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

This worked for the Time Machine Preferences.

Thanks for the post!

Thanks Neil I found this with the help of an Apple support person. This fix did work. Thank you so much for posting.

Hi,

After trying all the other tricks – can confirm that this works!

Nice one..!

I am having this problem as well. I tried moving those two .plist files to the trash: no effect. I tried moving desktoppicture.db to the trash: no effect. Does anyone have any ideas? I've been working on this since 1:30 pm CT, and I'm not making any progress.

I moved desktop picture.db to the trash, and now I can open the Desktop and Screen Saver preferences! Woo hoo! Thank you!

You can delete the com.apple.systempreferences.plist in ~/Library/Preferences and it will work again.

Thanks but I can't follow the path in your suggested solution.  I have recently upgraded from OSX 10.6.8 to Yosemite but this was the only glitch.

When I follow this path: ~ / System / Library /

There is no Application Support folder.

When I follow this path: ~ / Library / Application Support

There is no Dock folder.

I tried to follow your instructions. First, I closed all windows and apps.   Then, when I am in the Finder, I held down the Option Key and clicked "Go" from the top menu but there is no Application Support in the subsequent drop down menu.  So, I can't locate a Dock folder or a desktoppicture.db folder.

Any suggestions would be sincerely appreciated!

HI, deleting the system preference plist like i mentioned worked for me. Check if these issues you have also occur on a new user. If not, it means you have a corrupted prefs file.

Thank YOU!!!

The tip works great, but the issue keeps returning every time I reboot the computer.  I have a desktop that I want but it goes back to the picture of Yosemite on reboot.  I go back to the preferences and get the same Preference Error message.  Wish Apple would just fix this issue.

Thank you so much for posting this advice...

Works like a charm for me... deleting the db did the trick ;-)

Thanks again

I just got my laptop yesterday and I updated yosemite 10.10.2. it was working fine then all of a sudden it started it started saying the "Preferences Error: could not load desktop & screen saver preferences pane" when I try to go into desktop & screen saver preferences. I have read your suggestions to follow on how to fix it but once I get to the application support folder there is no dock folder and I can't seem to find a desktoppicture.db. If there is anything else you could maybe suggest that would be great. I have also tried to follow some things a few others on this feed have suggested and I can't seem to find the folders or files they have suggested either. I have even created another user and I am able to open it on there. Any further help would be greatly appreciated!! I just want to enjoy my new computer.

R u sure you're in the user's home directory ?

I would think you've been looking into System/Library where you should look at /Users/Name of your User/Library/Application Support

HTH

yeah i'm in library/application support and have no idea where to go now.

wrong location.... the bottom line shows 'Macintosh HD/Library/ Application Support

Can you try:

Open the Finder Menu - Go To, then select Go To Folder and enter:

/Users/Name of your User/Library/

that should do...