Preference Error: could not load Sound preference pane

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Preference Error: could not load Sound preference pane

When I click on the 'Sound' button in the System Preference Panel I get a spinning wheel and then finally the statement: Preference Error: could not load Sound Preference pane

Discovered that iTunes quit playing songs, takes longer to even load up iTunes. Tracked the bigger problem down to Sound Preference messed up. Also experincing some extreme slowness with the new Safari update 14.0. Youtube doesn't work now.

I did also install the latest security update several days ago. (Both updated when they first appeared just a few days ago). Now I am suffering these problems.

I'm on MacOS 10.14.6.

Rebooted multiple times, ran Utility Disk, ran Apple Diagnostics using [Option + D]. None of that helped.

My system has been working fine for years.

Any suggestions?

iMac 27″, macOS 10.14

Posted on Sep 28, 2020 2:48 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

BDAqua

Level 10

245,483 points

Sep 28, 2020 3:05 PM in response to admiral_koa

Quit Sys Prefs & try deleting these files then restart & try it...

/Library/Preferences/Audio/com.apple.audio.SystemSettings.plist

/Users/YourUserName/Library/SyncedPreferences/com.apple.syncedpreferences.plist

/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist

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Answer 2

BDAqua

Level 10

245,483 points

Sep 29, 2020 9:39 AM in response to admiral_koa

Tons of problems with the 2020-005 SecUpd...

Reapply the Mojave OS...

1. Start up from macOS Recovery

To start up from macOS Recovery, turn on your Mac and immediately press and hold ...

Command (⌘)-R

Installs the latest macOS that was installed on your Mac.

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Answer 3

admiral_koa Author

Level 1

112 points

Sep 28, 2020 4:01 PM in response to BDAqua

No I had closed the panel

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Answer 4

admiral_koa Author

Level 1

112 points

Sep 29, 2020 9:49 AM in response to BDAqua

Yes, I just did this after reading all the other discussions regarding the security update and safari update.

This did fix all my issues ( that I know of so far): Sound preference is back so iTunes and YouTube work. Safari runs like a breeze. It went back to 12.1.2, I can turn off having a Guest User.

thanks

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Answer 5

admiral_koa Author

Level 1

112 points

Sep 28, 2020 3:39 PM in response to BDAqua

BDAqua

I followed what you said but it only changed the error code to: "There was an error in Sound preferences" from 'Could not load Sound preference pane".

I did notice that when I deleted the first file it automatically got replenished. There was almost a duplicate of the file I was to delete next in line but it ended with "~orig" (its a Document file not a property list). I wonder if that messed your directions up.

Any more ideas?

thanks

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Answer 6

BDAqua

Level 10

245,483 points

Sep 28, 2020 6:42 PM in response to admiral_koa

To find out if it's system wide or user specific, try this...

Open System Preferences>Users & Groups, unlock the lock, click on the little plus icon, make a new admin account, log out & into the new account.

Does it work in the new account?

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Answer 7

admiral_koa Author

Level 1

112 points

Sep 28, 2020 7:38 PM in response to BDAqua

I'm sorry. I've tried but can't seem to do it. I am the only one on this computer, I am the administrator. I tried to make another administrator but it never shows up but the system tells me that that name has already been used when I try it again. I made six guests.

Previously I had the guest user account turned off. Now I messed that up and it won't stay off. When I uncheck the "allow guests to log in to this computer" it does not stick. I have deleted all of the newly created guest folders. So now I have a new problem with my User & Group panel cooperating with me. (Of course maybe it's all me).

But the sound is clearly not working.

I did reset the PRAM also.

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