Matt Harper

Q: Could not load Desktop and Screen Saver preference pane.

Hi all

Upgraded to Yosemite and get an error "Could not load Desktop and Screen Saver preference pane." when trying to open via system preferences.

 

Running a late 2012 iMac, 3.4 GHz Intel Core i7

 

I did a standard upgrade not a clean wipe install... can anyone help... driving me bonkers looking at the rock picture as really hard to see desktop.

Posted on Oct 20, 2014 1:38 PM

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Q: Could not load Desktop and Screen Saver preference pane.

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  • by Matt Harper,

    Matt Harper Matt Harper Oct 20, 2014 2:35 PM in response to Matt Harper
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Oct 20, 2014 2:35 PM in response to Matt Harper

    I have logged in as a guest on the same machine and this issue is not present... only have issues when logging in on the main admin id

  • by magsione,

    magsione magsione Oct 21, 2014 1:21 AM in response to Matt Harper
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 21, 2014 1:21 AM in response to Matt Harper

    I have the same problem after upgrading to Yosemite. I was changing the backgrounds in this preferences, the computer was not responding for about 3 seconds and after this Desktop & Screen Saver pane was not accessible.

     

    I tried this solution from OS X Lion but it doesn't work.

    I even re-installed the Yosemite, but with no luck. Guess the re-installation over existing Yosemite does not do everything from scratch...

     

    What to do?  

  • by DerekApple,

    DerekApple DerekApple Oct 23, 2014 3:10 AM in response to Matt Harper
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 23, 2014 3:10 AM in response to Matt Harper

    Have same problem. Have two users plus guest, works fine on one but not the 2nd. Set up a 3rd and works fine. Tried advice offered re earlier OS X versions but with no effect.

  • by dominic23,

    dominic23 dominic23 Oct 23, 2014 3:20 AM in response to Matt Harper
    Level 8 (41,738 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 23, 2014 3:20 AM in response to Matt Harper

    Close all windows and quit all applications.

      

    Hold the option key down and click the "Go" menu in the Finder menubar.

    Select "Library" from the dropdown, then "Preferences" folder.

      

    Look for these two files.

      

    com.apple.desktop.plist

    com.apple.systempreferences.plist

      

    Right click each  one of those and select " Move To Trash" from the contextual menu.

      

    Restart the computer.

  • by DerekApple,

    DerekApple DerekApple Oct 23, 2014 5:02 AM in response to dominic23
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 23, 2014 5:02 AM in response to dominic23

    Deleted com.apple.systempreferences.plist but com.apple.desktop.plist didn't exist. After restart still cannot load the Desktop and Screen Saver preference pane.

  • by magsione,

    magsione magsione Oct 24, 2014 8:43 AM in response to dominic23
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 24, 2014 8:43 AM in response to dominic23

    Nope it doesn't work.

  • by jpope42,

    jpope42 jpope42 Oct 26, 2014 8:37 AM in response to magsione
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 26, 2014 8:37 AM in response to magsione

    I am having the same problem, cannot load the desktop and screen saver preferences pane. Tried the above solution, but it didn't work. Tried to reinstall Yosemite, but no luck and still stuck on the eyeball burning red background. Any other possible solutions?

  • by Matt Harper,

    Matt Harper Matt Harper Oct 26, 2014 10:03 AM in response to jpope42
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Oct 26, 2014 10:03 AM in response to jpope42

    I did a clean install of Yosemite from a USB drive fixed the issue. Just make sure you run a time machine backup so you have all your old files.... then face the fact you need to rebuild your machine.

  • by Anomac63,

    Anomac63 Anomac63 Oct 26, 2014 3:25 PM in response to dominic23
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Oct 26, 2014 3:25 PM in response to dominic23

    I also have this problem. The Display and Desktop Preference Panes do not load.

     

    Dominic23 I tried your workaround and it didn't work. **** shame but thanks for your input.

    I did notice that I had a file called

         com.apple.systempreferences.plist.lockfile

    Would this have something to do with the issue?

    Do I need to delete this as well?

     

    Do I need to book a Genius bar? Heaven forbid. But there is something nice about making their problem their problem.

  • by magsione,

    magsione magsione Oct 27, 2014 1:54 AM in response to Matt Harper
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 27, 2014 1:54 AM in response to Matt Harper

    Oh come on! I don't have the will or energy for "Format & Reinstall solution" with this pathetic issue. There must be some script that will eliminate this pain.

    If you need to change the wallpaper ASAP: I use this app: Wallpapers HD, this app will change your wallpaper.

    This issue probably won't be in the official bug fixes for Yosemite?    

  • by Anomac63,

    Anomac63 Anomac63 Oct 27, 2014 2:44 AM in response to magsione
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Oct 27, 2014 2:44 AM in response to magsione

    You are kind of missing the point magsione. My gripe is that I have no control over the viewing size of my desktop. It's pathetically large at present. The default. I run a MacBook pro with a ton of ram and Graphics are my job. This isn't another case about which pretty picture I might be locked into viewing.

  • by neilfrombellevue,Helpful

    neilfrombellevue neilfrombellevue Oct 30, 2014 1:59 PM in response to Matt Harper
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Oct 30, 2014 1:59 PM in response to Matt Harper

    Hey Matt -

     

    If you still have this issue, here's good news!  I had the same problem even after upgrading to Yosemite 2X's... always could not open the Desktop pane in System Preferences but would only display a Preferences Error window.

     

    Here's the fix:

     

    1) Close all windows & apps

    2) Go to the System Library by selecting Finder, the hold the Option Key, then click on the Go tab at the top

    3) Open the Application Support folder

    4) Open the Dock folder

    5) You should see desktoppicture.db in the Dock folder

    6) Drag the desktoppicture.db to Trash

    7) Reboot and you should be Good-To-Go

     

    Enjoy...

  • by neilfrombellevue,

    neilfrombellevue neilfrombellevue Oct 30, 2014 2:00 PM in response to magsione
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Oct 30, 2014 2:00 PM in response to magsione

    Hey Magsione -

     

    If you still have this issue, here's good news!  I had the same problem even after upgrading to Yosemite 2X's... always could not open the Desktop pane in System Preferences but would only display a Preferences Error window.

     

    Here's the fix:

     

    1) Close all windows & apps

    2) Go to the System Library by selecting Finder, the hold the Option Key, then click on the Go tab at the top

    3) Open the Application Support folder

    4) Open the Dock folder

    5) You should see desktoppicture.db in the Dock folder

    6) Drag the desktoppicture.db to Trash

    7) Reboot and you should be Good-To-Go

     

    Enjoy...

  • by neilfrombellevue,

    neilfrombellevue neilfrombellevue Oct 30, 2014 2:01 PM in response to Anomac63
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Oct 30, 2014 2:01 PM in response to Anomac63

    Hey Anomac63 -

     

    If you still have this issue, here's good news!  I had the same problem even after upgrading to Yosemite 2X's... always could not open the Desktop pane in System Preferences but would only display a Preferences Error window.

     

    Here's the fix:

     

    1) Close all windows & apps

    2) Go to the System Library by selecting Finder, the hold the Option Key, then click on the Go tab at the top

    3) Open the Application Support folder

    4) Open the Dock folder

    5) You should see desktoppicture.db in the Dock folder

    6) Drag the desktoppicture.db to Trash

    7) Reboot and you should be Good-To-Go

     

    Enjoy...

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