Dock icons will not move, cannot add/subtract icons : Snow Leopard

which plists did you remove and which terminal commands did you try? delete the file /users/username/library/preferences/com.apple.dock.plist and run the following terminal command

killall Dock

if that does not help, make a different account and log into it. can you modify the dock there?

Jess1686 wrote:
Okay, when a new account is created, I can easily edit the dock - no problem. What does that say?

this says that the problem is local and is limited to one account only and is not a systemwide issue. but before we go on are you in some sort of managed environment? bound to a server?
if not, are you using mobileme to sync your dock and other settings with mobileme?

Message was edited by: V.K.

Jess1686 wrote:
no, my laptop is isolated. no server, no mobileme sync.

then i don't know why resetting dock preferences does not work. try one more thing. delete the entire folder /users/yourusername/library/application support/syncservices. then log out/in and try changing the dock again.

Jess1686 wrote:
That did not work either. I give up. I know I can create a new account, however, how do I enable the new account to have the same access to settings/files/documents that my old account does?

there is no automated procedure for that. you'll have to copy your data from the old home directory to the new one. see this link for locations of important things to copy
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=6185507

I seem to be having the same problem. I cannot add applications to the dock. I had to replace a few of the drives in my Mac Pro and considered moving the OS to one of the new drives. I changed my mind and went back to the original OS installation. When this started happening I deleted preferences and restarted. Then even reinstalled SL but it just won't work. I just have the default icons. When I drag iPhoto to the dock for example it goes away a few seconds later.

Me too, tried all the posted suggestions. Any progress?

Found this:
{thecoolk
macrumors newbie

Join Date: Jul 2008
Solved!
this may not be the case for most of you but i found out that...
under system preferences>parental control>"(your account)">system, there is a list of things that if you tick them off, you are able to do. it's at the bottom of the page and all you have to do is
-make a tick next to "Can modify the Dock" by clicking the small white box next to it.
-restart your computer.

voila!

try it if you have "parental control" on your account.}
Have never touched Parental Controls but somehow they changed & whenI checked the"can modify dock" box everything was all good all .

Hey, all –

I've got the same problem. It started when I did a fresh install of Leopard on my G5. I was having frequent kernel panics. Well, the panics are gone, but the dock is not functioning properly. I can't add folders to the right side, though I can add applications. My MacBook Pro is now infected with a mutant strain of the problem, allowing me to add folders but not applications. I've deleted the preferences. I reinstalled and updated Snow Leopard and reinstalled iWork on the MBP – it added the icons to the dock, then they vanished. I repaired permissions on both machines and nothing has changed. Help. My machines still work, but this is very annoying.

Message was edited by: Miss Julia

Please post to the Leopard forums. This one's for Snow Leopard.