Finder Launches Document Window At Startup

Every time I power up Finder launches a window of my documents. I have tried turning this annoying feature off in Finder Preferences (which is set to launch Applications in new Finder windows) and in Accounts preferences (there are no items set to launch at log in). It is still happening. How can I fix this?

Cheers

Jo

How often do you restart? When i got mine they told me to keep it on 24/7 and have it just go in to sleep and only restart if you install an update or other needs for restarting

ohh btw ill check that out for you

Ok i got something that might help you out not sure but its worth a try. Open up your HD and go to library then find the startupitems folder and check for something strange in there

I use the battery a lot and power up and down on a regular basis to preserve battery charge. The finder window started appearing at power up a few weeks ago - may have coincincided with an upgrade, not sure. The startup items folder is empty. Any other ideas?

Do you have an alias to your docs folder in your dock?

does it happen every time you start your computer? I have the same issue with it popping up the user folder on start up but its only every once in a while.

No, no alias to docs folder. Yes it does happen every time.

Hmm.

Could this be a Finder pref that's corrupted?

Or maybe the system cache?

I really don't know the OS version you are using or your laptop model but maybe you could use Titanium Software's OnyX and use it to clean up your user cache and the system's cache as well.

Be careful to download the right version for the OS you are using and read carefully what the tasks do before clicking: OnyX is very powerful.

BTW don't panic if your laptop seems a bit slower upon restart after cleaning up the caches: it's normal for the first boot to be longer as the system is rebuilding its cache after the clean up...

Thanks. I reset caches with Onyx. Also reset Finder Preferences. But the window still appears at startup.

Ok. Try creating a new account. Restart into it and see if that window appears in this new account. You know how to do this, right?

If you use Tiger (Mac OS X 10.4.x) go to your System Preferences ---> System ---> Accounts.

In that pref pane, you will see a Login Options.

(If you don't it's because your settings are locked. If they are click on the lock, authenticate with your admin password. You will now see the Login Options button.)

Click on it and you will be able to deselect your normal account and select the new account for the next restart. See what gives.

If the new account's Document window still pops up upon restart, this means the problem is system-wide. If it doesn't appear, this means the problem is in your usual account only.

In this case, you will have to restart in your usual account, (you'll have to backtrack what you did in the System Preferences i.e. you go back to the Accounts pane and choose your usual account in the drop-down menu, etc.) go to Macintosh HD ---> Users ---> Your user account ---> Library ---> Preferences.

Fish out and drag to the desktop the com.apple.finder.plist file. Restart in your usual account and see if the documents window still launches now. If not it would mean this was a Finder pref file that was corrupted and you will be able to trash the file on your desktop to the trash. But be aware that this procedure might obligate you in fiddling with some appearance settings you had put before.

Let us know how this goes. Hope this will solve this problem for you.

Thanks. Unfortunately the problem recurs even if I create a new account (although in this case it was the Home window that launched, not Documents). So I guess the problem is system-wide.

Crap! Welp, I'm outta ideas here. Maybe someone else can find a solution.

I find a reinstall of the OS a bit over the top and too drastic unless this is a sign that things are about to get worse. I would make backups of your hard drive at the very least once a week, just in case. And if you really can't stand this window opening over and over again on each start-up and you have means of copying all your files, maybe a reinstall is in order here.

But... This problem didn't happen after you tried a demo or installed new software, did it? It sounds like something is triggering the opening of a window after the boot process.

If someone is Terminal-savvy, maybe he or she can guide you through steps to correct this problem using the Terminal.

Crossing my fingers for you, man!

Happened to me, and this fixed it for me :

Undock "Network" then restart.

Hope it works for you.

I hope so too.

I never would have thought that. So what you are saying is that there's a Network icon in the dock that is doing this? Jeez!

Undocking Network then restarting worked. Thanks awfully chaps.

Glad cvx5832's trick worked for ya. :girl: