Small windows problem

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Hello.

Since upgrading to (and later reinstalling) High Sierra 10.13.6 I have been plagued with 'tiny windows'. When I boot up, some (not all) of the desktop windows come up small, and ways round it are to relaunch Finder, and sometimes to relaunch individual programmes. It seems to be getting worse, so I wondered if there was a more permanent solution. I append a screenshot to show a couple of 'tinies' on boot-up. (Not the cats, they're just screen-savers and old pals).

small windows.jpg

Thanks.
Allen.
 
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Seen this elsewhere:

Open the Finder. From the menu bar top of your screen click Go > Go to Folder (GO is located at the top bar)

Type this exactly as you see it here: ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.Safari/Cache.db (easier to copy/paste)

Click Go

Move the Cache.db file to the Trash.

Quit then relaunch Safari to test.


BEAUTIFUL kittycats!
 
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Thanks Sue,

Did precisely as you wrote, puzzled by the Safari part. I do use Safari (as well as Chrome), but it's not running when the small windows thing happens.

Anyway, I did it all, including relaunching Safari, and on rebooting my Mac, all windows so far the right size, so it's now a question of waiting and seeing. If it holds together for 24 hours or more, I'd say you've cured it, for which many thanks - it was one of those niggles that drives you barmy.

Yes, beautiful kitties. All now gone, sadly, but I have photographs and memories.

I'll repost to update all on whether the solution works!

Ta.


Allen.
 
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Did it again on a re-boot, so any further suggestions welcomed.

Ta.

Allen.
 
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Just bouncing this thread in case someone over the weekend has some bright ideas.

Ta.

Allen
 

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Another option then:

Quit Safari. NB Quit, not close. Command + Q is the shortcut.

Then, whilst holding down the Shift key, launch Safari.

See if that helps.

If not: Open Safari, then go to Safari Preferences (shortcut is Command plus comma), choose Advanced. Make sure "Show Develop menu in Menu Bar" is checked.

Now, in Safari, Click on "Develop" in top menu bar and choose "Empty Caches". Then Quit Safari, launch it again.

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Not sure what the solution would be, and I'm puzzled by the suggestions having to do with Safari (isn't the issue the app "SpiralBound Pro" as shown in your screen shot?), but apparently I'm out of my league on this one.

But my question is, how often are you actually rebooting? I'd suggest simply using sleep mode and only rebooting when necessary (it's not necessary to reboot every day).
 

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You may be absolutely correct, Jonathan. I kind of got sidetracked on the Safari bit and dealt with that; but realise the problem probably lies deeper, probably elsewhere.

I appreciate your generosity in pointing me in a different direction.:Blushing:

Ian
 
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I thought it was Finder that kept that information in a plist. If that's true, then go to your home folder, open Library/Preferences and look for com.apple.finder.plist and delete it. (Or rename it if you are too nervous to delete. Finder will recreate it as soon as you do the next step.)

Open Terminal and type in (with the capital F)

killall Finder

and then tap the return key. You may be prompted to enter an admin password, which will NOT show on the Terminal screen, but assuming you get it right, Finder will close and immediately relaunch with a new plist file created with defaults.
 
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You may be absolutely correct, Jonathan. I kind of got sidetracked on the Safari bit and dealt with that; but realise the problem probably lies deeper, probably elsewhere.

I appreciate your generosity in pointing me in a different direction.:Blushing:

Ian

My reply may have directly followed yours, Ian, but I wasn't directing it specifically at you, so no worries ;) The first reply referenced Safari, but I just don't see anything in the OP about Safari, so that's why I was puzzled.
 
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Yes, me ‘n all. (I just assumed some sort of Safari/OS connection).

Anyway, the Safari route is proving non-productive, so I’ll try Jake’s Terminal approach tomorrow.

Re-booting? Well, definitely daily, sometimes twice if all my Filevault-type things cause a log out.

I’ll report back.

Allen
 
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+1.

I'll also recommend and also suggest Bob's suggestion here as starting steps:
Reset NVRAM or PRAM and Reset the System Management Controller (SMC) as per the links provided above.


I'd also suggest doing a full ShutDown, then boot up using Safe Boot Mode, (Press and Hold down the shift key at the login sound), Login, then Restart normally.
Doing so will purge a lot of junk and crap and generally do a System clean up.




- Patrick
======
 
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Open Terminal and type in (with the capital F)

killall Finder

and then tap the return key.

Tried Jake's Terminal routine, as above, and so far, order seems restored. I'll repost in a day or two to update, but that did seem to clear out some errors.

Thanks Jake, thanks all.

Allen
 
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Not sure if its ok to post here
I have same problem and seems like its embedded in Opera Browser, none else, I tried most of the stuff said in this forum above, dont work. Nvram and Pram I will try next

Screen Shot 2018-12-09 at 8.21.22 PM.png
 
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That is a different problem. Yahoo thinks your browser is on a mobile device, so it's showing a smaller version fo the website. I can see that the browser window is full size. You should reset the browser and the problem should go away.
 
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Got it removed, I click Opera/Update & Recovery and that removed small windows I had. Also, looks like Video on Yahoo works
 
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Finally small windows is gone, I click Opera/Update&recovery and that did the job... :)
 
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Well, three days on, and Jake's Terminal killall Finder seems to be the key.

No small windows since then - the only (minor) drawback was that it also killed Finder preferences, but these were quickly reinstalled (size of type on screen, etc).

So thanks again Jake, and to all others who helped.

Allen.
 
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Yeah, when you delete plists, that sets everything for that app back to "factory" defaults. Probably should have mentioned that, but at least it fixed the small windows issue!
 

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