My iMac has apps disappearing

[jlambert1982]

Looking for some help. I bought a 24 iMac a few weeks ago, and on 1 April, I started having issues. The Mail application, VLC player, Yahoo IM, and iChat all disappeared. I have reinstalled all since then, and they seem to be working fine, but I would like to know what caused it so I can prevent it from happening again. I had Apple support call me for the problem initially, and their rep said it could have been a bad software load (which seems odd since 2 of the 4 apps come loaded with the Mac) or hardware incompatibility (which seems odd for the same reason). If anyone has any ideas or suggestions please let me know. I guess I can also add that when I updated to the newest iTunes it wouldn't open back up. I tried booting with a new library and had the same problem, so it wasn't a corrupted library. I tried reloading the previous version, same problem, upgraded again same problem. I installed iTunes 7.7, same problem, but when I updated from there it worked. I don't know if these are common or separate from each other, but worth noting.

 

[ab2650]

It's tough to gauge people's technical experience with just one post, so I'll ask it up front: Are you sure the apps are uninstalled, or were they just removed from the dock?

Another thing, and please excuse me if you are beyond this, but for the apps you installed yourself, are you installing them properly (i.e., copy the app to the "Applications" directory rather than running it off the dmg file)?

I wouldn't expect those to be the case, but just asking, you know.

 

[jlambert1982]

It's all good

I'm pretty technically proficient. I must admit to working on a PC for my paycheck, but my job is really information assurance, so it's more paperwork these days.

I've been using Macs at home for going on 5 years now, so I'm pretty sure I'm installing everything correctly. What worries me isn't so much me installing, but the apps that were installed when the Mac was unboxed, such as iChat and Mail.

Also, I'm sure they aren't just gone from the dock. Spotlight cannot find the application when it is gone, nor quicksilver (which is actually how I noticed mail was gone in the first place....*ctrl space m didn't bring up mail!)

Thanks for the reply, though. Any help you can offer is appreciated.

 

[mysterytramp]

Does anyone else have access to your computer?

Have you run any diagnostics on your hard drive?

mt

 

[jlambert1982]

No one else has access. Just using disk utility everything looks ok. Haven't tried anything beyond that. Any suggestions?

 

[jlambert1982]

Is it possible I have a unique problem? I was really wanting to use my one in a billion luck for the app download, but I guess this will work.

 

[JediMeister]

I've seen your issue once or twice and the only definite way to address it and keep it from coming back is to re-do the hard drive's partition map. A standard archive & install or erase & install will not cut it. While booted up to the gray OS disc, open up Disk Utility, go to the Partition tab, choose Volume Scheme of 1 from the dropdown, click options, and then select the GUID partition scheme. Click OK, then apply. And then proceed with the reinstall. In incorrect or unstable partition scheme can cause applications and other files to disappear with no rhyme or reason. Of course, since you're going to erase the system, as usual, have a backup of your data files, your non-Apple applications can be reinstalled separately.

 

[jlambert1982]

Thanks

Thanks for the help. One last concern....after reinstalling, when restoring files from backup (time machine) will I reintroduce the problem? I guess probably not if it were an underlying problem on the hard drive that has since been repaired...but wanted to make sure.