Icons Not Visible On Screen

Joined
Jun 14, 2007
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
1
I bought a used G4 but when booted up the desktop was blank. Wallpaper and mouse cursor OK, but no icons/menus/toolbars etc.
First, I tried various start-up and re-boot suggestions mentioned on other forums, eg holding down ctrl/alt/P/R and various other combinations, to no apparent effect. Also tried restart holding down C key.

Then in desparation I tried Software Refresh disks 1 to 4. They did not auto-eject nor did I see a prompt to change disks, however while disk 2 was running I did spot the right edge of a window which appeared on the extreme left of the screen.
I realised that my cursor would stop once it reached the edge of the screen at the top, bottom and right of the screen. However it would disappear when moved to the far left of the screen.
It occurred to me that perhaps my desktop is not blank at all, its just that I can’t see the icons because they are all off-screen to my left.
So I went fishing, tried to click-and-drag blind when the cursor was off-screen and after several goes I dragged a couple of icons, which vanished in a cartoon puff of smoke when I released the mouse button.

However I also found the HD icon and was able to change the screen resolution, but this still didn’t bring the icons into view.
It’s like I’m viewing a widescreen picture, but can only see half of it.
Can anybody tell me how to get all of my desktop visible on a standard monitor screen ??? Or how can I switch the icons/toolbar etc to the right hand side?
Help desparately needed!!
muchos gracias !
 
Joined
Feb 18, 2007
Messages
86
Reaction score
4
Points
8
Location
Shreveport, Louisiana
Your Mac's Specs
PM G4 Dual 867, 1gb, 160gb
You need to try booting from the install disk to do a refresh (if you haven't already). If it won't boot properly from that CD / DVD, you probably have a hardware problem. Start the machine with the install disk 1 installed and hold down the "C" key. See if you can do a restore from that environment.
 
Joined
Feb 2, 2004
Messages
12,455
Reaction score
604
Points
113
Location
PA
Your Mac's Specs
MacBook
Reinstalling shouldn't be necessary just yet.

If you can see your HD, then you should be able to navigate your system.
Go to your Library/Preferences folder and delete the file "com.apple.finder.plist".
Empty your trash.
Then when you have done that, reboot the machine
 
Joined
Feb 18, 2007
Messages
86
Reaction score
4
Points
8
Location
Shreveport, Louisiana
Your Mac's Specs
PM G4 Dual 867, 1gb, 160gb
Reinstalling shouldn't be necessary just yet.

If you can see your HD, then you should be able to navigate your system.
Go to your Library/Preferences folder and delete the file "com.apple.finder.plist".
Empty your trash.
Then when you have done that, reboot the machine

Looks like great info. Devilboy, what does that actually do?

Also, could he try booting from optical media to get Finder access? Is that possible?
Probably a stupid question. I was a real whiz on Mac OS system 6.0 to OS 9, but I'm
still getting up to speed on OS X. I have been using it for years, but I'm not as slick
on it because I changed professions (out of Mac service) before OS X came out.
 
OP
M
Joined
Jun 14, 2007
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
1
maybe twin monitors involved ??

Thorin thanks for that info. Before I try it, I had an idea that the previous owner may have had twin monitors, hence I can see only half the screen.

Any idea how I can find the control necessary to change back to a single monitor??
 
Joined
Feb 18, 2007
Messages
86
Reaction score
4
Points
8
Location
Shreveport, Louisiana
Your Mac's Specs
PM G4 Dual 867, 1gb, 160gb
That is a darn good possibility, and probable. Again, I think that if you try booting from optical media it would aid you in determining that (because it would over-ride any such settings and wouldn't affect any config that may be on the hdd). Nothing to lose in trying.
 
OP
M
Joined
Jun 14, 2007
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Problem solved

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions to cure my blank desktop.
None of them worked, - now I know why.

The problem is now solved, and I feel a bit of a dunce.

My monitor has a blue-coloured 15-pin plug which I had originally connected to the blue 15-pin port on ther Mac.

I switched to the black 15-pin port and Hey presto!! Full desktop with menu and icons !!

:D
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top