# How to Rebuild Desktop in OS X



## Dasman (Mar 28, 2006)

I know you can't rebuild the desktop in OS X but how do I fix a problem where some files that reside on Win2000 server show without icons? They only show without icons on 1 of 3 OS X's on my network. Small text files are listed as "Unix Executable Files" in the kind column. I would have rebuilt desktop in OS 9 but how would I do that in OS X? I've tried repair perms, verify prefs., update prebindings, and clear cache files, all without luck. Any ideas? Thanks.


----------



## ElDiabloConCaca (Mar 28, 2006)

On the Mac that doesn't show the icon previews, are the Finder preferences set to show icon previews?

Open the server volume where the icons don't show -- then select "View Options" from the view menu, and ensure that "Show Icon Previews" is checked.


----------



## Dasman (Mar 28, 2006)

The icon previews were turned off on 2 of the OS X macs, 1 of which is the Mac that does not see the icons. Turned them both on and it made no difference, did a restart also on the machine that shows the problem but that did not help either....


----------



## ElDiabloConCaca (Mar 28, 2006)

It's from the pre-OS X days of the Mac OS... the Desktop Database was, well, a database of desktop items, in a sense.  It contained things like file icon associations, file information, etc.  This database could become corrupted, and things like desktop printers would stop working.  Rebuilding the desktop was done by holding down the command and option keys as OS 6/7/8/9 booted.  

Rebuilding the desktop has no meaning concerning Mac OS X.


----------

