For me the "Add Automation" panel looks like this:
When I press the disclosure triangles beside "Visual EQ" or or other automations, I see a list with checkmarks.
If your panel looks differently, I'd try to launch GarageBand from the Guest account, to check, if settings in your regular account are preventing GarageBand from working properly.
If you see, that GarageBand is working correctly from a different user account, I'd try HangTime's fix for oddball probs and trash the preference file:
http://www.bulletsandbones.com/GB/GBFAQ.html#oddballprobs
(Let the page FULLY load. The link to your answer is at the top of your screen)
If you cannot find your user library -
in MacOS 10.7.3 the User Library is hidden. To find the Preferences Files use the Finder's "Go" menu:
- Quit GarageBand, if it is running.
- Click onto you Desktop to bring the Finder forward.
- In the Finder Menu press "Go" and hold down the "option/alt" key, until your user library appears in the drop-down menu
- Select "Library" and in the Finder window that opens navigate to the "Prederences" folder; move com.apple.garageband.plist to the Desktop.
- Log off and on again. Retry GarageBand and see if it GarageBand is now running properly.
Regards
Léonie