TheLab55

Q: help! please anyone I can't access preferences from messages on MacBook Pro

I can't do anything to access my messages on my macbook, all the threads I've found say go to messages then preferences but I can't even access preferences!! help please!!

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mavericks (10.9.2)

Posted on Mar 14, 2014 6:59 PM

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Q: help! please anyone I can't access preferences from messages on MacBook Pro

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  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Mar 16, 2014 1:06 PM in response to TheLab55
    Level 9 (73,254 points)
    Applications
    Mar 16, 2014 1:06 PM in response to TheLab55

    Hi,

     

    Open any Finder window  (Make the Finder the "front" app).

    Use the Go Menu whilst holding down the ALT Key.

    Select the Library that appears in the Menu.

    Navigate to Preferences.

     

    Find com.apple.ichat.plist (Messages still uses this)

    Drag it to the Trash and restart Messages.

     

    For many years this has given access back in iChat and Messages 7.x.x in Mountain Lion.

    However it is not the instant "Cure" in Mavericks and Messages 8 that it used to be.  (it may not work).

     

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    7:53 pm      Sunday; March 16, 2014

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     Couple of iPhones and an iPad
  • by BASSdesigns,

    BASSdesigns BASSdesigns Sep 27, 2016 1:19 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 27, 2016 1:19 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    Ralph,

     

    I had the same issue and tried your suggestion. It worked with one exception. OS Yosemite on iMac wouldn't allow the "com.apple.ichat.plist" file to be emptied from the Trash. What DID work was to drag the file to the Trash as you instructed and then reboot. Everything back to normal then.

     

    Thanks for your suggestion which resolved 2 weeks of iMessage problems!

     

    Melanie

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Sep 27, 2016 1:31 PM in response to BASSdesigns
    Level 9 (73,254 points)
    Applications
    Sep 27, 2016 1:31 PM in response to BASSdesigns

    Ummm,

     

    You should be able to delete it from the Trash once Messages is not using it (i.e. it is Quit)

    Restarting Messages recreates it in the Preferences.

     

    However, glad to hear it helped you find an answer.

     

     

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    9:31 pm      Tuesday; September 27, 2016

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (El Capitan)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     iPhone and an iPad (2)