Desktop GONE

Not sure if this is the correct place to post this, but I have a Mac OS X 10.4.11

I was just cleaning out the desktop, deleting unnecessary files etc. when I noticed the Preview application wouldn't let me view any files I opened with it...

I thought I might have accidentally deleted the Preview app so I went into the trash to see if I had, I couldn't find anything, so I thought I would restore ALL of my trash to the desktop, to see if the Preview actually had been deleted.. Anyway my computer froze up (as one might expect when attempting to restore some 1500 files and apps from the trash). So, being the smart cookie I am, I turned the computer off (without shutting down), then when I went to turn it back on... EVERYTHING from the desktop was gone! I can't find anything under Spotlight, Finder won't open. All of the apps on the dock work fine... Except I can't get into the Trash or the Finder.

Please, any assistance with this would be very much appreciated. My entire life is on this computer.

Kindest regards,,

Again, not sure if this is the correct place to post this, but I have a Mac OS X 10.4.11

I was just cleaning out the desktop, deleting unnecessary files etc. when I noticed the Preview application wouldn't let me view any files I opened with it...

I thought I might have accidentally deleted the Preview app so I went into the trash to see if I had, I couldn't find anything, so I thought I would restore ALL of my trash to the desktop, to see if the Preview actually had been deleted.. Anyway my computer froze up (as one might expect when attempting to restore some 1500 files and apps from the trash). So, being the smart cookie I am, I turned the computer off (without shutting down), then when I went to turn it back on... EVERYTHING from the desktop was gone! I can't find anything under Spotlight, Finder won't open. All of the apps on the dock work fine... Except I can't get into the Trash or the Finder.

Please, any assistance with this would be very much appreciated. My entire life is on this computer.

jordz said:

Finder won't open. All of the apps on the dock work fine... Except I can't get into ... the Finder.

Click to expand...

Please explain how you can see the Dock without Finder open, or a Desktop, as your title declares.

Do you know what "cross-posting" is? You've done it, in violation of the forum's rules.

Merged threads...no need to crosspost. Thanks.

tomacsh,

No, I clearly was not aware that "cross-posting" was 'illegal' on this site. Or else I wouldn't have done it.

In response to your other comment, yes my title does say "Desktop gone", which was an abbreviated form of my problem which is that: everything on my desktop is gone. Forgive me for not speaking in perfect sentences, but I am a tad flustered right now. Besides, titles are supposed to be brief.

... If your idea of 'helping someone', is to complain about everything they're doing wrong, then would you mind doing that somewhere else? I'm a new member, and am obviously not familiar with the rules and regulations of this site yet. Give me a break.

If anyone is able to help me with my problem that would be greatly appreciated. I have managed to open Finder, via Spotlight (which is working now). However, Finder has pretty much frozen, and anything I try to do, just responds with the rainbow wheel!

It looks as though EVERYTHING from my Trash is now on the Desktop (in Finder only, not the actual Desktop, that's still empty). Could the reason why Finder is not opening be due to the fact that the Desktop has too much stuff on it? If so, how would I delete everything from the Desktop (again, this is the Desktop items list in Finder, not the actual Desktop).

How full is your hard drive (how many gig's used & how many gigs free)?

If it's VERY full...this could explain things.

- Nick

I'm not sure how to find this out? Do I go to the apple icon and click 'About this mac'?

If I click the apple --> about this mac --> more info --> under contents --> hardware --> memory.. the following things come up

BANK 0/DIMM0:

Size: 512 MB
Type: DDR2 SDRAM
Speed: 667 MHz
Status: OK

BANK 1/DIMM1:

Size: 512 MB
Type: DDR2 SDRAM
Speed: 667 MHz
Status: OK

I am so confused!

jordz said:

I am so confused!

Click to expand...

Yes you are!

"Memory" is ram...storage space deals with your hard drive. Single-click on your hard drive icon...then do the 2 key keyboard combination Command + i

In case you don't know...the "command" key is the one with the 4-leaf clover looking symbol on it.

A window will open...and this will give you the hard drive info we're looking for (gigs used & gigs free).

- Nick

Since you can't open up Finder, open up System Profiler ( > About This Mac > More Info...) > Hardware > Serial-ATA. What does it say under "Volumes"?

Eekk sorry I am not computer minded at all!

I just tried what you said, except a new window doesn't open... The rainbow wheel just spins for a while then stops spinning, and nothing else happens

vansmith said:

Since you can't open up Finder, open up System Profiler ( > About This Mac > More Info...) > Hardware > Serial-ATA. What does it say under "Volumes"?

Click to expand...

Yeah...I wasn't 100% sure what can & can't be done at this point...so great idea!

- Nick

To vansmith:

This is what it says:

Volumes:
232210.:
Capacity: 148.73 GB
Available: 101.17 GB
Writable: Yes
File System: Journaled HFS+
BSD Name: disk0s2
Mount Point: /

jordz said:

Eekk sorry I am not computer minded at all!

I just tried what you said, except a new window doesn't open... The rainbow wheel just spins for a while then stops spinning, and nothing else happens

Click to expand...

Yes. Looks like you need to try what "vansmith" suggested.

- Nick

Heya, I did and the following came up

Volumes:
232210.:
Capacity: 148.73 GB
Available: 101.17 GB
Writable: Yes
File System: Journaled HFS+
BSD Name: disk0s2
Mount Point: /

Sorry for re-posting it

Hello? Does anyone have any idea at all how to mend this? I am so lost

Do you have a recent backup to restore to? Time Machine perhaps?

pigoo3 said:

Yeah...I wasn't 100% sure what can & can't be done at this point...so great idea!

- Nick

Click to expand...

Thank you. I was going to write "open up Finder..." but quickly had to find an alternative way.

To the OP: start with checking the permissions. Take a look at this. Check Spotlight to see if you can open Disk Utility from there.