Icon problem in system preferences

Dan,

Welcome to Apple Discussions.

Quit System Preferences if it's running and trash the following files:

/Users/yourusername/Library/Preferences/ com.apple.systempreferences.plist
/Users/yourusername/Library/Preferences/ByHost/ com.apple.systempreferences
/Users/yourusername/Library/Caches/ com.apple.preferencepanes.cache

Then log out/in or restart and check System Preferences for proper functionality. Let us know what happens.

;~)

Ferd ll,

I had the same phenomenon: an outsized lightswitch suddenly replacing the 'sharing' icon in system prefs.

I saw a post recommending trashing just the last of the three files you suggest, and it worked (com.apple.preferencepanes.cache).

But, being a nervous newbie I became afraid I might be messing something up by deleting a file of whose function I'm ignorant, and so I moved it back to Caches from the Trash, only to have a dialogue tell me a newer version of the same file exists there, and do I want to replace it with the old (the one I'm moving back.)

I'm confused. Did the OS create a new, uncorrupted version of the file when I trashed it?

And, is it really safe to delete the original (my nerves whisper it must be there for a purpose.)

Thanks for your insight...

CRhysB,

Did the OS create a new, uncorrupted version of the file when I trashed it?...Yes, a new file was created and the old corrupt file(s) should go to the trash and be summarily deleted.

Once a cache file has been identified as corrupt, it can safely be trashed. Fear not, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by trashing/deleting the orginal.

;~)

The wonders of Mac.

Thanks much.

Praise the lord for this thread. My systum prefrences paine kept shutting down on its own. blocking me out. trashed the 3 files listed above and the itunes slideshow thingy and all working again. GENIUSES! Thank you!

skymotel,

Welcome to Apple Discussions.

Glad to hear that you found an answer to your problem.

;~)

;~)