Mouse / Trackpad preferences reset at every restart.

Hi Eric,

Not Sure if you'll still read this but thanks for this info above….. I'm having same issue on an iMac (OS X Yosemite 10.10.5)

However I'm unsure what you mean by "go to" Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist.

This isn't a URL so how do I go there?

When I get there will it be obvious how to move the plist?

(I'm clearly a technotard….so please keep any answer simple).

Cheers

Miles

You might want to consider starting a new discussion. Since this one is a couple of years old, less people are likely to look at it. A new post would be much more visible. You can link to this one.

Did you get your user Library to show in your home folder using the instructions above? Once the Library show, there is a folder in it named Preferences. That is where you will find the .plist. Drag it to your Desktop and then follow the instructions. Below is the same thing, done slightly differently.

Might be a corrupt .plist.

Do a backup, preferably 2 backups on 2 separate drives.

Quit the application.

In Finder hold down the option/alt key while selecting the Go menu item. Select Library. Then go to the Preferences folder/com.apple.systempreferences.plist. Move the .plist to your desktop.

Restart the computer, open the application and test. If it works okay, delete the plist from the desktop.

If the application is the same, return the .plist to where you got it from, overwriting the newer ones.

If you want to make your user library permanently visible, run the below command in Applications/Utilities/Terminal.

chflags nohidden ~/Library/

I have the same problem on a late 2009 iMac 21" running Yosemite

Do a backup.

Quit the application System Preferences.

Go to Finder and select your user/home folder. With that Finder window as the front window, either select Finder/View/Show View options or go command - J. When the View options opens, check ’Show Library Folder’. That should make your user library folder visible in your user/home folder. Select Library. Then go to Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist. Move the .plist to your desktop.

Restart the computer, open the application, and test. If it works okay, delete the plist from the desktop.

If the application is the same, return the .plist to where you got it from, overwriting the newer one.

Thanks to leonie for some information contained in this.

I'm having the same problem. Your answer did not fix the issue for me. It's unclear how your suggestions would solve the problem. I have a few questions.

Do a backup.

A backup of what? The entire system using Time Machine? Or just the system preferences file you refer to later in your answer?

Select Library. Then go to Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist. Move the .plist to your desktop.

What does moving the System Preferences plist do anything other than reset your system preferences to the defaults?

Restart the computer, open the application, and test. If it works okay, delete the plist from the desktop.

What application are you referring to here?

If the application is the same, return the .plist to where you got it from, overwriting the newer one.

It's also unclear what you mean here. What application, and why would it change? Why would you want to overwrite the newer plist?

Thanks.

You are welcome.

A backup of what? The entire system using Time Machine?

Time Machine or a clone.

Time Machine Versus Clones and Archives

Commonly Used Backup Methods

What does moving the System Preferences plist do anything other than reset your system preferences to the defaults?

If the .plist has become corrupted, it will replace it with a new file.

The application I was referring to is System Preferences. You would put it back to restore the defaults since it turned out the file itself wasn't corrupted