Desktop doesn't show any icons

dmalhi1 · #1 September 29th, 2008, 05:23 AM

hi all, first time posting and first time mac owner.

i am a tad stumped by this issue i'm having right now with my new imac. i noticed one day that none of my desktop aliases show any longer. in fact if i go to the desktop folder through finder my files and such show in there however none of my aliases nor those files show on the actual desktop. another thing i've noticed is that whenever i now try to drag and drop anything to the desktop whether it be a URL from safari or an alias i made in finder the dragged item simply just drags itself back to where i pulled it from.

please help me out if you can as i can't seem to figure this one out at all.

thank you,
davin

VirtualTracy · #2 September 29th, 2008, 05:29 AM

Hi dmalhi1 & welcome to macosx

Are you using Leopard? Is there anything at all you can think of that you did prior to this that might help us?

It looks like your desktop won't let you modify it. If you drag something to the MacintoshHD icon, does it spring open? Keep the mouse pressed down as you drag a Safari URL onto that icon and when it springs open, navigate to your Desktop and see if you can drop it there. Tell me if it appears on your real Desktop.

Can you change the desktop background?

Meanwhile I'll see what I can come up with.

dmalhi1 · #3 September 29th, 2008, 05:40 AM

wow thank you for such a quick response.

you'd think after years of using a PC with windows i'd remember that the first step to any troubleshooting is to do a restart.... guess what? i did everything but and the restart fixed the problem!

thank you so much though. and yes i do feel like an idiot

VirtualTracy · #4 September 29th, 2008, 05:43 AM

That's terrific dmalh1

Sometimes the most obvious thing to do gets clouded over with the sheen of all this cutting/bleeding edge technology that surrounds us so no, you're no idiot, not even a naughty boy

Ask again, anything Mac, anytime ...

Satcomer · #5 September 29th, 2008, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmalhi1

hi all, first time posting and first time mac owner.

As a first time user I urge you to get the book (with Windows knowledge) Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Leopard Edition. It will help you switch very easily and is very easy reading with lots of pictures.