Michael Cook3
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: System Preferences icons missing

After updating OSX 10.4.11 PPC system with Adobe Updater to upgrade Adobe Reader to 9.4.6 most icons in System Preferences disappeared.

 

This old article provides the  fix: http://support.apple.com/kb/TA22351?viewlocale=en_US

Mac OS X: Preference Pane Icons Are Missing

 

 

  • Last Modified: August 05, 2011
  • Article: TA22351
  • Old Article: 25552

 

 

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This article has been archived and is no longer updated by Apple.

If some of the expected icons don't show up in the System Preferences application, this document explains how you can fix it. This document applies to Mac OS X 10.0 through 10.2.8.

Products Affected

Mac OS X 10.0, Mac OS X 10.3, Mac OS X 10.2

To see System Preferences icons:

  • 1. Quit System Preferences.
  • 2. Click the Finder icon in the Dock.
  • 3. Choose Go > Go To Folder.
  • 4. Type: ~/Library/Caches
  • 5. Click Go.
  • 6. Locate this file: "com.apple.preferencepanes.cache"
  • 7. Drag it to the Trash.
  • 8. Open System Preferences.

OSX Tiger, Mac OS X (10.4.11), system preferences

Posted on Sep 17, 2011 11:27 PM

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Michael Cook3

Q: System Preferences icons missing

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  • Helpful answers

  • by BDAqua,

    BDAqua BDAqua Sep 18, 2011 10:15 AM in response to Michael Cook3
    Level 10 (123,462 points)
    Sep 18, 2011 10:15 AM in response to Michael Cook3

    Great tip/post Michael, thanks!

  • by citystar1,

    citystar1 citystar1 Dec 20, 2015 8:56 AM in response to Michael Cook3
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 20, 2015 8:56 AM in response to Michael Cook3

    In the System Preferences app (launched from the Dock or from the Applications folder), go the View menu and select Customize. Or, alternatively, click and hold on the Show All button in the System Preferences header, and then choose Customize at the very bottom of the pop-up menu. In either case, you'll see all of your available Systems Preferences icons, with a check box next to each one.

    If there are preferences you never need, uncheck them. On my Mac, for example, I know I don’t need MobileMe (since I don’t use it) or Parental Controls (since I don’t use them, either). Once you’ve unchecked the preferences you no longer need, click the Done button in the header (or deselect Customize from the View menu). That’s all there is to it—the preferences you uncheck have vanished.

    But what if you suddenly need one of those hidden preference panels? No worries: Even hidden preferences appear in both the View menu and the Show All menu that appears when you click and hold on that button. To unhide a preference more permanently, go back into Customize mode, at which point hidden preferences reappear. Then, check their boxes before clicking Done.

  • by lindseynguyen,

    lindseynguyen lindseynguyen Aug 3, 2016 1:23 PM in response to Michael Cook3
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Aug 3, 2016 1:23 PM in response to Michael Cook3

    Can you tell me why my System Preferences looks like this?

    Screen Shot 2016-08-03 at 1.17.02 PM.png

  • by BDAqua,

    BDAqua BDAqua Aug 3, 2016 2:57 PM in response to lindseynguyen
    Level 10 (123,462 points)
    Aug 3, 2016 2:57 PM in response to lindseynguyen

    Hi, most often people you're replying to in old posts won't even see them, so...

     

    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?