Book operates
Then check the fonts you would like to delete and click \"Delete selected fonts\"

if just upgraded the Mac OS to 10.4.10 then go to apples website and look for the 10.4.10 combo update installer for intel macs download and install again.


What extras do you have installed, any utilties haxies? What peripherals do you have printers, scanners hard disk etc etc

[mustique]

Hi,

I have tried everything you have suggested and am still in the same situation.

I have an external hard drive, IPOD and a camera, thats it.

No extras or utilities installed

jason

[jonathan]

OK you could open Terminal and type



mv /Documents/.DS_Store badstore ; killall Finder

see if that lets you open the documents folder now.

Or if you are not confident in terminal open the Hard disk, show the contents in list format, create a folder called TEMP and then by clicking the arrow next to Documents show all the contents in a list, highlight these contents and drag them to TEMP. When they are copied over, view the window in icon format and check you can open TEMP without a finder crash. IF all OK delete Documents and rename TEMP to Documents.

[mustique]

Great, you are amazing, it works.

i was playing with the two files and I was able to identify the bad file.

now it all works.

Thanks, this site is amazing

jason
Thailand

[ilmhair28]

I was given an older model imac. It ran ok for 2 days now it froze on a gray/blue screen with a little imac icon in the middle. What can I do to get it up and running again?