help! firefox update screwed up computer!

Perishingflames · #1 September 22nd, 2007, 08:11 PM

Just a little bit ago, my father updated firefox to 2.0.0.7 so then I logged into my user and noticed something was wrong: the desktop icons weren't showing up. So I preceded to right click on the desktop and opened the desktop view settings or whatever its called. I noticed they were all unchecked so I started checking them, though the desktop still appeared without the icons. It wouldn't let me check the third one and the computer preceded to freeze. I did the command option esc thing and I relaunched the finder and it closed down the window. So I tried opening it back up.but the computer wouldn't respond to the right click. So I clicked the apple in the top left but that wouldn't respond either. Btw at first when I clicked where the icons should have been, the icon that had been clicked showed up. So I had to pull the plug and rebooted the computer then I restarted but now even the click on invisible icon thing isn't even working. Also the computer is lagging like crazy and won't let me log off so I had to push the off button on back of computer. Right now I am typing from a blackberry and I have no clue how to stop this and am too afriad of messing the computer up more by logging in.

So the question is, what should I do? I am frantic in a huge dillema, someone please help!

-aaron

Perishingflames · #2 September 23rd, 2007, 08:58 AM

Okay I have an update: It appears the main cause for all this is finder. Finder well, has SHUT DOWN. When you click it, nothing opens up, and when finder is active, you cannot log out (using apple-log out) or even the keyboard shortcut. And the whole apple menu with sys prefs, etc doesn't work when finder is active either. I bet this finder broken problem is also what is causing the desktop icons to dissapear... Also, oddly enough my brother's user works fine, with the updated Firefox *because Firefox was installed on the admin user so it does it for all users* I have yet to check on my dad's user, but I have a sneaky suspicion that it won't work, so what should I do if finder is broken in there... How will I uninstall Firefox without using finder?

Someone please help.

Satcomer · #3 September 23rd, 2007, 09:11 AM

Well if the Finder has quit click (and hold) on the Finder icon in the Dock and a Restart (or Start) should pop up. Once you can the finder started mosey to ~/Library/Preferences and delete the file com.apple.finder.plist . Then log out and log back in. This should help.

**fryke** · #4 September 23rd, 2007, 11:18 AM

Installing Firefox on account A should not kill B's Finder plist so I wouldn't attribute it to Firefox' installation. AFAIK Firefox does not use an installer, it's merely copied to the Applications folder, so permissions shouldn't be a problem either.

Perishingflames · #5 September 23rd, 2007, 12:25 PM

I deleted finder's preferences as you said and now finder seems to always work. I also uninstalled firefox from the admin user, and that seemed to help also, but now I am stuck on this desktop problem: the items aren't showing up! Oddly enough, when I click on where one should be, it appears, but then of course it resets itself when I log off and log back in. In finder, I can see all the files are still there on the desktop, but why aren't they showing up?

Natobasso · #6 September 23rd, 2007, 02:32 PM

Just click the finder icon in your dock and the finder will restart.

Turn off your comp. Restart in Safe Boot mode (hold command + s till you see black screen with white text. Type fsck -f then type reboot when that process is complete).

Your computer should restart and work normally. I'd also recommend repairing permissions after restart: Apps/utilities/disk utility/repair permissions.

Perishingflames · #7 September 23rd, 2007, 05:21 PM

Yes, the finder problem had been fixed from me uninstalling firefox, but the invisible desktop icons problem is still here. Hope you don't mind me asking, but what will restarting in safe boot mode do? Will it clear any data or files?

Natobasso · #8 September 23rd, 2007, 10:49 PM

It's safe to use, just enter the fsck -f command and reboot afterwards and nothing else. You can do damage only if you enter the right command to wipe your hard drive or something.

Have you clicked on the finder icon in your dock to make the finder start up agan? It's the blue smiley face and is the first item in your doc. If you can't see your hard drive or any other icon this is the reason. YOu have to restart your finder.