Strange problems with rebuilding desktop, Mac G3, 8.6

[bfc]

Strange problems with rebuilding desktop, Mac G3

2 things, possibly related.

1. when I’ve tried to rebuild the desktop recently my mac has frozen just before the rebuild has finished neccessitating a hard restart. It restarts ok, as long as I don’t try a rebuild - the automatic disk 1st Aid repair that normally happens after a hard restart doesn’t fix the problem either. The reason for my desire to rebuild the desktop is because most of the application icons have gone generic - diamond shape with pencil hand image on it.

My feelings are that something odd is going on with the directory, but I’m not sure what to do about it.

I’ve run Norton V.4.0 and there seems to be no problem except with a couple of errant files, which I’ve deleted.
At this point I am reluctant to go on with repairs (TechTools etc) because the last time I did this I lost half my data and had to erase and rebuild my HD.

Things work at the moment so I’m leaving be and yelling for help.
Am running normal sys 8.6 extension set at the moment.

2. SOmetimes things get sluggish to the point where I have to click or tap a key to get things moving again - this happens when on the net or when opening or saving documents.

cheers, barrie - any help gratefully recvd.

Platform: Mac biege G3 233, 4 gig, 224 RAM, System 8.6. External La Cie CDRW & Zip 100. Microtek Scanmaker E6. 56Kbit modem, Monitor 17” Mitsubishi Diamondtron NF.

 

[kagran]

Your set up is very similar to mine. Could it be your PRAM battery getting low? That would also account for generic icons - how about the clock with date and time? is that going fast or slow or peculiar? I've just changed our battery - we were having starting problems and sluggish performance, both of which have been cured.
If it's not a battery problem, I would suggest you get a later version of Norton (v5 or v6); but if you've got Techtools why not delete and rebuild the desktop with that?
Sometimes it helps to trash the Finder prefs and restart.
Sluggish performance - one way of curing this is to clean install your system.
G3/500 OS 8.6 external LaCie HD 640 RAM E6 Scanmaker (which is misbehaving and often jams the system) 56 Modem and Apple 1700 monitor (Mac started life as a 7300/166)

 

[Ecaboodle]

You are right about the icons changing, you do need to rebuild the desktop. Do you have any thing in the startup items folder, in the system folder? Are you connected to a network?

I would also say run a virus checker on your machine. You should be able to find one on a cover CD of a mac mag. If you can't fix it in 20 call someone who can.

 

[Zelandakh]

look through recent threads, there was a link to a pram battery checker utility that will test that.

zap the pram before rebuilding the desktop.

virus check.

run norton DD and you will probably find a load of b tree leaf problems.