No automatic refresh in Desktop or Trash?

[KidVicious]

Hello,

My new Macbook Pro came in the mail today and I've been having some problems. Since I've never used a mac before, I really don't know my way around the interface. That said, I've noticed a minor annoyance when it comes to browsing the computer.

Firstly, whenever I download or save anything to the Desktop, whether it be through Firefox or GarageBand, etc., the file doesn't actually show up on the desktop. I came to figure out that the only way I can access the file is to use Spotlight or the Finder's search feature to search for it. Even when I browse to the Desktop directory within the Finder, the directory appears empty until I perform a search, at which point the Desktop finally refreshes to show the file.

Second, the same problem seemingly plagues the Trash directory. When I click on the "empty trash" command, the computer makes the "emptying trash" sound and closes the window, but the Trash icon in the Dock remains full. Furthermore, when I click the icon to reopen the Trash window, all of the files that were in the Trash before are still there, but when I go to click on them one by one, they disappear.

This little problem is proving quite frustrating for me, does anyone know what is happening or how to solve it?

 

[Frisco]

Congrats on your new MBP! And welcome to Mac.

Your problems seem very weird and as you said frustrating.

I think the best thing to do would be to perform a fresh installation of OS X with the software restore DVDs that came with your computer.

Please let us know how your problems get resolved.

 

[KidVicious]

I don't know, I've been installing several programs but I haven't restarted it yet, and I'm going through the process of calibrating the battery now, so hopefully when I start up again the problems will be gone. Hopefully I won't have to reinstall since I spent most of today setting up my preferences. I wouldn't feel so bad about reinstalling though if I knew that it would definitely fix the problem.

Has no one had similar problems?

 

[IJ Reilly]

No, do not reinstall OSX. Please! This should never be the necessary solution for any OSX problem short of a hard drive failure. Chances are you will never need to reinstall OSX!

OSX can be a little slow in updating the Finder. Next time you save something to the Desktop, try opening a Finder window and navigating to the Desktop (you'll find an alias for the Desktop in the Sidebar). If your file does not show up that way, then you might have an issue. Check this and let us know.

But by all means, do not reinstall OSX!!

 

[MacDonaldsd]

Nothing wrong with re installing the OS if nothing else does the trick.

But yeah a restart, and repair permission with disk utility before you do that

 

[IJ Reilly]

Nothing wrong with re installing the OS if nothing else does the trick.

But yeah a restart, and repair permission with disk utility before you do that

There's plenty wrong with doing something so disruptive and almost certainly unnecessary, especially when nothing else has been tried and it may not even fix the problem.

 

[elbirth]

also worth mentioning- have you gone through all of the updates via Software update? Not sure if it'd help, but it generally helps to be as up-to-date as possible.

My MacBook Pro will sometimes not update items downloaded to the desktop as you're saying though, and I haven't found a way around it. It's very rare for me, though, so I haven't put too much effort into it.


edit: and as far as reinstalling the OS. I've seen time and again that Windows users tend to not have a problem reinstalling everything from scratch (since you end up having to a lot of times), whereas Mac users tend to go crazy at even thinking of doing such a thing.
Personally, I came from a Windows background and while I agree that you don't want to reinstall if possible, sometimes it may be worth it to just go on and do that if it helps rather than continuing to search to no avail. Plus, I've found that reinstalling the OS helps me to keep my data backed up, where otherwise I wouldn't have taken the time. Hopefully Time Machine will fix that in Leopad.

 

[KidVicious]

Next time you save something to the Desktop, try opening a Finder window and navigating to the Desktop (you'll find an alias for the Desktop in the Sidebar). If your file does not show up that way, then you might have an issue. Check this and let us know.

That's what I tried the first couple times, but it didn't show up in the Finder window either; I still had to search for it.

also worth mentioning- have you gone through all of the updates via Software update? Not sure if it'd help, but it generally helps to be as up-to-date as possible.

My MacBook Pro will sometimes not update items downloaded to the desktop as you're saying though, and I haven't found a way around it. It's very rare for me, though, so I haven't put too much effort into it.

Yeah, I did all of the updates when I first turned the computer on, since I always like to be as up to date as possible.

I'd like to note that one thing I did to alleviate the annoyance somewhat is to create a new folder on the Desktop called "Downloads," and to save my files there instead. I found that when I open that folder it is always refreshed.

Unfortunately I have to wait about 3 more hours in order to see if the problem fixed itself, since I'm in the process of calibrating the battery...

 

[IJ Reilly]

edit: and as far as reinstalling the OS. I've seen time and again that Windows users tend to not have a problem reinstalling everything from scratch (since you end up having to a lot of times), whereas Mac users tend to go crazy at even thinking of doing such a thing.
Personally, I came from a Windows background and while I agree that you don't want to reinstall if possible, sometimes it may be worth it to just go on and do that if it helps rather than continuing to search to no avail. Plus, I've found that reinstalling the OS helps me to keep my data backed up, where otherwise I wouldn't have taken the time. Hopefully Time Machine will fix that in Leopad.

Windows users often have to reinstall everything, because Windows has a nasty habit of autohosing, which OSX does not, and is nearly impossible to troubleshoot when it does, which OSX is not. Most OSX issues can be addressed far more easily and with less disruption. But it's tough to convince Windows switchers to give up on reinstalling to fix trivial problems. More often than not the problem isn't solved by reinstalling OSX anyway. So I say, put that particular solution way, way down the list of troubleshooting techniques and you'll be a happier Mac user.

 

[IJ Reilly]

That's what I tried the first couple times, but it didn't show up in the Finder window either; I still had to search for it.

I think your next step is to run fsck. Do you know how this is done?

You can also try creating a new user account (System Preferences/Accounts). If the new user doesn't have the same problem, then you're closer to figuring out what it is.

 

[Nermal]

Firstly, whenever I download or save anything to the Desktop, whether it be through Firefox or GarageBand, etc., the file doesn't actually show up on the desktop.

This is not an isolated problem, it happens to me too.

I think your next step is to run fsck.

No luck here.

 

[Frisco]

I apologize for not troubleshooting further, before I suggested a clean install. I assumed because he just started using his new Mac and was having these problems that he had a bad OS X install from the factory, so why bother to troubleshoot 2 issues when a bad install will only raise more issue down the line.

I am not normally one to quickly recommend a clean install. I just thought since his computer was brand new that was the best step to take.

IJ Reilly makes some valid points. I agree on Windows a 'clean install' is usually the best option.

Anyway from what I understand KidVicious hasn't even had the opportunity yet to do a simple reboot or repair permissions, so we need to hear back from him to further diagnose the problem. I was at fault though for not even asking these simple diagnostic procedures from this newbie.

 

[KidVicious]

Well it looks like a restart did the trick; both the Desktop and Trash are now updating in real time. I think the problem was that I had only booted up once and was installing all these programs and such without rebooting. Thanks for all the help, guys.

 

[Frisco]

Well it looks like a restart did the trick; both the Desktop and Trash are now updating in real time. I think the problem was that I had only booted up once and was installing all these programs and such without rebooting. Thanks for all the help, guys.

No problem! And glad it worked out for you. We are here to help. I apologize for my quixotic reply. IJ Reilly was correct when he said that problems with Mac OS X seldom need a reinstall.

Night all!

 

[IJ Reilly]

Good to know it worked out, because my next suggestion involved an unnatural act. Trust me, you really didn't want to know.

Oh, and just because OSX doesn't crash doesn't mean a reboot once in a while isn't good medicine.

 

[elbirth]

Good to know it worked out, because my next suggestion involved an unnatural act. Trust me, you really didn't want to know.

Oh, and just because OSX doesn't crash doesn't mean a reboot once in a while isn't good medicine.

but it's so fun to watch that uptime counter keep rising!

I agree though, while you can let it run like a workhorse for long periods of time, sometimes it doesn't hurt to get it a little refresher with a reboot.