System 7.1: Troubleshooting Common Issues

Solution: These errors are generally caused by a system extension or Control Panel device that was poorly written or is corrupt. There are two possible scenarios:

1) You get the error with more than one application.

• If you can consistently generate the error, restart with extensions off (hold down the Shift key during system startup). Attempt to duplicate the error. If it no longer occurs, the issue is being caused by one of your system extensions or Control Panel devices. You must remove the extensions and Control Panel devices in an orderly fashion to isolate the one that is causing the issue.
• If you cannot consistently generate the error, were any new system extensions or Control Panel devices added to the system around the time the error started to occur? If so, remove the new extension and test to see if you still experience the issue.
• If you cannot isolate the issue down to one or two extensions or Control Panel devices, restart the Macintosh from the Disk Tools disk, trash the Finder and System files, and reinstall the system software.
• If you cannot isolate the issue, follow the procedure for a "clean" system install. A clean install builds a completely new System Folder. Before adding any third-party extensions to the new, clean system, test to be sure you cannot reproduce the original error.

2) You get the error with one application only.

• Determine if this application has ever worked correctly on this Macintosh. If not, call the company that wrote the application for further instructions. There may be some type of software incompatibility or required upgrade.
• If the application has worked properly in the past, restart with extensions off (hold down the Shift key during system startup). Attempt to duplicate the error. If it no longer occurs, the issue is being caused by one of your system extensions or Control Panel devices. You must remove the extensions and Control Panel devices in an orderly fashion to isolate the one that is causing the issue.
• If the error still occurs with extensions turned off, remove the Preferences file for the application (if it has one) and restart the Macintosh. It is possible for Preferences files to become corrupted.
• If you cannot isolate the issue, reinstall the application program from the original floppy disks or CD-ROM. You may also want to contact the company that wrote the application for further instructions.

Issue: Application and/or File icons are displayed as generic icons on the Desktop. When trying to open a file, you get an "Application unknown" error when double-clicking on it.

Solution: This issue can occur when adding Finder extensions such as PowerTalk or Adobe Type Manager. When the Finder rebuilds the Desktop file, it reads the information from all files on the directory with Read/Write access. A conflict can occur if it encounters a file that is already open. This forces the rebuild to quit without updating all files.

To correct this issue, restart with extensions off. When the message Welcome to Macintosh-Extensions Off displays, release the Shift key and hold the Option and Command keys. This forces the Desktop to be rebuilt. Once completed, restart the Macintosh.

NOTE: Under System 7.5 and later, use the Extension manager to restart with only the Macintosh Easy Open Control Panel installed, and rebuild the Desktop. MEO must also add tables to the Desktop file. It fails if any Finder extensions are open when it tries to build its own tables.

Issue: The Desktop Pattern options in the General Control Panel are missing.

Solution: This issue can occur if programs such as Desktop Patterns or Wallpaper were installed. These programs remove the resources for the General Control Panel's desktop patterns.

To correct this:

• Run the desktop program used, and "remove" the patterns. The method of doing this varies between applications, but typically the option is in the File menu.
• Restart with the Disk Tools disk and trash the Finder and System files from the System Folder. Then reinstall the System software. (Be sure there are no custom fonts or sounds in the System suitcase before trashing.)

Issue: When you restart the Macintosh, it draws a menu bar on the screen with no text, freezes, and the cursor alternates between the watch and arrow. The Macintosh never completes the startup sequence. Restarting with Extensions off and resetting the Parameter RAM (PRAM) do not help.

Solution: Startup with the Option key held down. This forces the Finder to close all open windows. The Finder is having trouble with a window coordinate. It is not able to draw the window on the screen. This causes the system to become stuck in a loop.

Issue: A font cannot be dragged out of the Font Folder.

Solution: The font has become corrupt. Drag the Font Folder to the Desktop. Drag the damaged font out to the Trash. Move the Font Folder back into the System Folder.

Issue: At startup, the error message "Need later version. System 7.1 is not the latest" displays.

Solution: The appropriate System Enabler has been removed from the System Folder. Restart from the Disk Tools disk. Locate and replace the necessary System Enabler file. You can also reinstall the system software from the original floppy disks or CD-ROM.

Issue: The hard disk drive cannot be renamed. System 7 File Sharing has been turned off.

Solution: This issue can be caused by a Macintosh running System 6.0.X accessing the Macintosh running System 7.1 via System 7 File Sharing. Run Disk First Aid v7.2 and RenameRescue. These programs can repair the drive.

Issue: You cannot turn System 7 File Sharing on.

Solution: Check the following:

• Verify that there is at least 340K of memory available on the hard disk.
• Check that there are no DOS volumes mounted through PC Exchange. If there are, eject the volume and try again.
• Reset the Parameter RAM (PRAM) by restarting the Macintosh and holding down the COMMAND-OPTION-P-R keys. Wait for the second startup chime. This resets the serial ports so you need to reactivate AppleShare on most Macintosh computers.
• Delete the User & Groups data file in the Preferences folder; restart the Macintosh; enter the Owner password in the Sharing Setup Control Panel; turn File Sharing on. When the machine is restarted, a new Users & Groups data file is created. Any old user and group information is lost.
• Delete the File Sharing folder in the Preferences folder; restart the Macintosh; turn File Sharing on.
• If any media is formatted with a third-party utility, check with the vendor to be sure it is compatible with System 7 File Sharing.
• Delete the invisible file called AppleShare PDS on the root of any volumes that are shared; restart the Macintosh; turn File Sharing on. The PDS file can be deleted by running ResEdit or a third-party utility that can view invisible files. Use the utility to unlock the file and make it visible on the desktop. It can then be trashed from the Finder.
• Backup the data and reformat the drive. The issue can be caused by bad blocks on the drive.

Issue: Macintosh system performance is slow.

Solution: Check the following:

• Turn off Virtual Memory in the Memory Control Panel
• Turn off Calculate Folder Size in the Views Control Panel
• Turn off File Sharing
• For Macintosh computers with a 68040 processor, check that the 040 Cache is on in the Cache Switch Control Panel
• Reset the Parameter RAM (PRAM)

Issue: The Macintosh is taking a long time to start up.

Solution: This can be caused by adding a large number of new fonts. Fonts are read at the time the "Welcome to Macintosh" message displays.


Issue: The date and time are incorrect or missing.

Solution: This is usually caused by a corrupted System file. Do the following:

• Restart using the Disk Tools diskette.
• Backup any non-Apple sounds and keyboard layouts.
• Drag the System suitcase file to the Trash and empty the Trash.
• Restart using the original Install disk and perform a normal system software installation.

Issue: Custom icons assigned to volumes and folders are displayed as the generic document icon. When attempting to edit the icon through Get Info, the error message "This command cannot be completed because it cannot be found" is displayed.

Solution: Custom icons are saved directly into a file's resource fork. An attribute bit is set to alert the Finder that a custom icon should be displayed. Folders and volumes do not have resource forks so custom icons are saved instead to an invisible file named ICON. This file is located at the root level of the folder or volume.

If the link between the folder or volume and the ICON file is lost, the Finder may display a generic document icon in place of the custom icon. This corrupted icon cannot be edited using Get Info. You need a program such as ResEdit to repair the damage.

• From the Finder, create another custom icon for another folder or volume.
• Using a file utility such as ResEdit, find the ICON file for this newly created custom icon and make that file visible. Remember that the new ICON file is located at the root level of the folder or volume.
• From the Finder, copy the now-visible ICON file to the folder or volume that has the damaged ICON file. You may receive the message "Are you sure you want to replace the older file..." Click OK.
• Using the file utility program, make the ICON file invisible again.
• The generic icon should now turn into the new custom icon. You should now be able to edit or delete this icon through Get Info.