Macbook not working after startup..major finder problem

jose-fahartose

Yesterday my macbook froze and when i restarted it (manually) the message came up "finder unexpectedly quit" and then the report/ignore/cancel options

at this stage the desktop was not fully loaded and i could not click anything... i thought this was strange so i just manually restarted it again

this time no message appeared but the desktop loaded in a weird way. all folders on the desktop were there but only the writing section and no actual folder icon. the date & time upper bar was missing but black writing of date time etc was there

the dock is appearing but when i click on anything nothing happens. so at the moment anything i click on nothing is happening and its completely unfunctional



only thing i have tried is to press p+r+option+cmd at restart and still same result.

Anyone know or heard of a similar problem? i have had the macbook a long while but never any problems. also i have a lot of stuff on the computer that i would not want to lose with a reinstall etc

any info much appriciated.

mathepac

If you have your original CD / DVD trying restarting from that - insert CD / DVD while MacBook is off, press <Power On> and hold down <C>. Run Disk Utility from CD / DVD

If you don't have CD / DVD, hold down <shift> while restarting (Safe Boot Mode). Run Disk Utility from Macintosh HD when it restarts.

jose-fahartose

mathepac wrote: »

If you have your original CD / DVD trying restarting from that - insert CD / DVD while MacBook is off, press <Power On> and hold down <C>. Run Disk Utility from CD / DVD

If you don't have CD / DVD, hold down <shift> while restarting (Safe Boot Mode). Run Disk Utility from Macintosh HD when it restarts.

Yeah i have the original DVDs so ill try that. When i have disk utility open am i looking for a damaged disk? If i repair the disk does this erase my drive?

thanks for the info

mathepac

jose-fahartose wrote: »

... When i have disk utility open am i looking for a damaged disk? If i repair the disk does this erase my drive? ...

Select "Macintosh HD" in the left pane and click <Repair Disk>, when (if) that ends successfully click <Repair Permissions>.

Watch out for messages in the upper pane.

Note that this may not work if the disk is beyond repair or do any good if the disk is not the problem.

If these work OK they will NOT erase your disk. If they do work OK I suggest you get your disk copied / back-up to some external medium.

If they don't work, then you'll need access to a tool like DiskDrill, Disk Warrior, TechTool Pro, etc.

jose-fahartose

ok the disk repaired and said "Mactonish HD appears to be OK" then the disk permissions finished successfully but after restarting there is no change.

It looks like a virus in the finder program as everything related to the finder doesnt look visually normal. For a reinstall do i first erase the disk in disk utility? then install from start up DVD?

mathepac

jose-fahartose wrote: »

...
It looks like a virus in the finder program as everything related to the finder doesnt look visually normal. ...

What makes you suspect it's a virus? It sounds to me like a graphics / graphics controller / display problem that only a repairer / dealer can tackle.

jose-fahartose wrote: »

... For a reinstall do i first erase the disk in disk utility? then install from start up DVD?

First things first - have you installed any software that does graphics / display stuff? Do you have the Apple h/w diagnostic toolkit on CD / DVD?

If it's a hardware fault reinstalling won't fix it.

Did you try the safe-boot option?

jose-fahartose

mathepac wrote: »

What makes you suspect it's a virus?

Before the finder quit i downloaded a freeware plugin for Logic that i use and when i installed this i started having problems with it. Then later when i opened Logic this is when Finder started freezing so i suspect it was a corrupt file, i have emailed the plugin company but have yet to hear back from them.

Also when i say visually looking strange, on the desktop all folders are not visible only text of each folder, same for the Harddrive on the desktop. Then i have a textedit file and itunes file there that show up normally (text and icon).

also section at top with date,time,wireless etc has no grey background just black text.

mathepac wrote: »

Did you try the safe-boot option?

Yes i tried this but same result.. when clicking on anything no responce..

mathepac

Can you drag the plug-in to the trash if you start from CD, then empty trash and restart from "Macintosh HD" using safe-boot?

Are you plugged into a synth / midi device via midi or fire-wire?

What's the name of the plug-in and the supplier? What version of Logic Pro and the OS do you have?

jose-fahartose

mathepac wrote: »

Can you drag the plug-in to the trash if you start from CD, then empty trash and restart from "Macintosh HD" using safe-boot?

Are you plugged into a synth / midi device via midi or fire-wire?

What's the name of the plug-in and the supplier? What version of Logic Pro and the OS do you have?

when i start from cd all i can access is utilities/disk utilities, terminal etc.. can i get to the plugin folder from here?

Usually i have a midi keyboard connected but at the moment there is nothing connected to my macbook.


The plugin is http://www.supremepiano.com/product/piano1.html I downloaded the component AU version.


Im using Logic8 and MacOSX 10.5 dont have exact versions now...


EDIT: Ive just been able to find the file using disk utility / file / open disk image.../ but then it wont let me select it to send it to trash. Is there a way of doing this??

Cheers

mathepac

If you start from cd and then re-start with <shift> held down, can you then get access to the plug-in and trash it, then empty the trash and try restarting normally?

Liameter

jose-fahartose wrote: »

EDIT: Ive just been able to find the file using disk utility / file / open disk image.../ but then it wont let me select it to send it to trash. Is there a way of doing this??

If it's in a disk image you must dismount the image then trash the image file (xxx.dmg)

If you've been running it from within a disk image instead of installing it then there's no wonder you are having problems.

jose-fahartose

Liameter wrote: »

If it's in a disk image you must dismount the image then trash the image file (xxx.dmg)

If you've been running it from within a disk image instead of installing it then there's no wonder you are having problems.

No i meant i was able to access it using disk utility from the install cd. But i dont think you can send items to the trash from there.

The file itself is in location Library/audio/plugins/component but i cannot access it to trash it.

And mathepac when i restart in safe mode everything is still 100% unreponsive.

Is there any other way of accessing some files on my harddrive to copy onto an external as i dont have them backed up before a reinstall?

thanks again

Liameter

Obviously you can't change files on a read-only disc.

I'd be wary of backing up anything* from an already-corrupted Hard Drive. Recover what you can from your previous backup and reinstall anything else that's missing.

*Apart from data.

Liameter

BTW I use this:
http://www.prosofteng.com/products/data_rescue.php

jose-fahartose

Just got it fixed there.

Connected it to another macbook via firewire and booted up in firewire mode and was able to access + delete the plugin file. Restarted and everything was back to normal. Must of been a virus or something in the file. Cheers for the help

Liameter

jose-fahartose wrote: »

Must of been a virus or something in the file.

You must be a Windows convert? There are no OSX viruses.

( Do you realise you typed must "of" instead of must have? )

mathepac

jose-fahartose wrote: »

Just got it fixed there.

Connected it to another macbook via firewire and booted up in firewire mode and was able to access + delete the plugin file. Restarted and everything was back to normal. ... help

Glad you got it fixed, that was going to be my next suggestion.

I think you need to build / buy yourself a Mac OS start up disk rather than just rely on the install disks you have.

Why are you stuck on 10.5? It was a short-lived release and the perception is that 10.6 is more stable, 10.6.8 at any rate.

With a complex app like Logic Pro / Logic Studio I'd encourage you to research plug-ins before you install them and maybe even use an external drive as a test-bed for any changes before you make them on a stable production system.

I don't believe it was a virus, just a bad plug-in or mismatches between revision levels of various bits of software, or maybe even a clash between 32-bit vs 64-bit stuff. When something messes with DSP logic the outcomes can be catastrophic

Glad you're back in action sorry I didn't help get you there. Keep her on the island and keep her lit!

jose-fahartose

Liameter wrote: »

You must be a Windows convert? There are no OSX viruses.

( Do you realise you typed must "of" instead of must have? )

Not a windows convert but have heard of late that their are viruses in mac stuff..

jose-fahartose

mathepac wrote: »

Glad you got it fixed, that was going to be my next suggestion.

I think you need to build / buy yourself a Mac OS start up disk rather than just rely on the install disks you have.

Why are you stuck on 10.5? It was a short-lived release and the perception is that 10.6 is more stable, 10.6.8 at any rate.

With a complex app like Logic Pro / Logic Studio I'd encourage you to research plug-ins before you install them and maybe even use an external drive as a test-bed for any changes before you make them on a stable production system.

I don't believe it was a virus, just a bad plug-in or mismatches between revision levels of various bits of software, or maybe even a clash between 32-bit vs 64-bit stuff. When something messes with DSP logic the outcomes can be catastrophic

Glad you're back in action sorry I didn't help get you there. Keep her on the island and keep her lit!

To be honest i have had this computer since 2007 and its run perfectly this is the first glitch ive had so ive just left it on 10.5 really.

Thing is i actually did research the plugin and all reviews were all positive and recommending. Ive yet to hear back from the developers though.

Cheers for the help dude