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TICKET ARCHIVE -> My desktop is blank

goleyscott - May 1, 2006 - 5:34 pm

Hi,
I have a Mac OSX version 10.3.9. This afternoon I rebooted my computer and when it booted back up, no folders appear on my desktop. My trash will not empty either. Because I have no folders or anything on my desktop, I cannot click on Macintosh HD to try and figure things out. If I go to Microsoft Word and search for a file to open up, it shows that my files are still supposedly on the desktop, yet they are not there. All that is there is a background color. The toolbar still is at the bottom of the screen though. I've searched the Internet for help and cannot find anything. I cannot seem to find my Mac boot CD either. I have a copy of Norton antivirus that I thought might work, but when I restart my computer it doesn't automatically boot up and I cannot click on my desktop to open it because it is not there. I'm lost,
Thanks for your help,
Scott

Chuck Wehner - May 1, 2006 - 5:56 pm

Scott,

I think you probably have a permission or disk problem. You can run Disk Utility and Repair Permissions but you can't repair your disk unless you can find your OS 10 install CD.

So try Repair Pemissions by launching Disk Utility located in your Utility folder first and see if that solves the problem.

Let me know if that helps or not.

Chuck

goleyscott - May 1, 2006 - 9:13 pm

Hi Chuck,
Is there anyway to get to my Utility folder through the toolbar at the bottom of my desktop?
Thanks,
Scott

Chuck Wehner - May 1, 2006 - 9:45 pm

Scott,

Yes, click on the Finder Icon on the far left.

Chuck

goleyscott - May 1, 2006 - 10:28 pm

Chuck,

When I click and hold on the finder it says "Finder Not Running"

Scott

Chuck Wehner - May 1, 2006 - 11:23 pm

Scott,

No wonder you don't see anything on your desktop, thats because the finder is not running.

Reboot your mac and hold down the command and S key this will put you in single user mode.

Once all the obscure code stops, type /sbin/fsck ~ and press return.

This is the same as running disk utility. If this finds problems and repairs them you will see a message "file system was modified", so run fsck again until you see the message "the volume appears to be ok"

Type exit to continue start-up and hopefully this will solve your problem.

Chuck

goleyscott - May 1, 2006 - 11:55 pm

Chuck,

Thanks for being so patient w/ me.

I did what you said . . (localhost: / root# /sbin/fsck)

then it went to -

** /dev/rdisk0s5
** root file system
** checking HFS plus volume.
fsck_hfs: volume is journaled. No checking performed.
fsck_hfs: use the -f option to force checking.
localhost:/ root#

I don't know what the -f option is. I tried typing in f and then -f and then f + the option key. nothing worked. it just said. (-sh: f:cCommand not found)

Chuck Wehner - May 2, 2006 - 10:30 am

Thats not the command I gave you however here it is again.

This is the right command /sbin/fsck -y, note the space between the k and the dash.

Hope this works.

Chuck

goleyscott - May 3, 2006 - 4:05 pm

Hi Chuck,
I typed in /sbin/fsck -y then it said:


Checking HFS Plus volume
Volume is journaled. No checking performed.
Use the -f option to force checking.

I'm not sure what to do,
thanks,
Scott

Chuck Wehner - May 3, 2006 - 7:15 pm

Thats odd my harddrive is Journaled as well but I don't get that message. I'm a little hesitant to tell you to go ahead and use the -f option since I have never had to do that.

So instead of doing that restart your Mac and hold down the shift key. This is whats called a safe boot and also performs some checks on your Mac.

Tell me if the Finder works after the Safe Boot and also keep looking for that OS 10 install disk or maybe you could borrow it from one of your friends.

Chuck

goleyscott - May 4, 2006 - 5:28 pm

Hey,

I started up in safe boot. Nothing changed. Maybe my best option is just trying to locate the mac cd unless you can think of any more options.

Thanks Chuck,
Scott

Chuck Wehner - May 5, 2006 - 7:09 pm

Scott,

Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner, but I have been out of town.

Finding your CD would be great or maybe this is the time to upgrade to OS 10.4 however there is one more thing we can try before doing that.

Start up again while hoding down the Command and S key to put you in Single User Mode and then type this /sbin/fsck -fy.

As before run this command until you see "the volume appears to be ok"

Chuck