Big Sur Screen Saver not showing photo library nor source menu, it’s gone

EtreCheck was performed after re-Installing Big Sur 11.6. Thought this would fix, but did not. Still no Source Menu to select anything in Screen Saver, except Apple Screen Savers. However, able to select Photo Library in DeskTops, which thought strange, and see my favorite PICTs/5 seconds as selected. Opened Photos app to perform any library updating, but only opened normally.

Noticed Report states many app crashes. This was from a problem with LogicPro, which was quitting immediately when selecting Sound Library Instruments, which took nearly two weeks of help from LogicPro Help Forum. Many, many Quits(app crashes). Was eventually fixed.

However, this involved moving Sound Library, 42GB, to boot SSD. Get Info showed only 31GB available; but, knew

there should be about 125GB. Apple Support and I tracked it down to ScreenShots by TM and did a Terminal Command to Clear Local ScreenShots. (tmutil thinlocalsnapshots / 999999999999999 4 ). This gave me 167GB to do the transfer and LogicPro functioned perfectly. Apple Support stated this is not a command to do frequently; but, only in such a circumstance; and, after a day or so the files I deleted, Aerial Screen Saver from GitHub (42GB) was deleted. This was by an uninstall option in Aerial’s Menu. However, there were around 30 Aerial orphan files found doing a “Find Any File” app, which were all deleted; and, wondering if this is when I might of deleted something needed by Apple’s Screen Saver, but I only selected when saw Aerial’s name listed? However, the Big Sur Re-Install should have fixed this. It did not.

I hope you can locate the problem. Apogee, Quartet and some other files are for my DAW recording studio using LogicPro X. I scanned EtreCheck for anything obvious, but did not find anything. Will check on some of its findings and files that are ophan or not needed, some install from as far back as 2012, as I deleted most all Non-Apple apps trying to fix the LogicPro Problem. I only kept typeit4me, Team Viewer-personal use only, Foscam security cameras apps and files, iStat Menus, Epson Printer files, Rosetta, Carbon Copy Cloner, and a few Ad Blockers, which I noticed the Report mentioned, and requires access. Concerned about, "System modifications - There are a large number of system modifications running in the background.”

Luis, Created a new user account and to my surprise screensaver functions normally.

I deleted the screensaver preferences plist, but that did not help anything.

Starting in safe mode, but same problem occurred, no source drop down menu for screensaver.

So, new user account screensaver functions normally.

So, I have a corrupt user account? I did mess with permissions, so I suspect that is the problem?

• I am reading to reset permissions on your home folder, but this has Changed with each macOS, and Big Sur and I’m not sure how to do this. Not finding anything in searches except for older operating systems, changing with each macOS and info stops with Mojave and Catalina.
• I hope you can chime in once again on what to do next to fix my user account.

Was just about to reinstall big star Big Sur from a restart command – R, after a disk first aid and boot drive.

Here are screenshots from system preferences, desktop and screen savers, screen savers, Ken Burns and a few others. The only ones that work on the Apple the fog screen savers. Interestingly, I am able to select photo library for desktops, so photos library is available. Thought that was a bit weird. Is there something missing from my screen savers folder or is this work on a different level? Best, Seth

Luis,

YEAH! Finally, after three hours this morning waking up at 4:30 AM, to my surprise my plan of comparing the two home folders for the two users worked. Didn’t even have to reboot.

  After nearly 10 days, with the several folks here spending a lot of time assisting me, especially you Louis, and give them much thank you’s!  Also spent several hours in screen sharing  sessions with Apple Support.   I finally fixed it and the source selection drop-down menu has returned.

  I knew I must’ve accidentally deleted some essential file when trying to delete the Aerial screensaver from GitHub, or left behind some orphan files from that screensaver, preventing screen saver from functioning.  I found a least 20 orphan files that I deleted, even after I did an uninstall following their directions on their website for the screensaver. I was not happy about that.  When you do an uninstall it should not leave behind over 20 orphan files on your boot drive. 

   What I did was use the app called “Find Any File“,  comparing the two home folders from two users, my usual one where it didn’t work, and on a new user I created where the screen saver did function. It was necessary to remove a number of files, and add about four or five files that were missing. 

  I didn’t even have to do a reboot, and opened system preferences, went to screen saver and it was blank, but after a few seconds the source menu appeared and photos was already selected.   However nothing showed and it was frozen and I could not get the pop-up menu to work.   I recalled that it takes some time for the photos to load, so I just left it for 10 or 15 minutes and after 30 minutes came back, and all the pictures were in the little preview window changing randomly, as I had selected previously, and worked perfectly.

  Again I think all of you that assisted me here this past week, especially Louis on this form and Desmond senior Apple advisor. 

Best, Seth 

I realized all those junk apps from MacPaw and MacCleaner were malware or nasty apps, many years ago.

on my older iMac 2011 I made the mistake once. It’s amazing how many left over files are still present on your iMac even after you delete an app and it’s associated files, or an uninstall. Once found leftover files, once Over 30, but thoroughly deleted those by using “find any file” app. Got it when it was six dollars now it’s $7.99 I noticed.

No, I’ve never used any of those apps on my newer iMac and have eliminated most non-Apple apps, except those that I have thoroughly checked are safe, and from a reliable website, if not in the App Store, which is not so reliable anymore with all those sneaky subscription tactics being used. Reading reviews I’m surprised that nearly all have a number of complaints about being charged unethically, and without notice, and difficulty getting it removed, refunded. I made that mistake a few times, but no more. But you’re right to ask the question, as it’s getting more difficult to be safe…

What file, preferences could be missing that I accidentally deleted when I did the Find Any File app, as I recall doing a search not just for “Ariel” but also using The keyword ”screensaver”. I could’ve deleted an essential files somewhere. I could recover it from Time Machine if I know where to look.

Did the EtreCheck Report help, or any advice what I should do with some of those files in the report?

Best, Seth

Did the above exactly as I was talking with Apple Support. He had me follow your directions. Cudos for you.

However, the new account did not fix Screen Saver. There is still no Source Menu.

I am now waiting to be transferred to a Senior Advisor on what to do next.

Just need to reset Screen Saver to default settings. How could this be so difficult?

Update when we finish here with results...

Best, Seth

Spent about an hour and a half with an Apple Senior Advisor Desmond, and tried a number of things, some of which I’d already done. Actually most of them. He took down my iMac information and sending it to engineers, who will contact me schedule a date and time to control my computer next week sometime. Desmond, the Senior Advisor is taking charge of the case for Apple support.

I’m wondering, does creating the new user then deleting the user account usually always work? Seem to have read somewhere that sometimes you need to do it a few times for it to take?

Apple Support seemed surprised that creating a new user, the screensaver works fine, but when I create a new user and move the home folder over to it, Screen Saver does not work. I’m pretty sure when I deleted the Aerial screensaver from GitHub, which left behind about 20 orphan files, I must’ve deleted some essential file needed for the default screen saver. If so, wouldn’t that be replaced with a Big Sur reinstall from Recovery Partition?

Louis, I suspect you’d be on the level with the Senior Advisor or perhaps engineering, and hoping you might have more ideas? I read that deleting the cache folder (keep back up), then delete the preferences folder. Checking them one at a time, until the problem is resolved, hopefully. Apple support wanted me to go to an Apple store, but saw that the closest one is seven hours away. Pretty isolated here. I’m thinking of doing a complete search with Find Any File for screensaver on my older High Sierra iMac, and matching up with my newer iMac, as there’s been no change between the two. Apple support said that not much has been done with that control panel in a long time, and the plist Preference file is still exactly 69 bytes between the two iMac OS’s.

Best, Seth

I was actually shocked, and when I saw the blank black area where a source menu should be didn’t show initially, I was not surprised. I was ready to restart the computer when all of the sudden it appeared. Then I remembered even on my other iMac there is a slight delay when you go from a default screen saver to one of the screen savers that have a source menu.

I thank you for all your help Louis, as I would not have figured the problem out with out your assistance and suggestions.

You are correct that creating an other “User is critical in solving problems.”

Best, Seth

I’ll do that Etrecheck when I get finished with something I’m doing on my other iMac.

I’ll post it later this morning. Thanks so much for the reply and your attention sir

I’ll do the other account method also.

I’ve noticed many knowledgeable folks here that give very useful and accurate information

to track down problems suggest this.