Dock Icon Problemo

[CaptainCocoPop]

Hi All,

After using Transmission for a while today, I'd to reboot, after reboot when I went to launch Transmission from the dock again instead of launching, the icon had a question mark appear on it.

This previously happened with MSN Messenger too. I know that this means it can't find the application, but why is it happening?

In the case of transmission, I binned the dock icon, opened applications and put a new link into the dock from there. So the application was still in the exact same place, yet OSX is telling me it wasn't?!

How come this is (randomly) happening, and what is the solution?

Cheers

Also, the Safari dock shortcut was missing this morning, though the application was there as always, why would that have happened?

Noone? I had Grab in the dock until today, went to open it and the question mark sign came up so I dragged it to the trash. Went to applications and utilities and there's no sign of Grab, nor is it in the trash, despite me not having emptied the trash can.

What is going on?

 

[i.shaun]

That is very strange. In a case like that I would suspect some type of virus or tampering.

Personally I would save my files, pop in the OS X Install Disc, boot from the Disc, and run it's own Disk Utility to Format the Drive, and then reinstall OS X.




However, before going to such extremes, give some time for other mac rumor members to give some advice (perhaps they know the cause of the problem and a solution). I would also run Disk Utility to "Verify Disk" and "Repair Disk Permissions"


Do those 2 things, and then get back with the results. If Verify turns out alright, and repair of permissions doesn't do anything, at least that's a start. It is usually the first step they will tell you to do anyway.


In the mean time, just start saving your files to CD/DVD or external Drive, just in case something is REALLY wrong.

 

[CaptainCocoPop]

Thanks for the advice. When I verified, I got the following

Permissions differ on "private/var/log/secure.log", should be -rw------- , they are -rw-r----- .

And

Group differs on "private/etc/cups", should be 0, group is 26.

I'm pretty concerned about the first one, am repairing permissions now though.

Any ideas?

Having seen that, the possibility of a trojan came to mind. I've Little Snitch installed though and it's not telling indicating anything trying to access anything else though that shouldn't be...?

Also, this has happened before I put any extra software on it. It's a bit of a pain alright, particularly if I've to re-install everything again

 

[CaptainCocoPop]

Rebooted and re-verified the permissions and all is fine now, I guess I should re-install the apps from the cd and see what happens?

 

[i.shaun]

I wouldn't be too concerned about a couple of permission errors, I even get them from time to time, and I don't notice a thing wrong with my system.



They can cause problems sometimes, which is why it never hurts to repair them. The Disk Verify checks the integrity of the disk, and that can cause problems if it comes up with errors. I only ever had disk errors once, and that was after a power outage as I was logging in. I get permission errors every time I check though lol




I don't know, dock icons disappearing over and over, for more than one application does signal something terribly wrong in your system (to me). You mentioned torrents, and maybe you got one of the few mac viruses there are out there through torrents, maybe the disk is failing, or maybe you somehow screwed with the system far more than you should have.


If you run on an Admin account, **** can happen. Some people say to Make a regular user account and use that, rather then running on an admin account. I personally don't but I can see how it would be more secure.





I still say clean install. Backup your files, make sure everything is backed up -- and format/re-install. It may take a long ass time to finally do it and re-install all apps (took me 3 days!)


One day was basically all formatting and writing files, the next was installing apps, and the last was customizing settings. Afterwards I had a better running system and even more efficient mac than I had before I did it.


re-installs arent always necessary, and I wouldn't jump into it, make sure everything you need backed up because after you format -- it's gone.

 

[CaptainCocoPop]

Ok,

Just to update, I went to use the OSX discs to re-install the entire system thinking that I could format the HDD through the disc (a la windows) but instead of formatting and putting a clean installation on, it appears to have just "upgraded" what I already had on.

So the apps that disappeared are back and its been a few days now and nothing has disappeared, should I still go to format the disc and fresh install? I haven't put anything on it really so it'd be a quick job, or at least relatively quick, so should I go ahead or just see how it goes?

Also, I've tried to go to Disc Utility -> Erase and it won't allow me to format the HD, what is the quickest and easiest way to format my main HD?

Cheers

 

[i.shaun]

Ok,

Just to update, I went to use the OSX discs to re-install the entire system thinking that I could format the HDD through the disc (a la windows) but instead of formatting and putting a clean installation on, it appears to have just "upgraded" what I already had on.

So the apps that disappeared are back and its been a few days now and nothing has disappeared, should I still go to format the disc and fresh install? I haven't put anything on it really so it'd be a quick job, or at least relatively quick, so should I go ahead or just see how it goes?

Also, I've tried to go to Disc Utility -> Erase and it won't allow me to format the HD, what is the quickest and easiest way to format my main HD?

Cheers

Hmm. If the system is still there, the problem might still be there.


I personally would have formatted and clean installed.


For me, I booted from the OS X Install Disc, and it had it's own disk utility. Use it to format to main HDD. Using the Disk Utility on the mac itself won't work because it's running from the HDD you wish to format.


Are you sure the install disk has no disk utility? there should have been an option there if you booted from it.