System Preferences Stuck in "Desktop & Screen Saver.

Question

abent2000 Author

Level 1

2 points

System Preferences Stuck in "Desktop & Screen Saver.

I was in System Preferences looking for some different desktop screens to use and got down into the "Apple" page with the folders showing. Then came the spinning beachball and it is locked in the "loading images". I can exit System Preferences by force quitting but now when I try to get back into System Preferences it goes right back to the "stuck" page and I can not get out except by force quit again. How can I get back to the "home" page of System Preferences?

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.2)

Posted on Jul 27, 2011 10:42 AM

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Answer 1

macjack

Level 10

111,168 points

Jul 27, 2011 10:49 AM in response to abent2000

From your "Go" menu in Finder hold the option key and choose, "Library"

Then go to Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist

Delete that file and relaunch System Preferences.

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Answer 2

abent2000 Author

Level 1

2 points

Jul 27, 2011 10:56 AM in response to macjack

No, it did not. Sys Pref went right to the same page (with less folders in the left pane) but locked up. Only way out was Command-option-Escape and had to force quit the "not responding" System Preferences.

Al

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Answer 3

macjack

Level 10

111,168 points

Jul 27, 2011 11:29 AM in response to abent2000

try starting up Safe Mode

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1455?viewlocale=en_US

(It will take more time to startup in Safe Mode because it runs a directory check.)

If your System Preferences functions correctly that way, go to System Preferences >> Accounts >> Login Items, and remove them. Boot normally and test.

If not go to/Users/yourname/Library/Contextual Menu Items and move whatever is there to the Desktop. Then do the same with /Library/Contextual Menu Items. Lastly, try moving/Users/yourname/Library/Fonts to your desktop and restarting.

Log out/in or restart, if that sorts it start putting items back one at a time until you find the culprit.

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Answer 4

abent2000 Author

Level 1

2 points

Jul 27, 2011 2:11 PM in response to abent2000

It would not boot in the safe mode.

This is what I got when I verified permissions for the Macintosh HD:

Verifying permissions for “Macintosh HD”

Warning: SUID file“System/Library/CoreServices/RemoteManagement/ARDAgent.app/Contents/MacOS/A RDAgent”has been modified and will not be repaired.

ACL found but not expected on“private/var/root/Library”

ACL found but not expected on“private/var/root/Library/Preferences”

Permissions verification complete

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Answer 5

abent2000 Author

Level 1

2 points

Jul 28, 2011 5:55 AM in response to abent2000

Nothing I have done has helped. The only function that seems to be affected is "System Preferences".

Would a new install of "Lion" over top the existing one (so as not to lose all my other applications and functions) help or would the same old (new) System Preferences problem still be there?

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Answer 6

macjack

Level 10

111,168 points

Jul 28, 2011 6:06 AM in response to abent2000

it's not a problem with Permissions, you should run /Disk Utility > Repair Disk. You'll need to boot from another volume or your recovery partition. Fix the disk. Test, then if System Preferences is still a problem, re-install. Lion will re-install "in place" and should not touch any of your files. That said, always have a good backup.

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Answer 7

abent2000 Author

Level 1

2 points

Jul 28, 2011 7:50 AM in response to macjack

Well, I finally had to use the recovery partition (Thank you 10.7) and Time Machine to get me back to last Saturday when it worked just fine. Of course I lost my messages from Mail and Outlook but all my other perishable data was safe because I keep it backed up on a different HD. That is not a problem.

This, however, has brought up the very significant point that I need to do a better "System" backup so will research that and, do what's necessary. What is Apples "official" position on system backups?

BTW thank you for all the hints and troubleshooting proceedures. I learned a lot about what I DON'T know.

Al in Winter Haven.

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Answer 8

macjack

Level 10

111,168 points

Jul 28, 2011 8:20 AM in response to abent2000

Glad to hear it's sorted out.

You may be able to retrieve your current email (depending on your own server settings) by going to MailtoWeb

In addition to a TM backup, I keep a complete bootable clone on a seperete drive.

Use SuperDuper or CarbonCopy Cloner

I use SuperDuper and have it scheduled to make "Smart Backups"(just what's been changed) every night.

You can do the same with CCC and it's free.

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Answer 9

abent2000 Author

Level 1

2 points

Jul 28, 2011 8:33 AM in response to macjack

Well, I did make a backup of the InstallESD.dmg file from the Lion install before I actually installed it. I kept three copies, Just in case. That really is not the bootable disc, though, is it?

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Answer 10

macjack

Level 10

111,168 points

Jul 28, 2011 10:00 AM in response to abent2000

No, that's the installer hang onto it.

I'm talking about a full system backup on aa separate hard drive that you can boot into should you run into problems on yours. It's not a matter of if a hard drive will fail but when. Go to one of the links I gave you and read the information there. It's a much better explanation that I can give.

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Answer 11

abent2000 Author

Level 1

2 points

Jul 28, 2011 10:25 AM in response to macjack

I understand. This was a good "lesson" for me. I have two "extra" external Hard Drives that I will use. I want also to be able to take some raw data files (Excel, Word, etc.) and be able to plug and play the drives into a PC as well so as to have that data available for use if the Mac goes down again.

Appreciate your help.

Al

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Answer 12

Feb 15, 2012 8:57 PM in response to abent2000

From your "Go" menu in Finder hold the option key and choose, "Library", then "Preferences"

and delete any files that have "com.apple.screensaver...."

And relaunch System Preferences. It works for me😉.

Delete "library/preferences/com/apple.systempreference" does not work for me at all..

Before I figured this out, I spent hours reinstalling the whole system and it didnt work😠.

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Answer 13

Dr.M.

Level 1

4 points

Sep 6, 2013 8:05 PM in response to Sophia Deng

Sophia's solution worked perfectly! "

From your "Go" menu in Finder hold the option key and choose, "Library", then "Preferences"

and delete any files that have "com.apple.screensaver...."

I did restart my computer, too, for good measure.

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