"desktop cannot be modified"

is it possible that your desktop is locked?

 

If all your files are in your home directory and you don't have any other problems besides the locked desktop, try this:

1) Open the Hard Disk and navigate to Users
2) Click on the icon for your user and then select File -> Get Info. The permissions at the bottom should look like this:



If yours don't match, then change them so that they match. Don't do an apply all at this level.

3) Now navigate into your home folder and click on the desktop folder. Again File -> Get Info.



If yours don't match (with your user name), click the lock icon, and give the owner (you) read and write access. You should be able to do apply all for items enclosed in the desktop folder, also.

None of these permissions actually get repaired, oddly, by repair permissions. Also please don't do this if you have other problems besides the locked files on the desktop.

Also, just as a future reference thingie... don't run repair permissions from the install DVD. It's not well documented, but what's installed by Apple changes over time, and if you run repair permissions from the install disc, you are repairing against receipts (the ones on the install disc) that don't match your actual hard disk. Does that make sense?

 

No problem! Glad we could help!

Now if only I could delete every icon on the desktop of my parents' Windows computers next time I visit them and lock them down in this way....