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Network Settings in System Preferences greyed out

I don't know what OSX it is but the Network Settings in System Preferences are greyed out, what causes this and how to I ungray it?

Posted on Mar 10, 2012 2:12 PM

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Posted on Mar 10, 2012 5:10 PM

This is the Network item in the main view in System Preferences that's greyed out?


Or is this something within the Network setup?


Has anything happened to this OS X system recently? Installed some software or tools? Upgraded it? (Did anything in particular change prior to this greyed-out setting?)


Is this OS X system associated with and being managed from a server? Or is is this a standalone OS X system? (If you don't know what I'm referring to here, then this configuration is probably standalone.)


Have you tried booting from the installation DVD (10.6 and earlier) or via the Recovery Partition (10.7), and then (via the Utilities Menu) launching Disk Utility and performing a permissions repair?


And about the version, the sequence:


 > About This Mac


will tell you the version.

5 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Mar 10, 2012 5:10 PM in response to Quick-Tech

This is the Network item in the main view in System Preferences that's greyed out?


Or is this something within the Network setup?


Has anything happened to this OS X system recently? Installed some software or tools? Upgraded it? (Did anything in particular change prior to this greyed-out setting?)


Is this OS X system associated with and being managed from a server? Or is is this a standalone OS X system? (If you don't know what I'm referring to here, then this configuration is probably standalone.)


Have you tried booting from the installation DVD (10.6 and earlier) or via the Recovery Partition (10.7), and then (via the Utilities Menu) launching Disk Utility and performing a permissions repair?


And about the version, the sequence:


 > About This Mac


will tell you the version.

Mar 15, 2012 1:35 PM in response to MrHoffman

As follows ....

It is not the primary icon "Network" grayed out, but the boxes in the subsidiary levels "Network setup"- Ethernet connected-DNS Server & Search Domains.

The Comcast techie I first dealt with had me do a Safe Reboot but the result no diagnosis and no remedy.

I just did a "Repair Permissions" and a Virus Scan with Norton AntiVirus for Mac. Nothing

Mar 16, 2012 4:32 AM in response to Quick-Tech

My first preference when any antivirus tool is involved is to acquire the official removal directions and/or the removal tools directly from the vendor and to completely remove the package, repair permissions and disk structures, and reboot.


As for your sequence, ensure you have clicked the padlock in the lower left of the main page of the Network Preferences display (if the padlock is not already shown as being open) before you go into the Advanced settings.

Network Settings in System Preferences greyed out

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