system preferences not responding lion
Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.2)
The standard procedure when any Application is not launching is to Repair Permissions using Disk Utility. I suggest your "Repair Disk" as well.
If the Application is open and not responding, you can choose
Force Quit...
from the Apple menu, select the Application, and click "Force Quit".
i had this problem after downloading the wallpaper hd lite app .i had to go in finder ,hold the alt button -go then down to go to folder.and type in ~/library/preferences,then you have to delete com.apple.desktop.plist,then resart and sould work. hope this helps.
I had a similar problem while trying to install a new desktop picture. The system preferences are no more responding, but I cannot find the file com.apple.desktop.plist in the library/preferences. Am I missing something? I am using a MacBook Air.
That's because the dsktop pattern is a preference that is separate for each user.
You would expect to find it in:
~/Library/Preference...
... where the tilde stands for your folder indide the Users folder. But recent changes have made the Users Library folder invisible. To get to it, choose
Finder > Go > Go to Folder ...
... and enter
~/Library
into the text box.
Thanks a lot Grant. I didn't know what the tilde stood for. Now I solved the problem. 🙂
Thanks, this helped! I switched from Windows just few days ago and already these problems happening for no reason. Haven't even challenged the system yet with any big tasks or customizations.
Does this mean the PLIST files are always safe to delete? What are they for anyway?
plist files hold preferences. Sometimes an Application's preferences get corrupted, and this can cause erratic operation.
The general rule has always been that if a Mac Application has its preferences deleted (preferably while it is NOT running) it will replace them the next time it runs with the defaults.
This is not quite the same as"safe" to delete. Some settings will disappear. You would not want to delete email preferences, for example, unless you were desperate, because you may have to enter all that gibberish again to set up the accounts.
Thanks for explaining! No fun having to learn the internal workings of a whole new OS. Thank Al Gore for the internet.
An important "pre-conceived notion" is that Mac OS X is inherently a Multi-User system. So sometimes preferences will be stored in a separate place for each user, as was the case above.
Since it can also be run with a Server at the heart of your local network, one User may be able to log in to multiple different computers (with different sized screens, for example) at different times. So you may also find certain User preferences inside a folder called "By User".
@grant..
Thankyou so much...It worked.....🙂
Hi Grant. I can't seem to find "Go" in my Finder. I'm using macbook air. Please help. I am still not able to fix my system preferences.
I found it already and I did what you told us but it didnt work 😟
Never mind! I figured it out already! thanks grant! great help 🙂
Message was edited by: kyrish93
worked, tnx
Albertofrommi Italy
I had a similar problem while trying to install a new desktop picture. The system preferences are no more responding, but I cannot find the file com.apple.desktop.plist in the library/preferences. Am I missing something? I am using a MacBook Air.
THIS RESPONSE REALLY HELPED ME:
irenefrombarrie
re: system preferences not responding lion
Feb 5, 2012 5:10 PM (in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
i had this problem after downloading the wallpaper hd lite app. i had to go in finder, hold alt button - go then down to the folder and type in:
~/library/preferences, then you have to delete com.apple.desktop.plist, then restart and should work. hope this helps.
I JUST want to say thank you for this particular post, as well as the ones that followed! I was having trouble today after trying to go to system preferences and attempting to choose another desktop photo and all of a sudden I started getting the pinwheel or color wheel which just kept spinning....after several times of "force closing" it and going back to reattempt my efforts, I finally contacted MYAPPLE and the tech spent 1 hour with me trying to help me correct the problem and 1 hour into the conversation we got disconnected and even though she had taken my number did NOT return a call to me, obviously VERY FRUSTRATING....and then upon my second attempt to call, of course I was informed that my 90 APPLE CARE was over and would have to spend $250.00 to get any further HELP (which also carries with it another 2 years and 6 months of total coverage of course) at this point WHO really wants to hear that to get help you have to spend MORE money.....geeez, so I got really frustrated did a GOOGLE search for "System Preferences Not Responding" and was directed to this particular THREAD......
SO all I can say is thank you!!!!!!!
The only thing I might add is that I wasn't able to "delete" that particular file as mentioned above as when I would click on DELETE all that would happen was a tone would go off, but then I selected "Send To Trash" and that got rid of the file and I deleted it from my trash and then chose RESTART and all of the "SYSTEM PREFERENCES" began working again as well as acquring another photo for my desk top background.
THANK YOU!
HOPEFUL777
system preferences not responding lion
