System Preferences Crashes

Something to try -

- first, make sure that System Preferences is not running
- then , drag the following file to the trash

/Users/username/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist

Also, look in /Users/username/Library/Preferences/ByHost for files that start with com.apple.screensaver. Drag those to the trash also.

Then, try again.



EMAC G4 1.0 GHz Mac OS X (10.4.5)

AdamC,

Welcome to the Apple Discussions!

Rich JG's tips should solve your immediate problems. I'd just like to add that back when 10.2.2 or so was new, I also found myself with a problem in which System Preferences would crash whenever I tried to go to the screensaver / desktop pictures options. I had set the desktop pictures and screensaver both to cycle through a folder of landscape and waterscape pictures, and one of fifty-odd pictures turned out to be corrupt. When System Preferences tried to create the thumbnails of the pictures that it runs across the bottom of the preference pane, the would hang up.

Change the desktop to a static picture from Apple's built-in choices and the screen saver to something using only built-in resources, such as Flurry. You can then check any pictures folders you were using (including iTunes artwork) and hunt down any pictures that won't display a preview in column view (with the Finder preferences set to the default of showing icons and previews). You can also use iPhoto or Graphic Converter or Preview to go through your pictures for damaged items.

If you have your own folder of images to use as desktop pictures and/or screensaver slideshow, it could be pretty much anywhere on the hard drive, but most likely somewhere in the ~/Users/ [username]/ Documents or ~/Users/ Shared paths. iTunes artwork is, I think (I claim no expertise in that area) stored within the music files themselves; to check that artwork, use iTunes to view the artwork (Get Info on songs in your Library will work, although if you have much of a library at all that gets tedious in a hurry.)

Hi,

For reasons I cannot explain my G4 powerbook running on OSX10.4.5 is unexpectedly crashing. It was working fine then the screen went halftone shaded (like with dashboard) and the following message came up "You need to restart your computer. Hold down the Power button for several seconds or press the Restart button". After doing what was asked it simply shut down the computer. On restarting many of the icons on the top right menu bar had disappeared including the one for Airport. I have an Airport express that is currently still working fine for another computer. When trying to connect with the internet it stated the airport hardware could not be found. With subsequent restarts the airport was there sometimes and not other times. When there it was still not functioning. With more restarts the OS crash has happened a few more times. Other applications seem to still be working OK as long as the OS does not crash. On the problem report it begins with panic (cpu 0 caller 0x000a8d90): uncorrectable machine check: pc= and then on to a series of numbers, etc. Not sure if this helps but if anyone know what may be happening and what I can do to rectify it your feedback is most welcomed. Thanks in advance.

I have the same problem. Deleted the systempref file, but the problem persists. Any other suggestions?