Need Help with "Get Info"

[Rod]

I get exactly the same result as MacInWin in post #14 although I have never tried to save web site favicons to the desktop before.
I'm running Mojave 10.14.1 on my MBP.
Interesting that the default application to open the file is Safari although I saved it from Firefox and the option to change that is greyed out. Still I've never done this so have never looked into it.
I see that these favicons can be placed on the dock, (right of the divide line) but once that is done Get Info is no longer an option.
Terryanne, with all respect to your personal work flow preferences, browsers offer so many ways to do what you are doing with toolbar favorites, tabs, bookmarks, frequently visited, etc I don't understand why you would clutter up your desktop with web site shortcuts. After all Get Info doesn't really tell you much about a web link. How do you use that info?
Also it occurs to me that these links could expire from time to time and browser updates might effect them as well.
I'd try running OnyX (https://www.titanium-software.fr/en/onyx.html) just to clear up caches as you seem to have tried everything else.

 

[terryann]

Bob, I'll give those a try. Thanks.

 

[terryann]

Jake, your explanation makes sense. I did "something" and I don't know what. I wish I remember what I did....it was kinda just like things went wierd as I was doing something and I was kinda of trying to get everything back to how it was before it got wierd. (I know, not a very helpful explanation.) By the way, the items that appear on my desktop, when I drag the favicon to my desktop, are weblocs. They don't actually drag across as the favicon, it just displays the Apple "webloc" icon (with blue circle in the center).

Also, just to explain further, when I do Command-I on these weblocs, everything on my desktop disappears for a second (except for the big desktop background that I have set), and then all the icons on the desktop appear again...in a "blink" sort of fashion.

I never did have any luck and was always sorry I installed Sierra for various reasons, but I never had this problem before the other day, even tho I was running Sierra, but I did "something" that wasn't good and now I do have this problem. I have been reluctant to install the latest OS because I'm afraid there will be lots of issues like I had with Sierra.

Do you recommend I install the latest OS (I dont remember what the name of it is)?

 

[terryann]

Rod, all those ways to do differently what I am trying to do are obviously things I didn't know I could do.
I am not trying to save favicons, I just was dragging the web address to my desktop by dragging the favicon there. And I am not trying to put them in the dock.
Anyway, I only use Get Info to change the desktop icon on those weblocs. I'm not trying to activate Get Info to get any information, just to paste the new icon into it.

 

[terryann]

I will try deleting Finder preferences, Patrick. Thank you for all your help!

 

[terryann]

Jake, YES! In reference to your screenshot of the Get Info on a webloc, that is what I used to do and I just pasted my new icon over the webloc icon at the top!

 

[pm-r]

@Rod

Terryanne, with all respect to your personal work flow preferences, browsers offer so many ways to do what you are doing with toolbar favorites, tabs, bookmarks, frequently visited, etc I don't understand why you would clutter up your desktop with web site shortcuts. After all Get Info doesn't really tell you much about a web link. How do you use that info?

Actually Rod, FWIW, I have been doing this similar thing for years, especially for some temporary sites or something of temporary interest and they have the added advantage of naming them appropriately, marketing them with a color tab or label, or sticking a bunch of similar ones into a folder covering the same topic.

I had never thought of adding a custom Icon to them as OP is attempting to do.


@terryann
Jake, your explanation makes sense. I did "something" and I don't know what. I wish I remember what I did....
terryann, as for your explanation in your post #23 above, it sounds like you may have a third-party extension/ Application involved and to test, try starting up in Safe Boot Mode and see if the Get Info works normally. If so, there's some utility or application causing the problem.


PS: And I sure hope to God you don't have MacKeeper.app installed or similar Mac utility!!!






- Patrick
======

 

[IWT]

FWIW, I have been doing this similar thing for years, especially for some temporary sites or something of temporary interest

I see your point, Patrick. There is another way: with the window open as a Tab, Right Click on Tab heading and first option - "Pin Tab". It pushes them over to the left. When of no further interest, Right Click again "Unpin Tab".

Very useful when you're searching for something and come across a site that looks interesting but is not exactly what you want, you can Pin it for later and move on with the search.

Ian

 

[pm-r]

I see your point, Patrick. There is another way: with the window open as a Tab, Right Click on Tab heading and first option - "Pin Tab". It pushes them over to the left. When of no further interest, Right Click again "Unpin Tab".

Very useful when you're searching for something and come across a site that looks interesting but is not exactly what you want, you can Pin it for later and move on with the search.

Ian

Thanks Ian, that would work for "immediate" type pinning stuff, but I use and need my saved favicons for a much longer periods of time and to get back to maybe days or weeks later.





- Patrick
======

 

[terryann]

Patrick, no, I know that MacKeeper is evil. If there is anything else installed, it was done without my approval (and no one else has access to my computer). The only thing I do have is "Honey" which is a browser add-on to search for best Amazon prices. But I had been running that for a long time without any issues.

I ran MalwareBytes and all was ok. But I ran EtreCheck and I get some "Major Issues"--but I don't know how to fix them. It says Major Issues are "unsigned files". Here is the report:

Unsigned Files

Launchd Files
Launchd script: /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.adobe.SwitchBoard.plist
Executable: /Library/Application Support/Adobe/SwitchBoard/SwitchBoard.app/Contents/MacOS/launch.switchboard
Status: Loaded
Install date: 2013-09-22 19:26:01
Details: Exact match found in the whitelist - probably OK
Reveal config fileReveal executableLookupReport a problemRemove
Launchd script: ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist
Executable: /Library/Application Support/Adobe/OOBE/PDApp/UWA/UpdaterStartupUtility -mode=scheduled
Status: Loaded
Install date: 2013-09-23 08:35:50
Details: Exact match found in the whitelist - probably OK
Reveal config fileReveal executableLookupReport a problemRemove
Launchd script: /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.crashplan.engine.plist
Executable: /Applications/CrashPlan.app/Contents/MacOS/CrashPlanService -Dapp=CrashPlanService -Xmn10m -Xms15m -Xmx1024m -DappBaseName=CrashPlan -Djava.awt.headless=true -Dfile.encoding=UTF-8 -Dsun.net.inetaddr.ttl=300 -Dnetworkaddress.cache.ttl=300 -Dsun.net.inetaddr.negative.ttl=0 -Dnetworkaddress.cache.negative.ttl=0 -DCP_USER_NAME= -DCP_USER_HOME= -cp lib/com.backup42.desktop.jar:lang com.backup42.service.CPService CP_USER_NAME= CP_USER_HOME=
Status: Running
Install date: 2018-01-09 10:30:20
Details: Exact match found in the whitelist - probably OK
Reveal config fileReveal executableLookupReport a problemRemove
Launchd script: /Library/LaunchAgents/com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist
Executable: /Library/Application Support/Adobe/OOBE/PDApp/UWA/UpdaterStartupUtility -mode=logon
Status: Not loaded
Install date: 2013-09-22 19:24:17
Details: Exact match found in the whitelist - probably OK
Reveal config fileReveal executableLookupReport a problemRemove
Launchd script: /Library/LaunchAgents/com.adobe.CS5ServiceManager.plist
Executable: /Library/Application Support/Adobe/CS5ServiceManager/CS5ServiceManager.app/Contents/MacOS/CS5ServiceManager -launchedbylogin
Status: Loaded
Install date: 2013-09-27 19:01:33
Details: Exact match found in the whitelist - probably OK
Reveal config fileReveal executableLookupReport a problemRemove
Launchd script: ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.adobe.ARM.930da3ce175de4e82bd3cdf1dd8571f74bd3b6a7236bc94bfc00f6e9.plist
Executable: /Applications/Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro/Adobe Acrobat Pro.app/Contents/MacOS/Updater/Adobe Acrobat Updater Helper.app/Contents/MacOS/Adobe Acrobat Updater Helper
Status: Loaded
Install date: 2013-09-25 22:34:52
Reveal config fileReveal executableLookupReport a problemRemove

 

[MacInWin]

Those are from Adobe, associated with CS5 and the updater. Not a worry.

 

[pm-r]

If there is anything else installed, it was done without my approval (and no one else has access to my computer).

Have you tried booting up using Safe Boot Mode and checking if things work better, and/or, doing the Resets Bob suggested in his Post #13???

All of these contain maintenance and repair modules and just might fix things assuming there's no third party utility involved that could be goofing things up. The safe boot mode should disable any third-party stuff from running and is used as a diagnostic test. It also purges a lot of junk stuff.





- Patrick
======

 

[terryann]

Thanks for that reassurance, Jake!

- - - Updated - - -

Patrick, I did boot up in Safe Boot Mode and ran disk utility while Safe Mode was active, and then when I restarted, it was not fixed. I will do the resets Bob mentioned, as long as it isn't going to wreck anything important ???

- - - Updated - - -

By the way I sure appreciate everyone for trying to help me...I know many people have much worse problems than this. Thanks much!

 

[terryann]

I just realized I am having trouble with Spotlight as well. It was acting up for quite a while now, but I don't use it much so I didn't think to mention it. It crashes, or is super super slow. I think my OS is messed up. Not sure what to do. Should I install the latest OS?

 

[ferrarr]

I just realized I am having trouble with Spotlight as well. It was acting up for quite a while now, but I don't use it much so I didn't think to mention it. It crashes, or is super super slow. I think my OS is messed up. Not sure what to do. Should I install the latest OS?

You can start, by booting into macOS Recovery and using Disk Utility (DU) to run First Aid on your drive. To boot into Recovery, hold "option+R" when you start or restart your Mac.

 

[terryann]

Bob, I had already run Disk First Aid twice before in Safe Mode, but I just did it in Recovery Mode. No change.
Do you have a next step suggestion?

 

[Slydude]

I just glanced through this thread for the first time today so forgive me if I missed the answers to these questions:

1. Have you run Onyx? If not, download and run it then test to see if things are back to normal. Make sure to get the correct version fro your OS. I know you have run Malwarebytes but this program has a different function.
2. Have you tried creating the shortcuts from a different user account? If not create anouter user account and see if yuor process works. I knw the shortcuts won't apper in your main account. This process is simply a test to see whether the problem is specific to your user account.

 

[Rod]

terryanne, can I ask if you have been using this device for a while and is it the product of a previous device copied to the current one. It has been my experience that over time systems become clogged up with accumulated preferences, files and extensions left over from uninstalled apps and so on. The previously mentioned app OnyX is good at clearing out "debris" in the system and will give you a system integrity report at the start.
It's worth a try but if your device is as I described above and now 6 years old you could also be looking at some HD corruption.
Sooner or later it's a good idea to consider a "clean" install/reinstall of the operating system. With that in mind I hope you have a full backup of your device.
Having said that the "nuke and pave" method does usually fix persistent or obscure software issues and may in the end be less effort.

 

[terryann]

Slydude. Hi! Yes, I have tried creating shortcuts from a different user account and received the same problem. I have not run Onyx but I will. Is there any risk running it? Thank you.

 

[terryann]

Rod: I have had this iMac for about 5 years. It was new when I bought it and I only copied data files over to it from my previous iMac. I did not copy any system files. All my apps were installed from scratch. I never had any problem with it until I installed Sierra. I jumped several OS's when I did that, not knowing that I shouldn't have done that. That may give you some info on what may be wrong? But I have been operating using Sierra since it came out maybe a year ago even with the quirks that came with it.
Uninstalled apps? Can you give me an example of what you mean?
Currently I do not have a full backup of this computer, only my data files. I had an offline backup company for a long time and they stopped serving private owners and went only with businesses a few months ago, and since then have not purchased a new plan. I don't think that my entire system was getting backed up with that company anyway...it was only backing up data files for the most part.

What do you mean by nuke and pave?