Com.apple.finder.plist is missing and isn't being made automatically

My com.apple.finder.plist file is missing. I've looked in Library/Preferences and it isn't there, I already have hidden files and folders made visible, etc.

Whenever I restart my computer (by going up to Apple>Restart, or by Restarting by an application installation, which is how I came across this problem) every application closes and files on the desktop disappear, however, the finder stops responding and I HAVE to end up force quitting my computer which screws up the installation of the program I've been trying to install (SideSync by Samsung, if that's relevant.)

I can only see the desktop background picture and the bar on the bottom. I can't open finder, I can't Relaunch it by going to the Force Quit Application window.

Running a mid 2012 MacBook Pro with recently installed Mavericks.

Any ideas?

Solution 1:

The finder.plist isn't in /Library, it's in
~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist
That would be why you couldn't find it.

Quick way to get there…
From Finder
Cmd ⌘ N for New Window
Cmd ⌘ Shift ⇧ G for Go To…
Copy/paste ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist including the tilde ~
Hit Enter ⌅

I'd also consider clearing the Saved Sate at
~/Library/Saved Application State/com.apple.finder.savedState
It's safe to delete the entire folder contents - data, window etc.