XML Parser Error

Question

Level 2

475 points

XML Parser Error

My daughter just returned from school and I'm in the process of running all the maintenance checks and backin the system up. Disk utility "Repair Disk/Repair Disk Permissions found no errors.

Using Preferential Treatment 1.1.6 with iBook G4 running 10.4.8. Checking User Preferences

Preferential Treatment v1.1.6 by Jonathan Nathan
http://homepage.mac.com/jonn8/as/

user preference report
Wednesday, July 4, 2007 11:20:53 AM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Corrupt Preference File:
/Users/Home/Library/Preferences/.com.apple.pref.plist

Problem(s):
XML parser error:
No XML content found
Old-style plist parser error:
Unexpected EOF while parsing plist

Before she left in February there were no errors. and that is the last time the system was cloned.

Just checked for that file ".com.apple.pref.plist" and can't find it in the path as stated also spotlight was not able to locate it as well. Also not in the February clone either. In fact can't find any file that starts with ".com.apple". Also tried to use Preferential Treatment to locate file "Reveal in Finder" and it opened that Folder but still no file with that name.

1) Can I just delete this file? With Preferential Treatment? Can't locate in the finder so that's not an option.
2) What does this file ".com.apple.pref.plist" consist of?

Thanks Alan

MBP SR 2.4, iBookG4 933, eMacG4 700,, Mac OS X (10.4.9), AEBS, iSight, 20GB iPod, 4GB iPod Mini, 8GB iPod Nano

Posted on Jul 4, 2007 3:53 PM

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Answer 1

MGW

Level 7

27,047 points

Jul 4, 2007 7:08 PM in response to Alan Ogata

Alan - as you know, all the com.apple .plists are in the Preference folder of the user's or hd Library folder. There's a preference.internet.plist, but as you say, I can't find a preferences.plist. But in any case, I think you can delete the .plist without worrying about it, since they regenerate.

Miriam

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Answer 2

Alan Ogata Author

Level 2

475 points

Jul 5, 2007 12:16 AM in response to MGW

Thanks Miriam,

I checked again and could not find /Users/Home/Library/Preferences/.com.apple.pref.plist. As I ran PT I watched it very closely as it scanned the user preference files and it looked like in the very begining I saw a file that started with .com.apple that's all I can confirm. I looked again and still there are no files in that folder that start with .com.apple. Anyway took your advice and checked the folder before deleting and it listed 255 items. Then ran PT, selected that corrupted file and proceded to delete it. It remove the file from the window and I checked the folder again and it still listed 255 items. Restarted the computer, ran PT again and this time I no longer can see that file being scanned so I assume it's gone. Anyway it passed the test with no problems and the system seems fine. I don't know where that file originated from but it doesn't look like the system has regenerated that file yet.

Alan

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Answer 3

MGW

Level 7

27,047 points

Jul 5, 2007 6:42 AM in response to Alan Ogata

Hi Alan, it may have regenerated but in an uncorrupted form - as long as everything is working properly, I wouldn't worry.

Thanks,

Miriam

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Answer 4

Jul 5, 2007 10:39 AM in response to Alan Ogata

"I looked again and still there are no files in that folder that start with .com.apple."

Unless you have the Finder's hidden option to show all files, you won't be able to see a file that starts with ".", as that's a hidden file. Spotlight also won't find it, since the Tiger version of Spotlight cannot return results for invisible files.

Since that's an invisible file, it won't be figured into the total count of files that the Finder will display, so like you found, the total was 255 both before and after that file was deleted.

I've never come across a file with that name before. That would be for an application called "Pref.app" or "pref.app", which doesn't make that much sense. Since it was purposely created as an invisible file with the "." in front of it, and since it wasn't valid XML, it's possible it was created by a third-party application. Anyway, nothing too serious.

Hope this helps....

Dual 2.7GHz PowerPC G5 w/ 2.5 GB RAM; 17" MacBook Pro w/ 2 GB RAM - Mac OS X (10.4.10)

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Answer 5

Alan Ogata Author

Level 2

475 points

Jul 5, 2007 12:20 PM in response to MarkDouma®

Thanks Mark,

That would explain why I failed to find it. And yes my daughter has downloaded a couple of misc programs since I checked it last so it was probably one of those. She haven't used the computer since I've deleted that file so we'll see if it regenerates again and if it does, if it is corrupt or not.

Thanks to both of you, for shedding some light. You have been very helpful.
Alan

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