Need help with icons frozen on desktop in El Capitan. 10.11.6

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Level 1

4 points

Need help with icons frozen on desktop in El Capitan. 10.11.6

Strange occurrences just happened out of nowhere on my 2011 27 inch iMac running El Capitan 10.11.6. I have numerous folders and documents on the desktop perhaps too many but they've been there for years and movable at my discussion, and never a problem before. All of a sudden they got rearranged and I can't move any of them. Is there anyway to unlock them and be able to move them around the desktop anywhere I want. Thank you for any help anyone can give me on this interesting occurs that just recently happened.

Posted on Dec 23, 2022 5:05 PM

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Answer 1

Jack-19

Level 8

46,182 points

Dec 23, 2022 8:57 PM in response to dmfett

once I boot in safe mode, does it automatically repair the disk and clear lots of cash and load, safe drivers and prevent loading a third-party extensions? I don't have to do anything else other than just go on that mode. Of course I need to see if the icons on my desktop will move around. If they don't what do I do then? Since it's late at night? I probably won't get to this until in the morning.

From How to use safe mode on your Mac - Apple Support:

Safe mode prevents your Mac from loading certain software as it starts up, including login items, system extensions not required by macOS, and fonts not installed by macOS. It also does a basic check of your startup disk, similar to using First Aid in Disk Utility. And it deletes some system caches, including font caches and the kernel cache, which are automatically created again as needed.

Jack

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Answer 2

BDAqua

Level 10

250,181 points

Dec 23, 2022 6:34 PM in response to dmfett

Start with this...

Safe Boot, (holding Shift key down at startup), does the problem occur in Safe Mode? Could take 10 minutes or more.

Safe mode attempts to repair Disks & clears lots of caches & loads safe Drivers, & prevents loading of 3rd party extensions, so if Safe Mode works try again in regular boot.

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Answer 3

dmfett Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 23, 2022 8:54 PM in response to BDAqua

Thanks for your quick response and taking time to answer me. I have a follow-up question for you and it's this, once I boot in safe mode, does it automatically repair the disk and clear lots of cash and load, safe drivers and prevent loading a third-party extensions? I don't have to do anything else other than just go on that mode. Of course I need to see if the icons on my desktop will move around. If they don't what do I do then? Since it's late at night? I probably won't get to this until in the morning.

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Answer 4

dmfett Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 23, 2022 9:08 PM in response to Jack-19

Wow! It fixed everything when I click none and put everything back as it was before it went crazy today. Have no idea how that happened but it's fixed...now I know how to fix it in the future. You are a blessing to me and if you celebrate Christmas, merry Christmas to you, that was a great Christmas present for me.

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Answer 5

TheLittles

Level 10

201,755 points

Dec 23, 2022 9:13 PM in response to dmfett

dmfett Said:

"Need help with icons frozen on desktop in El Capitan. 10.11.6: All of a sudden they got rearranged and I can't move any of them. Is there anyway to unlock them and be able to move them around the desktop anywhere I want.[...]"

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Boot in Safe Mode:

Hold down the shift key upon boot. See if you can maneuver the icons from there.

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