Paul Trautwein1
Level 2 (165 points)

Q: System Preferences won't launch

What started as a problem with my Bluetooth Magic Mouse not working - and getting a "Bluetooth offline" message, has turned into something more troubling.

 

My Bluetooth icon indicates that it is "offline" - I get a black zig-zag across a grayed out Bluetooth icon in the menu bar.

 

After borrowing a USB Mouse from work, I was able to restart my computer

 

I attempted to launch the System Preferences without success.

 

I ran the Repair Disk Permissions in the Disk Utility. (I thought that might clear things up...) I also installed a legacy version of Java to remove an error message about compatibility with Adobe that kept popping up when I booted the computer.

 

That didn't work and the System Preferences still won't launch. I tried from both the Apple menu and the Applications folder. and they actually gave me two different behaviors. The Apple menu freezes immediately and the "Force Quit Applications" menu tells me it was not responding. When launching from the Applications window directly, it bounces in the doc for about a minute then sits there with no "dot" to indicate it is active, no Preferences window and no indication in the "Force Quit..." window that anything was wrong. (I did a force quit to shut it down in both cases.)

 

I found this forum topic which seemed promising and followed the instructions that fixed the problem for the original poster: System Preferences won't launch from Apple Menu ~ If sharing options and Markup are missing after you install OS X Yosemite - Apple Support

 

But this didn't work for me.

 

Backing up a bit further, this started when I had a message on my computer that said that another computer was using the same address as I was. We do have a couple other laptops in the house that share the same network via wireless Apple Airport. However, none of them were on at the time. So I rebooted to see if that would clear things up. When the computer restarted, my Bluetooth was gone and I couldn't do anything except force a shutdown. Now that I have access to a USB mouse, I can at least function.

 

I would, of course, like to be able to fix this and get my magic mouse back in business. Any suggestions?

 

I am on a G5 tower - 2.8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon

8 GB RAM.

Yosemite v. 10.10.3

 

Thank you.

Posted on Jun 26, 2015 10:01 PM

by Carolyn Samit,Solvedanswer
Carolyn Samit Carolyn Samit
Level 10 (124,473 points)
Apple Music
A:

How to Downgrade OS X Yosemite Back to OS X Mavericks

Posted on Jun 27, 2015 1:04 AM

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Paul Trautwein1

Q: System Preferences won't launch

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Carolyn Samit,Helpful

    Carolyn Samit Carolyn Samit Jun 26, 2015 10:24 PM in response to Paul Trautwein1
    Level 10 (124,473 points)
    Apple Music
    Jun 26, 2015 10:24 PM in response to Paul Trautwein1

    "I am on a G5 tower - 2.8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon"


    It's not possible to install v10.0 Yosemite on your Mac >  Apple - OS X Yosemite - How to Upgrade

  • by Paul Trautwein1,

    Paul Trautwein1 Paul Trautwein1 Jun 27, 2015 12:54 AM in response to Carolyn Samit
    Level 2 (165 points)
    Jun 27, 2015 12:54 AM in response to Carolyn Samit

    Carolyn Samit wrote:


    It's not possible to install v10.0 Yosemite on your Mac >  Apple - OS X Yosemite - How to Upgrade

     

    Well... it was possible. But I guess it wasn't the right thing to do. Any advice on the best way to revert back to Mavericks? I do have a time machine backup, but I've only used it to restore files not an entire system.

  • by Carolyn Samit,Solvedanswer

    Carolyn Samit Carolyn Samit Jun 27, 2015 1:04 AM in response to Paul Trautwein1
    Level 10 (124,473 points)
    Apple Music
    Jun 27, 2015 1:04 AM in response to Paul Trautwein1

    How to Downgrade OS X Yosemite Back to OS X Mavericks

  • by Alberto Ravasio,

    Alberto Ravasio Alberto Ravasio Jun 27, 2015 1:05 AM in response to Carolyn Samit
    Level 5 (4,070 points)
    Jun 27, 2015 1:05 AM in response to Carolyn Samit

    The Mac Pro Quad Core 2.8GHz Intel Xeon the OP own, is capable of running Yosemite.

     

    It does not support AirDrop, AirPlay Mirroring, and Power Nap. It also does not support "OpenCL" running the default ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT video card. If configured with the NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT or NVIDIA Quadro FX 5600, it does support OpenCL

     

    http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_pro/specs/mac-pro-quad-core-2.8-2008-s pecs.html

  • by Alberto Ravasio,

    Alberto Ravasio Alberto Ravasio Jun 27, 2015 1:09 AM in response to Paul Trautwein1
    Level 5 (4,070 points)
    Jun 27, 2015 1:09 AM in response to Paul Trautwein1

    Paul Trautwein1 wrote:

    Well... it was possible. But I guess it wasn't the right thing to do.

     

    Maybe the best thing to do would have been to do a clean install, especially if you already did a few major upgrades from older systems.

  • by Alberto Ravasio,

    Alberto Ravasio Alberto Ravasio Jun 27, 2015 1:16 AM in response to Paul Trautwein1
    Level 5 (4,070 points)
    Jun 27, 2015 1:16 AM in response to Paul Trautwein1

    Paul Trautwein1 wrote:

     

    I am on a G5 tower - 2.8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon 8 GB RAM.

     

    G5 label was associated to PowerMac, the older version of the actual Mac Pro line, which used PowerPC processors that are not compatible with any OS X version later than 10.5 (aka Leopard).

  • by Paul Trautwein1,

    Paul Trautwein1 Paul Trautwein1 Jun 27, 2015 7:58 AM in response to Carolyn Samit
    Level 2 (165 points)
    Jun 27, 2015 7:58 AM in response to Carolyn Samit

    After reverting to Mavericks, I was able to access the OS Preferences again.

     

    I had to remove the bluetooth .plist files, shut down and reboot before Bluetooth was available again. But my magic mouse is working again. I lost a few files I missed in my pre-recover backup, but nothing that couldn't or can't be remade. (so far, at least)

  • by Paul Trautwein1,

    Paul Trautwein1 Paul Trautwein1 Jun 27, 2015 8:21 AM in response to Alberto Ravasio
    Level 2 (165 points)
    Jun 27, 2015 8:21 AM in response to Alberto Ravasio

    Alberto Ravasio wrote:

     

    G5 label was associated to PowerMac, the older version of the actual Mac Pro line, which used PowerPC processors that are not compatible with any OS X version later than 10.5 (aka Leopard).

     

    Leopard!??

     

    I never had any problems with Mavericks or any of the other three cat versions in between. 

     

    Yosemite was on my G5 for a couple of weeks before it flaked on me. It seemed to be working okay, until I started to get the connection error messages. We tend to leave the machine on all the time so we can work and network to it with newer MacBooks. Although we put it to sleep when we aren't using it. It was the reboot that revealed all the problems.

     

    A shame about Yosemite, (and any future OS, I suppose) but if it Mavericks will continue to keep this tower a viable machine, I can live with it. The new Mac Pros, which, I guess, is the equivalent has left me a bit underwhelmed. They're pretty, and I'm sure they're fast and powerful, but the only possibility for expansion seem to be with external drives. I have two extra internals that I would have to get "enclosures" for if I was inclined to get a new machine.

     

    There's a computer lab I use at work with three similar G5 towers - they just updated that lab to Yosemite, so I will keep my eyes open to see if our IT staff has any problems with the older machines. They are much more capable of handling problems than I am, if they do, I'll see what they come up with as a solution.

  • by Alberto Ravasio,

    Alberto Ravasio Alberto Ravasio Jun 27, 2015 8:51 AM in response to Paul Trautwein1
    Level 5 (4,070 points)
    Jun 27, 2015 8:51 AM in response to Paul Trautwein1

    Paul Trautwein1 wrote:

     

    Alberto Ravasio wrote:

     

    G5 label was associated to PowerMac, the older version of the actual Mac Pro line, which used PowerPC processors that are not compatible with any OS X version later than 10.5 (aka Leopard).

     

    Leopard!??

     

    I never had any problems with Mavericks or any of the other three cat versions in between.

     

    Yosemite was on my G5 for a couple of weeks before it flaked on me.

     

    What I meant is that what you call G5 is indeed a Mac Pro with Intel processor in Apple parlance. The G5 referred to the PowerPC processor that was put inside the older line of Power Mac G5 before Apple decided to switch to Intel. Until the more recent cylindric Mac Pro, the case remained the same for both Power Mac G5 and Mac Pro Intel.

     

    G5.jpeg Power Mac G5

     

    MacPro.jpgMac Pro Intel

  • by Paul Trautwein1,

    Paul Trautwein1 Paul Trautwein1 Jun 27, 2015 10:16 AM in response to Alberto Ravasio
    Level 2 (165 points)
    Jun 27, 2015 10:16 AM in response to Alberto Ravasio

    Alberto Ravasio wrote:

     

    What I meant is that what you call G5 is indeed a Mac Pro with Intel processor in Apple parlance. The G5 referred to the PowerPC processor that was put inside the older line of Power Mac G5 before Apple decided to switch to Intel. Until the more recent cylindric Mac Pro, the case remained the same for both Power Mac G5 and Mac Pro Intel.

     

     

     

    MacPro.jpgMac Pro Intel

     

    Ah - thanks for the clarification. I do indeed have the "Mac Pro Intel" - and if it is compatible with Yosemite, perhaps there was a different solution than backtracking to Mavericks. (that's a done thing, so any future upgrades will be taken with care)

     

    You mentioned a "clean install" - I simply did the upgrade from the app store as directed. I didn't pay too much attention because it was pretty well automated. When the upgrade starts, is there an option for a clean install? I'll have to do more research on the ramifications to my files and applications.

     

    Some of the items you mention here:

     

    Alberto Ravasio wrote:

     

    It does not support AirDrop, AirPlay Mirroring, and Power Nap. It also does not support "OpenCL" running the default ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT video card. If configured with the NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT or NVIDIA Quadro FX 5600, it does support OpenCL

     

    I don't think I'll miss not having access to AirDrop, AirPlay Mirroring and/or Power Nap. My built in video card appears to be an ATI Radeon HD 5770 - which isn't on your list. My monitors seemed to work just fine and weren't causing me issues when things went bad. (I have two Apple Cinema Displays attached.) Unless, they were, and the symptoms were the problems with the Preferences and Bluetooth. I know that sometimes problems tend to manifest themselves in unpredictable ways.

     

    I wonder now if I could have deleted and rebuilt the System Preference plist - and if that would have been an easier/better route in trying to get back my functionality?

  • by Alberto Ravasio,

    Alberto Ravasio Alberto Ravasio Jun 27, 2015 11:39 AM in response to Paul Trautwein1
    Level 5 (4,070 points)
    Jun 27, 2015 11:39 AM in response to Paul Trautwein1

    Paul Trautwein1 wrote:

     

    Ah - thanks for the clarification. I do indeed have the "Mac Pro Intel" - and if it is compatible with Yosemite, perhaps there was a different solution than backtracking to Mavericks. (that's a done thing, so any future upgrades will be taken with care)

     

    You mentioned a "clean install" - I simply did the upgrade from the app store as directed. I didn't pay too much attention because it was pretty well automated. When the upgrade starts, is there an option for a clean install? I'll have to do more research on the ramifications to my files and applications.

     

    Apple did a very good job to make transition to one main OS X version to another as smooth as possible. But automated task may fail sometimes, for any sort of reasons. For example, if the computer you are going to upgrade is not well maintained and presents problems, you are looking for troubles in the first place.

    Another example. If you upgraded too many versions, let's say starting from 10.6 up to 10.10, the probability that at some point, something is going wrong, are high.

    I may seem paranoid but, I always did a clean install at every major OS X upgrade and never had any issue that seems to plague many people writing and lamenting on this forum.

     

    Anyway, back to your request for clean install. You should know that is the longest, because you must reinstall and set back everything (or nearly everything) from scratch. You'll find lots of guides. This http://osxdaily.com/2014/10/18/clean-install-os-x-yosemite/ is one among the many.

  • by Lexiepex,

    Lexiepex Lexiepex Jun 27, 2015 12:13 PM in response to Paul Trautwein1
    Level 6 (10,536 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 27, 2015 12:13 PM in response to Paul Trautwein1

    Forget about the ongoing discussion about theoretical or partly available possibilities: Carolyn specified how to go getting your issue solved. Be happy, all is how it should be. Mark Carolyn's post as solution. Then others will not loose time entering this thread.

    lex

  • by Paul Trautwein1,

    Paul Trautwein1 Paul Trautwein1 Jun 27, 2015 3:57 PM in response to Lexiepex
    Level 2 (165 points)
    Jun 27, 2015 3:57 PM in response to Lexiepex

    LexSchellings wrote:

     

    Forget about the ongoing discussion about theoretical or partly available possibilities: Carolyn specified how to go getting your issue solved. Be happy, all is how it should be. Mark Carolyn's post as solution. Then others will not loose time entering this thread.

    lex

    Um. You can always skip over this discussion and move on to another.

     

    I, for one, was finding the conversation useful.