Finder = ARGHHHHHHH

[arcsbite]

ok, for some reason, over the past week or so (well it's happened for months but much more this week)

I'll be using finder, doing something standard like moving a file or opening a folder and i'll get the spinning wheel....and i'll wait....and nothing happens!

it just stays dead, then if I try to relaunch finder all the icons vanish and that's it....it won't come back up.

then I have no finder, when I try to open something it tells me that Finder.app could not be launched.

this is only ever fixed witha restart, only when I try to restart it closes everything and then sits there with an emoty screen other than the dock.
I actually have to power the machine off to get it to to turn off....

...what's happening?!

 

[gekko513]

I don't know. There's something wrong with you Mac. What kind of troubleshooting have you done so far? Have you done all the repair permission stuff? Dragged Finder preferences to the desktop? fsck? Reset PRAM? Run periodic scripts? Checked SMART status?

 

[Blue Velvet]

Could be disk problems. This is how my friend's iMac started behaving before the hard-drive packed it in...

Run Disk Utility and try repairing the volume, see what happens.

It would be wise to back up the most important stuff ASAP, in case the drive may need replacing or in the need of doing a complete erase and clean install.

 

[arcsbite]

I don't know. There's something wrong with you Mac. What kind of troubleshooting have you done so far? Have you done all the repair permission stuff? Dragged Finder preferences to the desktop? fsck? Reset PRAM? Run periodic scripts? Checked SMART status?

ok, if I knew what any of that meant I may have done it lol.

I'm using a 1.83 intel iMac, i've run the maintenance applescript (Repair permissions, Verify Pref files, Periodic Clean Up, Update Prebindings, Clea Cache Files, Update Local Database, Update Whatis Database, Rebuild LaunceService Database)

not sure how to do anything else.

 

[yellow]

First thing to try... see if it happens when logged in as another user (create one if need be). If not, then the problem is not so serious and should be easily fixable. If it DOES happen in another 'vanilla' user, then the problem is much more serious.

 

[arcsbite]

Could be disk problems. This is how my friend's iMac started behaving before the hard-drive packed it in...

Run Disk Utility and try repairing the volume, see what happens.

It would be wise to back up the most important stuff ASAP, in case the drive may need replacing or in the need of doing a complete erase and clean install.

*worried look*

Good Job I only use the start up drive to store apps on.

I've repaired the permissions and everything it the only issue it ever comes up with is something like
"private.log is --------rw----r
should be -------rw-----w--
problem fixed"

and it says this every time, but other than that everything seemed fine.

the mac is a new intel iMac from the begining of feb and i've never had any other issues with it.

 

[arcsbite]

First thing to try... see if it happens when logged in as another user (create one if need be). If not, then the problem is not so serious and should be easily fixable. If it DOES happen in another 'vanilla' user, then the problem is much more serious.

how do I create another user? and how do I delete the user account safely after testing?
sorry, not new to using macs, just new to having to ask them to do anything other than...run.

 

[yellow]

Go to the Finder, select Mac Help from the Help menu, seach for accounts and select "Adding a new user account to your computer". Also see "Deleteing a user account" when done.

 

[theheyes]

how do I create another user? and how do I delete the user account safely after testing?
sorry, not new to using macs, just new to having to ask them to do anything other than...run.

Hey a fellow Manc.

To create a new user, open up your system preferences. It should be in the dock. Click on the accounts icon. On that screen there will be a little plus button in the bottom left hand corner. Click it, and the rest should be self-explanatory.

Hope you get your problem sorted.

 

[arcsbite]

Thanks guys, for all the help

gonna reboot so I can access finder then create and test the new account
this problem is intermittent so i'm gonna leave it signed into the other acc for a while and see what happens

 

[IJ Reilly]

Keep up with what you are trying. Don't reinstall unless all else fails. You might try force-quitting the Finder the next time this happens, assuming it does. (cntrl-opt-esc)

 

[spinne1]

ok, if I knew what any of that meant I may have done it lol.

I'm using a 1.83 intel iMac, i've run the maintenance applescript (Repair permissions, Verify Pref files, Periodic Clean Up, Update Prebindings, Clea Cache Files, Update Local Database, Update Whatis Database, Rebuild LaunceService Database)

not sure how to do anything else.

You need to either search these forums for the answers or buy a good mac book that explains troubleshooting in detail (I don't know of one but I know they are out there).

To get you started however, download Onyx (go to versiontracker.com) and run the clean caches, and do the maintenances, and repair the permissions. Go the the User Guides part of this website and read up. You need to learn how to maintain your Mac and what software you can use to do it.

You either have a software or hardware issue. I have had an issue once like yours where the only fix was a complete reinstall of OS X. You have a new computer, thus the odds of your system getting corrupt is not very high (it usually happens after downloading LOTS of software, running gobs of different programs, running various old software in classic, moving files all over your drives, or especially running buggy applications, etc.) Therefore I would focus more on testing your hardware (using the hardware test CD).

Good luck.

 

[arcsbite]

Could be disk problems. This is how my friend's iMac started behaving before the hard-drive packed it in...

Run Disk Utility and try repairing the volume, see what happens.

It would be wise to back up the most important stuff ASAP, in case the drive may need replacing or in the need of doing a complete erase and clean install.

It appears we have a winner.

I restarted the mac to try add another user account for testing, when the machine restarted it gave me a flashing folder with a question mark on it.
from research I was aware there was a HDD issue, I popped in the instal disc and held C

sure enough my hard drive is goosed.
but completely, Disk utility isn't even picking it up and target disk doesn't work

I called tech and they told me I need to take it to a local tech centre and they'll replace the HDD and it'll take about 2 weeks.

I'm currently worrking on my final assignments for my final year at Uni, there is no way I can wait that long to have it back up and running.
going into the apple store I bought it from tomorrow and seeing if they will replace it, it's only a couple of months old and was a stock item.

luckily I kept 99% of the stuff backed up, just a pain that i've lost all my internet bookmarks, entourage e mails and such.

 

[Blue Velvet]

It appears we have a winner.

My friend's 17" Intel iMac was bought on Tottenham Court Road (Micro Anvika).

After we had gone the rounds with everything and after I managed to (slowly) back up her home folder to an external HD, we took it in to the service centre and without any exaggeration, there were two other people there with the same model, same probs. The drive was eventually replaced with a Western Digital under guaranty and the iMac has been running perfectly since.

I suspect there was a batch of UK-bound iMacs with ropey Maxtor hard-drives but never wanted to post anything too alarmist here for many reasons.

 

[arcsbite]

My friend's 17" Intel iMac was bought on Tottenham Court Road (Micro Anvika).

After we had gone the rounds with everything and after I managed to (slowly) back up her home folder to an external HD, we took it in to the service centre and without any exaggeration, there were two other people there with the same model, same probs. The drive was eventually replaced with a Western Digital under guaranty and the iMac has been running perfectly since.

I suspect there was a batch of UK-bound iMacs with ropey Maxtor hard-drives but never wanted to post anything too alarmist here for many reasons.

I got mine from Manchester's Trafford Centre, so I'm taking it directly back to apple tomorrow (well today as it's 3am)
thing is, I spoke to apple's tech help and they said replacing it under warranty was no problem, only it would take 14 days minimum.

I have assignments due and there's no way I can get them done on my 1.2 iBook.
I'm literally praying to god that they can do something tomorrow.

I know they won't be able to open it up, but i'm hoping as it's the store I bought it from and because it's so young that they'll replace it,
I honestly don't know what i'll do if they can't, I read through the info on my receipt but it only gives info on returns, not faults, and this is my first ever problem with an apple product.

 

[Blue Velvet]

I'm literally praying to god that they can do something tomorrow.

Don't get your hopes up.