# Giant Question Mark



## Matt J (Oct 21, 2012)

I was playing a computer game called League of Legends yesterday on my Macbook Pro, and after I closed the program I happened to look at my desktop background and saw a gigantic grey question mark in a black background covering the entire background. When I checked Desktop and Screen Saver in System Preferences, it said it was still sky. I tried changing the background and it worked, but when I restarted my computer the background was back to that same huge question mark. I know for a fact that I accidentally right clicked and left clicked the background a whole bunch of times while playing that game. Could that have anything to do with my background now being a giant question mark and me not being able to change it permanently? Please help!


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## sinclair_tm (Mar 11, 2005)

That's a new one. Is it pointing to a picture on a removable drive?


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## Matt J (Oct 21, 2012)

sinclair_tm said:


> That's a new one. Is it pointing to a picture on a removable drive?


Actually the problem has fixed itself. THe question mark is gone, and the background is now what it's supposed to be. But to answer your question, no. It was just as if it was the new background.


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## sinclair_tm (Mar 11, 2005)

Weird it is. Glad it's resolved.


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## omegastorm13 (Oct 5, 2012)

Protip: alt tab is your friend, always play fullscreen.


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## sinclair_tm (Mar 11, 2005)

Full screen is for iPads. Desktops should be windowed, it's much more effective and efficient.


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## Matt J (Oct 21, 2012)

Actually, now the exact same problem is back! :banghead: It happened right after i downloaded google chrome and restarted my computer. Help please!


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## sinclair_tm (Mar 11, 2005)

Could you please do a screen capture and post it so I know what it looks like.


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## Matt J (Oct 21, 2012)

How do I do that?


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## Matt J (Oct 21, 2012)

This is a screenshot


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## sinclair_tm (Mar 11, 2005)

Time to delete the preference file for the desktop background. Being I'm not at a Mac, I can't tell you the name, but look in "<MacHD>:Users:<yourusername>:Libraryreferences" for a file with "Desktop and Screen Saver" in it's name and move it to the trash, then log out and log back in to your account, then set the desktop image.


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## Matt J (Oct 21, 2012)

Thanks a lot, but where should I go to find that file? Is it in Finder?


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## sinclair_tm (Mar 11, 2005)

Yes, you use the Finder to navigate to the location.


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## Matt J (Oct 21, 2012)

I found it and I moved it to the trash-but now when I want the background to be earth and moon, after I turn off the computer, it turns back to galaxy! What should I do? Sorry for troubling you so much!:frown:


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## Matt J (Oct 21, 2012)

Matt J said:


> I found it and I moved it to the trash-but now when I want the background to be earth and moon, after I turn off the computer, it turns back to galaxy! What should I do? Sorry for troubling you so much!:frown:


Also, it automatically goes back to galaxy no matter what I change the background to. After I power down and start up again, it's always back at galaxy. Did I do something wrong?


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## sinclair_tm (Mar 11, 2005)

Where is the picture you are trying to use for the background located? Also, open Disk Utility found in the Utilities folder and repair disk permissions with it.


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## Matt J (Oct 21, 2012)

sinclair_tm said:


> Where is the picture you are trying to use for the background located? Also, open Disk Utility found in the Utilities folder and repair disk permissions with it.


The picture is the standard earth and moon picture that comes with it. I did what you said, but no luck :frown:. It worked for a few minutes but now the background is still at galaxy.


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## sinclair_tm (Mar 11, 2005)

Is your account an admin account? If you are, then the only thing I can think it is is that there are some corrupt preference files and or incorrect permissions, which may require a reinstall to fix. Are you using an external monitor?


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