Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

3 of my preference panes don't work.

I just install Lion 10.7 from scratch using a bootable DVD I made from the Install Mac OS X Install ESD Dmg found within the app. After restoring my accounts and data from a time machine backup, everything seems to work fine except for 3 preference panes within the System Preferences, (Desktop & Screen Saver, Energy Saver, and Spotlight.) I've tried reinstalling Lion over the current installation, I've tried reinstalling the latest combo update, I've trying repairing disk permissions, I've tried installing System Preferences app as well as each individual .prefpane, none of which worked. I've also tried going into ~/Library/Preferences and deleting com.apple.systempreferences.plist, which also didn't work.

When trying to run the preference pane I get:

"Preferences Error. Could not load Desktop & Screen Saver preference pane." Replace Desktop & Screensaver part with Energy Saver and Spotlight respectively for each pane.

When I run the preference pane, here is the output from the console:

3/19/12 6:13:04.765 PM System Preferences: [NSPrefPaneBundle instantiatePrefPaneObject] (/System/Library/PreferencePanes/DesktopScreenEffectsPref.prefPane): principalClass is nil.

All three give the same error, again replacing DesktopScreenEffectsPref.prefpane with the corresponding pane.

I've read through tons of forums about similar errors and none of their fixes are working and I'm just not ready to reformat and install from scratch again. Any help?

Thanks in advance.

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.3)

Posted on Mar 19, 2012 4:59 PM

23 replies

Mar 23, 2012 10:21 AM in response to captainloozer

I had this same problem. I ended up doing the following, which finally fixed it:

Go to terminal:

sudo mv /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/iLifeMediaBrowser.framework /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/iLifeMediaBrowser.framework.disabled

(That's all one line, to rename the iLifeMediaBrowser and disable it)

Then reinstall 10.7.3 combo. Problem fixed (for me)

Apr 2, 2012 7:37 PM in response to captainloozer

I tried every solition I could find out there, including all in this post. None worked, and finally I decided to check for software updates. What do you know, and iLife update was available, I installed it, and it worked!

MrA2theZ

Level 1

4 points

Apr 25, 2012 10:12 AM in response to jasonfromtenafly

i did this on my terminal and Software updates prompts me to update iLife Support as above.

It's fixed now!

thank you all!

thank god i didn't have to reinstall Lion.

MrA2theZ

Level 1

4 points

Apr 25, 2012 11:17 AM in response to MrA2theZ

oh i thought it was fixed but I can't load Energy Saver Pane and Screensaver pane hangs now....

downloading 10.7.3 Combo update now to try it out.

saw it on https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3818015?start=0&tstart=0

May 28, 2012 2:37 PM in response to jasonfromtenafly

jasonfromtenafly wrote:

I had this same problem. I ended up doing the following, which finally fixed it:

Go to terminal:

sudo mv /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/iLifeMediaBrowser.framework /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/iLifeMediaBrowser.framework.disabled

(That's all one line, to rename the iLifeMediaBrowser and disable it)

Then reinstall 10.7.3 combo. Problem fixed (for me)

This completely fixed my problem. Thank you!

Oct 31, 2012 3:44 PM in response to TH1RT3EN628

Just wanted to add that this update worked to resolve my broken preference panels in Lion. I had done an Erase and Install, then restored from Time Machine.

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1582

Apr 13, 2014 11:51 AM in response to Linc Davis

Linc Davis wrote:

Launch the Console application in any of the following ways:

☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)

☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.

☞ If you’re running Mac OS X 10.7 or later, open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Console in the page that opens.

Click the Clear Display icon in the toolbar. Try the actions again. Post any messages that appear in the Console window – the text, please, not a screenshot.

same here, but I'm not getting any iLife update prompts from update:

4/13/14 2:41:06.273 PM System Preferences: [NSPrefPaneBundle instantiatePrefPaneObject] (/System/Library/PreferencePanes/DesktopScreenEffectsPref.prefPane): principalClass is nil.

4/13/14 2:41:06.530 PM com.shirtpocket.backupbytime: false

4/13/14 2:41:14.254 PM System Preferences: Error loading /System/Library/PreferencePanes/Spotlight.prefPane/Contents/MacOS/Spotlight: dlopen(/System/Library/PreferencePanes/Spotlight.prefPane/Contents/MacOS/Spotli ght, 265): Symbol not found: _OBJC_CLASS_$_PBOXRemoteMediaBrowserPanel

Referenced from: /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/iLifeMediaBrowser.framework/Versions/A/iLifeM ediaBrowser

Expected in: /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/RemoteViewServices.framework/Versions/A/Remot eViewServices

in /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/iLifeMediaBrowser.framework/Versions/A/iLifeM ediaBrowser

4/13/14 2:41:14.254 PM System Preferences: [NSPrefPaneBundle instantiatePrefPaneObject] (/System/Library/PreferencePanes/Spotlight.prefPane): principalClass is nil.

4/13/14 2:41:17.097 PM System Preferences: Error loading /System/Library/PreferencePanes/EnergySaver.prefPane/Contents/MacOS/EnergySaver : dlopen(/System/Library/PreferencePanes/EnergySaver.prefPane/Contents/MacOS/Ener gySaver, 265): Symbol not found: _OBJC_CLASS_$_PBOXRemoteMediaBrowserPanel

Referenced from: /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/iLifeMediaBrowser.framework/Versions/A/iLifeM ediaBrowser

Expected in: /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/RemoteViewServices.framework/Versions/A/Remot eViewServices

in /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/iLifeMediaBrowser.framework/Versions/A/iLifeM ediaBrowser

4/13/14 2:41:17.098 PM System Preferences: [NSPrefPaneBundle instantiatePrefPaneObject] (/System/Library/PreferencePanes/EnergySaver.prefPane): principalClass is nil.

4/13/14 2:42:06.511 PM com.shirtpocket.backupbytime: false

Apr 14, 2014 7:26 PM in response to blackknife

finally got it figured out. I used Pacifist to reinstall the iLifeMediaBrowser.framework from a Lion install on a flash drive, then ran the combo update immediately after....everything is working perfectly now. Apparently when I migrated from my iMac the newer version of the iLifeMediaBrowser.framework came along with it and was causing issues with the 3 preference panes.....Thanks to Charles Srstka for the help and for writing Pacifist!!

3 of my preference panes don't work.