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D. Hendrickson · 02:56 PM

after a reboot following a kernal panic, the Dock refuses to run for the Admin user. the Dock.app is there (System/Library/CoreServices/Dock.app), but does not run if double-clicked. selecting the Dashboard or Desktop prefpane makes System Preferences quit.

if i log into two other accounts (fast user switching, not rebooting), the Dock et al works fine for those users. switch back to Admin, it's still dead.

same problem in a Safe Boot. i've already done the PRAM, a reset-nvram of open firmware.

ideas?

moonmonkey · Aug 9, 2007, 07:20 AM

archive and install.

P · Aug 9, 2007, 09:09 AM

Trash the file com.apple.dock.plist. It's in ~/Library/Preferences.

D. Hendrickson · Aug 9, 2007, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by P

Trash the file com.apple.dock.plist. It's in ~/Library/Preferences.

tried that, it just comes right back.

in the Console and System logs, the following occurs the entire time the machine is running:

Aug 9 11:09:32 Daves-Computer crashdump[263]: Dock crashed
Aug 9 11:09:34 Daves-Computer crashdump[263]: crash report written to: /Users/dave928/Library/Logs/CrashReporter/Dock.crash.log
Aug 9 11:09:34 Daves-Computer crashdump[265]: Dock crashed
Aug 9 11:09:36 Daves-Computer crashdump[265]: crash report written to: /Users/dave928/Library/Logs/CrashReporter/Dock.crash.log
Aug 9 11:09:36 Daves-Computer crashdump[269]: Dock crashed
Aug 9 11:09:38 Daves-Computer crashdump[269]: crash report written to: /Users/dave928/Library/Logs/CrashReporter/Dock.crash.log
Aug 9 11:09:38 Daves-Computer crashdump[271]: Dock crashed
Aug 9 11:09:40 Daves-Computer crashdump[271]: crash report written to: /Users/dave928/Library/Logs/CrashReporter/Dock.crash.log
Aug 9 11:09:41 Daves-Computer crashdump[273]: Dock crashed
Aug 9 11:09:42 Daves-Computer crashdump[273]: crash report written to: /Users/dave928/Library/Logs/CrashReporter/Dock.crash.log
Aug 9 11:09:44 Daves-Computer crashdump[275]: Dock crashed
Aug 9 11:09:45 Daves-Computer crashdump[275]: crash report written to: /Users/dave928/Library/Logs/CrashReporter/Dock.crash.log
Aug 9 11:09:45 Daves-Computer crashdump[277]: Dock crashed
Aug 9 11:09:46 Daves-Computer crashdump[277]: crash report written to: /Users/dave928/Library/Logs/CrashReporter/Dock.crash.log
Aug 9 11:09:47 Daves-Computer crashdump[279]: Dock crashed
Aug 9 11:09:47 Daves-Computer crashdump[279]: crash report written to: /Users/dave928/Library/Logs/CrashReporter/Dock.crash.log
Aug 9 11:09:48 Daves-Computer crashdump[281]: Dock crashed
Aug 9 11:09:49 Daves-Computer crashdump[281]: crash report written to: /Users/dave928/Library/Logs/CrashReporter/Dock.crash.log
Aug 9 11:09:49 Daves-Computer crashdump[284]: Dock crashed
Aug 9 11:09:50 Daves-Computer crashdump[284]: crash report written to: /Users/dave928/Library/Logs/CrashReporter/Dock.crash.log

so it looks like the OS is repeatedly trying to launch the Dock, it's just not responding and that's why the plist keeps returning...

frdmfghtr · Aug 9, 2007, 02:20 PM

Since the problem seems to occur only for the admin user, I suggest making a new admin account (or temporarily make one of the other accounts an admin account) and delete the flaky one. Once deleted, make a new admin account and see what happens.

amazing · Aug 9, 2007, 02:30 PM

Do NOT delete the original admin user with which the Mac was first established. Tons of problems reported if you do that.

archive-and-install

Peter · Aug 9, 2007, 03:04 PM

I think it'll save you time if you just archive-and-install.

D. Hendrickson · Aug 9, 2007, 08:24 PM

just did the archive and install - no change, exact same condition.

this is similar to the issue i posted about in March where 10.4 stopped recognizing movie DVDs, but 10.2 and OS 9 played DVDs ok. archive and install did not fix that condition either. seems like i might have to do a complete drive wipe, which i don't really want to do.

maybe it's time to replace this 7 year old G4 with a shiney new iMac...

P · Aug 10, 2007, 07:43 AM

What does the log file say? Could be that some cache is corrupted.

If you can't figure it out, make a new account. Start moving copying over stuff (settings, etc) from the old one, force-quitting the Dock between each copy. When it doesn't launch anymore, the last thing you moved is the culprit.

amazing · Aug 10, 2007, 08:28 AM

Since an archive and install didn't work, there's something wacky in your user settings. I presume you clicked the check box that said "preserve user settings?"

Try another archive and install without checking that box. You're gonna need to document your network settings, etc., so that you can easily reset everything.

reader50 · Aug 10, 2007, 10:45 AM

It's something in your regular home folder. Create a new account and set up shop, that way you can diagnose the old one at leisure.

For the old one, move your Preferences folder to the desktop, then log out of the account and back in. If the problem is solved, then you could either rebuild your prefs as needed, or experiment with adding blocks of old prefs back (while logged into another Admin or root account).

If the problem isn't solved, move the new Preferences folder to your Trash and put the old Preferences folder back. Log out & back in again.

You can try the same experiment with your Application Support folder.

Failing that, try it with your Caches, Fonts, and FontCollections folders. All the folders mentioned are in your (home folder)/Library/.

D. Hendrickson · Aug 10, 2007, 02:43 PM

i'll have to get to all that this weekend...

D. Hendrickson · Aug 20, 2007, 03:19 PM

the only fix for this issue was a complete erase & install...

TETENAL · Aug 20, 2007, 03:43 PM

It might have helped if you would have posted the crash log.

pinenuts · Aug 21, 2007, 11:30 AM

I once had to replace dock.app and it solved my problem of the dock crashing.

D. Hendrickson · Aug 21, 2007, 09:20 PM

that didn't work in this case...