Apps wont open.

[rye9]

I was using my iBook, with only Safari open, then I decided to open Mail, but the icon just kept bouncing. So after about 10 seconds, I tried to open Activity Monitor, but the same thing happened there, so I just clicked and held on each icon and selected force quit. I quit Safari and that no longer works either, not does Disk Utility. Help? :(

Also, after a while the icon just stops bouncing, and is using page outs, bc every time I try to open an app, my free space decreases by .01 GB.

[grapes911]

Have you tried repairing permissions?

[rye9]

I can't, no apps open so I can't open Disk Utility. Also, my HD space decreases by the minute, regardless of if I'm opening an app.

[rye9]

Yikes, Ive already lost .3 GB and i havent been doing anything....:o

[grapes911]

1. Have you tried a reboot?
2. You can repair permissions via the install disk.

[rye9]

1. Have you tried a reboot?
2. You can repair permissions via the install disk.

Np, I haven't done anything yet... so should I put the disk in and restart? What do I have to press to repair permissions?

[elfin buddy]

Hold down [CMD]-[OPT]-[P]-[R] on boot, and wait to hear the startup chime two or three times. That and repairing permissions are wonderful little magic tricks that can fix many problems. :p

Like grapes911 said, try using your install disk to deal with permissions.

If all else fails, you could do an archive and reinstall of your operating system. :confused:

[elfin buddy]

Np, I haven't done anything yet... so should I put the disk in and restart? What do I have to press to repair permissions?

Haven't restarted yet? Okay, do that first without doing anything else, and see if that fixes it.

[grapes911]

Np, I haven't done anything yet... so should I put the disk in and restart? What do I have to press to repair permissions?
Try the reboot first. Assuming that doesn't work, pop in that install disk and hold down c. Look for the disk utility somewhere (I don't remember exactly where it is) and then repair permissions.

[elfin buddy]

If you need the Disk Utility from the install disc, it will come from a menu on the top of the screen, with a few other apps listed as well. Make sure you select your language first ;)

[rye9]

OK, so I have three options, right?

1) Restart.

2) Use disk to repair permissions.

3) Reset PRAM

Now, I should restart only and not do any of the other above mentioned tasks?

[elfin buddy]

OK, so I have three options, right?

1) Restart.

2) Use disk to repair permissions.

3) Reset PRAM

Now, I should restart only and not do any of the other above mentioned tasks?

Yes, just do a standard restart before doing anything else. When was the last time you restarted? I've heard of odd things happening in OS X after going for a few weeks without a restart.

[grapes911]

FIRST RESTART, then try other things.

On a side note, you should repair permissions every few weeks.

[2nyRiggz]

Restart is the best thing for you to do right now then try repairing permission from the disk utility.


Bless

[WildCowboy]

On a side note, you should repair permissions every few weeks.

I think that's a bit excessive. You really only need to repair permissions if you are having problems. It's a decent idea to do it when doing an OS point upgrade. But doing it every few weeks just for fun is overkill.

[elfin buddy]

I think that's a bit excessive. You really only need to repair permissions if you are having problems. It's a decent idea to do it when doing an OS point upgrade. But doing it every few weeks just for fun is overkill.

It isn't necessary to repair permissions that often, but it certainly won't hurt anything. I'd say the most important things to run on a schedule are the maintenance scripts.

Isn't Mac OS X supposed to execute the daily script automatically every night around 3am? (presuming the computer isn't asleep)

[rye9]

OK... ive restarted and apps are opening... Ive also repaired permissions and verified disk.. it says everythings fine. However, I'm at .45 GB less disk space than I had before the restart, and before the problem arose as well.

[2nyRiggz]

Check to see if you have recovered files in the trash or maybe you got more mail attached files...they r saved to your HD(POP3)


Bless

[elfin buddy]

OK... ive restarted and apps are opening... Ive also repaired permissions and verified disk.. it says everythings fine. However, I'm at .45 GB less disk space than I had before the restart, and before the problem arose as well.

I've never seen disk space just disappear like that before, except for hard drives that were failing and losing sectors. I have no idea what exactly OS X does when it launches an app, but it might be creating or modifying files somewhere.

If you're curious, maybe you could do a "Find" for files created or modified within the last hour or so.

[rye9]

If you're curious, maybe you could do a "Find" for files created or modified within the last hour or so.

How do I do that?

[rye9]

maybe you got more mail attached files...they r saved to your HD(POP3)

:confused:

[elfin buddy]

How do I do that?

Sorry for the delay...I'm still at work :p

Go to the Desktop, and press [CMD]-[F] on the keyboard. This brings up the Find tool, much like the Find tool in pre-Tiger systems. Now that I've checked it out, it appears that it won't let you search for files only a few hours old...must be at least a day.

Either way, first remove all search conditions except for one. Click on the Volume "your_hd_name" button near the top of the Find window. Below it, there are search parameters. For the parameters, select "Created" -> "Within Last" -> "1" -> "Days". The search should begin automatically, and items will appear as they are found.

I just ran the search on my computer, and found 233 files created within the last day. Most of them are random documents that the system uses. Since so much of your HD space disappeared, there are a few possibilities (in no particular order):

1) You'll get hundreds of thousands of random system files that were created.
2) There'll be a handful of huge files that you didn't create.
3) You'll see nothing except the normal files, which means one of two things:
a) The files are invisible and the search won't detect them.
b) Our assumption that files were created is completely bogus and there's something else screwy going on. Perhaps a damaged HD, but hopefully not (unless you're under warranty and want a new HD for your iBook).

Sorry I can't be of more help :o

Good luck with it, and all that!

[rye9]

Well, just normal files were there.. there were only 23 files created today, so how do I tell if my HD is screwy?

[elfin buddy]

Get something more comprehensive to take a look at your HD. I suggest TechTool Pro or something.

If you bought AppleCare with your iBook, it came with a boot disc that had TechTool on it, I think.

If you really want that 0.45GB back though, the best way might be to format your harddrive. That's assuming there's nothing mechanically wrong with it, that is ;)

[rye9]

Get something more comprehensive to take a look at your HD. I suggest TechTool Pro or something.

If you bought AppleCare with your iBook, it came with a boot disc that had TechTool on it, I think.

If you really want that 0.45GB back though, the best way might be to format your harddrive. That's assuming there's nothing mechanically wrong with it, that is ;)

How would I do any of those? :o

I don't have AppleCare, so I don't have that disk.

[elfin buddy]

How would I do any of those? :o

I don't have AppleCare, so I don't have that disk.

Well, if you want to do a serious hard drive verification and don't have TechTool yet, there are a couple options. You could bring it to a service shop and pay them to take a look at it for you, though I personally hate doing that :) You could also buy a copy of TechTool to have forever, which would probably cost you less than taking it to the technicians at the service shop.

If you have everything backed up and would rather just format and start fresh, follow these instructions:

Insert your Mac OS X Install Disc, and restart the computer holding down the [C] key. Your computer will boot from the CD and load the installation assistant. Follow the guide until it asks you to select a volume on which to install Mac OS X. It won't let you install on a volume that has a newer copy of Mac OS X, so you must go into Options (should be a button somewhere) and click the option to erase everything, format, and then install Mac OS X. The Installation Assistant is very straightforward and you shouldn't have too much trouble. :o

Let me know if you need anything else!