mmatteojr

Q: Unable to open network pane in system preferences

In OS X El Capitan when I try to open the network pane in system preferences it freezes and won't load causing me to to have to force quit the application. I do not have this problem with any other system preferences panes. I have console messages if that helps.

MacBook Air (13-inch Mid 2011), OS X El Capitan (10.11.6)

Posted on Sep 25, 2016 10:53 AM

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Q: Unable to open network pane in system preferences

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  • by Eau Rouge,

    Eau Rouge Eau Rouge Sep 25, 2016 11:42 AM in response to mmatteojr
    Level 4 (2,995 points)
    Mac App Store
    Sep 25, 2016 11:42 AM in response to mmatteojr

    Have you tried a simple restart.

    Or you could download the Combo update, double-click to  install.

    Download OS X El Capitan 10.11.6 Combo Update

    It is ok to install over your 10.11.6, the combo resets some system files so may help with your problem.

  • by mmatteojr,

    mmatteojr mmatteojr Sep 27, 2016 8:52 AM in response to Eau Rouge
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 27, 2016 8:52 AM in response to Eau Rouge

    Thanks Eau Rouge for the ideas. In the last few weeks I tried the restart, update and even a reinstall, but the problem persists. Any other ideas are greatly appreciated.

  • by Luis Sequeira1,

    Luis Sequeira1 Luis Sequeira1 Sep 27, 2016 9:11 AM in response to mmatteojr
    Level 6 (12,429 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 27, 2016 9:11 AM in response to mmatteojr

    Try restarting in Safe Mode, try it there.

    Then restart normally, try again.

    Let us know.

  • by mmatteojr,

    mmatteojr mmatteojr Sep 27, 2016 2:27 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 27, 2016 2:27 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1

    Thanks Luis for your suggestion. I tried in Safe Mode a few times, but the same problem persists.

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Sep 27, 2016 7:46 PM in response to mmatteojr
    Level 9 (72,571 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 27, 2016 7:46 PM in response to mmatteojr

    Might be a corrupt .plist.

     

    Do a backup, preferably 2 backups on 2 separate drives.

     

    Quit the application.

     

    Go to Finder and select your user/home folder. With that Finder window as the front window, either select Finder/View/Show View options or go command - J.  When the View options opens, check ’Show Library Folder’. That should make your user library folder visible in your user/home folder.  Select Library. Then go to Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist.  Move the .plist to your desktop.

     

    Restart the computer, open the application, and test. If it works okay, delete the plist from the desktop.

     

    If the application is the same, return the .plist to where you got it from, overwriting the newer one.

     

    Thanks to leonie for some information contained in this.

  • by mmatteojr,

    mmatteojr mmatteojr Sep 29, 2016 6:34 PM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 29, 2016 6:34 PM in response to Eric Root

    Thanks for your great idea Eric. I tired moving the .plist file to my desktop and restarting, but the same problem persisted, so no luck with this. I'd like to add that last weekend with the help of my local Apple store I did a clean re-install then used migration assistant to restore my backup. I checked the network pane BEFORE migration assistant and it opened perfectly. However, when I restored my backup the problem was their again. So, obviously I have a bug somewhere. Any other ideas anyone? I really don't want to have to re-build from scratch.