You should rebuild the desktop once per month and after every major software installation or upgrade. This is simple, painless and only takes a couple of minutes. Restart while holding down the OPTION + COMMAND keys. You do that by rebuilding the desktop.īy rebuilding the desktop, your Mac recompiles all of the desktop information, giving your computer's filing system a fresh start. Every so often it's necessary to start with a clean slate. As applications and files move on and off your hard disk, the Desktop file must keep track of all this relocation that can leave the Desktop file bloated and it can become corrupted.

Depending on its size each application has one or more representatives in the desktop file. It lets the system know what application should be launched when you open a given file and what icons it should display where. The Desktop file/database holds all the information necessary to associate each file with the application that created it. The desktop information is actually stored in two invisible desktop files ( Desktop DB and Desktop DF).

However, if I wait 3 seconds until the chime is done, and then press keys, I can get the recovery console.The desktop is part of your computer's internal filing system. I had been pressing the specified keys as soon as I could after a restart during the startup chime. For this, I am using not only a Windows keyboard, but also where the keyboard is connected to a KVM switch (i.e., USB connection from the Mini to the switch, and then keyboard attached to the switch).Īfter a bunch floundering, I found that at least with the Mini, timing is an issue. The Mini has been entirely different, where the best I can do is a login screen that offers to reset the login password.

With the MBP and a built-in keyboard, I can get to the Recovery without difficulty, using any of the specified methods. I have both an old MacBook Pro (2010) and a 2014 Mac Mini.

How to rebuild a mac mini 1