No desktop icons. Finder not working...please help

I would be immensely grateful if someone could help me fix a problem that I have been trying to solve since the 5th of April.
I believe I mistakenkly deleted Javascriptscore when I was trying to get rid of Java files. As I could not empty trash after that, I restarted the computer.
Now, the Finder on my imac is blinking/not functioning and the desktop icons are not visible, including the HD. Most of the apps in the Dock quit when I try to open them (Mail, Safari, Itunes, etc). Spotlight also quits as soon as I login to my account.The apple menu bar has also disappeared.
Here are the errors I get when the apps quit :

Process: PubSubAgent [10778]
Path: /System/Library/Frameworks/PubSub.framework/Versions/A/Resources/PubSubAgent.app/Contents/MacOS/PubSubAgent
Identifier: PubSubAgent
Version: ??? (???)
Code Type: X86 (Native)
Parent Process: launchd [179]

Dyld Error Message:
Library not loaded: /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaScriptCore.framework/Versions/A/JavaScriptCore
Referenced from: /System/Library/Frameworks/PubSub.framework/Versions/A/PubSub

and this:


Library not loaded: /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaScriptCore.framework/Versions/A/JavaScriptCore
Referenced from: /System/Library/Frameworks/WebKit.framework/Versions/A/WebKit


Whenever I open Disk Utility and try to repair permissions I get the following message:
"the underlying task reported failure on exit". The disk "appears to be ok" though.
I've also tried to repair permissions while booted from the install DVD. I always get the same message " Permissions repaired", but when I try to re-run repair I get the exact same errors...but always the message: "Permissions repaired" and : "The machintosh HD appears to be ok".

I managed to access Terminal through Text Edit <Apple Icon <System Preferences < CDs & Dvds < When you insert a music CD <Open Terminal.
I have also managed to open Disk Utility and Activity Monitor, through this "method".

I thought about replacing the missing or corrupted files for new ones but I haven't got access to the desktop.
I can access the Internet (Firefox Browser- which happens to quit every other minute) via Terminal and already managed to download the software "Pacifist". But I cannot extract and run the Webkit framework skg from my mac install DVD as I don't have access to the Desktop.
I'm not even sure if this is what is in fact causing the problem. Maybe it's just the Finder...
Perhaps if I managed to get finder to work my desktop icons would reappear, and I would be able to access the hard drive.
My files and folders are intact. I managed to open some of my music making programs (Ableton Live, Reason, Numerology) that were in the dock. They ran without problems. I even managed to save some files to an external hard drive by clicking Save as <External hard drive.
Also sent mp3's to my mobile phone via bluetooth.
I tried several Terminal commands to kill Finder but no matter what I do, it won't quit.
I tried to reset PRAM. Tried to create new user account but I couldn't open the "accounts" on system preferences and Terminal also failed to perform the task.
I'm yet to try FSCK and deleting the plist. I haven't done that yet because I'm afraid It'll make things worse...
I have been trying to fix this on my own for the past 5 days. I want to avoid re-installing the OS.
I have not enough space on my hard drive for an archive and install and without access to files, I cannot delete them. Also, read somewhere that one should not try to archive and install when permissions are unrepaired.
Terminal is too risky for that.
Other problem is that my install dvd is mac OS version 10.5.6 but when I bought the macbook (Aluminium Macbook, 2.4ghz in case it's relevant to know) it came with the 10.5.8 version already. I believe this wouldn't allow me to go ahead...
It would also be a mess to install all my music making programs and plugins. Also, as my internet is abnormally slow, I would have to spend countless hours downloading updates.
I have a time machine backup, but the last backup is from November 2011.
I wonder if creating a bootable clone of my hard drive in Disk Utility would solve my problem....I'm just afraid it'll copy the bad sectors.
What can I do to solve this other than re-installing OS?




Thank you in advance

I'm surprised that the deletion of JavaScriptCore is causing this many issues (perhaps Apple makes more use of WebKit in the background than I thought).

You could try reinstalling Safari. I suggest this because Safari uses WebKit which contains the JavaScriptCore framework. Give that a whirl and see how it works out.

vansmith said:

I'm surprised that the deletion of JavaScriptCore is causing this many issues (perhaps Apple makes more use of WebKit in the background than I thought).

You could try reinstalling Safari. I suggest this because Safari uses WebKit which contains the JavaScriptCore framework. Give that a whirl and see how it works out.

Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply and suggestion.

I forgot to mention that I have also done that (Downloaded Safari) but I can't send the image to the application folder as no icons appear on the Desktop.

When I try to open Mail and Safari, I get error message: 10810

toshtosh said:

I can't send the image to the application folder as no icons appear on the Desktop.

Click to expand...

Do you mean that you can't mount the image (you don't see the white disk icon on the desktop)? If so, we might have to install Safari the "long way." Let me know if this is the case (inability to mount) before we continue.

Yes, that's exactly it. I can't mount images. Sorry for not making it clear.

Other thing that might be causing the problem or interfering is/are the file(s) in the trash bin. I still haven't managed to empty it or move the file(s) to a different location.

Cheers.

I can't imagine that OS X depends on JavaScriptCore to mount disk images in any way shape or form. Have you deleted anything else? If you've deleted more that just JSCore, you might have to do a reinstall of OS X.

I don't know for sure. I only tried to delete Java related Files...but I think Spotlight, Finder and some other apps quit as soon as I deleted one of the files. At that point, I decided to log out and when I logged back in, my desktop icons were missing.

I can't mount images because Idon'thave access to the desktop or Finder.
If only I managed to get Finder to work.

Do you think a bootable hard drive clone would be a bad idea? Do you think it would copy any bad sectors the original drive presents?

Thx

I am having the same problem, but mine started when, why I don't know, I installed Norton. Just wanted to see just what it was going to protect. It slowed everything down so I uninstalled it. That's when everything went crazy. I am hoping to find a solution here.

I think think the solution proposed above was to reinstall OS X.

Did you uninstall Norton properly (using the uninstaller)? If not, reinstall it and uninstall it properly.

OP -
Sounds like you haven't tried any step that repairs the hard drive (not permissions). Try Safe Boot - it includes a drive repair:
Mac OS X: Starting up in Safe Mode

Yes, uninstalled correctly. It didn't come with a boot disc, so I made one last night and was going to re-installing OS X this morning. I have tried every boot command until my fingers got tangled on the keyboard and it looked like I was 'gang signing' my Mac. Tried bout everything to save the little guy, didn't want to OS X him. But with Finder not allowing ANYTHING to happen, seems the only way.
Thanks for letting me pop in on the end here.

Have a great day.

If you do reinstall OS X, try to back up your data first. Otherwise, you'll lose all of your content.

How can I do that? Can it be done in OF? Because as far as desktop.... That's not going to happen.

Did you manage to get into safe mode? You should be able to back things up from there.

The only thing different in safe mode is that there is no airport or sound. LOL It is quite frustrating. Can't right click, everything is unstable, no icons, and Finder is just blinking away at the top of the screen. This was my 1st Mac. I tweeked and played with it that you couldn't tell it from an Intel one. I just am not real familiar with the root system. Finding it quite interesting tho.
It's like Intelligent DOS