n1k4r0
Level 1 (4 points)
Mac OS X

Q: Weird problem with wallpaper

I have the old problem that my wallpaper disappear each time I restart my Mac but with a twist. I have an iMac with a secondary monitor attached to it (a Cinema display) and the wallpaper on that screen always remains and by the way is the same image of the main screen.

I tried the famous solution of deleting the desktop preferences typing

 

rm ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Desktop.plist

or

rm ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.desktop.plist

 

but the terminal answer is:

 

No such file or directory

 

so it seems there's nothing to delete...

 

Anyone know how to solve this problem?

IMAC (RETINA 5K, 27-INCH, MID 2015), OS X El Capitan (10.11)

Posted on Aug 30, 2016 1:56 AM

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n1k4r0

Q: Weird problem with wallpaper

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Carolyn Samit,

    Carolyn Samit Carolyn Samit Aug 30, 2016 2:01 AM in response to n1k4r0
    Level 10 (120,969 points)
    Apple Music
    Aug 30, 2016 2:01 AM in response to n1k4r0

    There's another way to delete the .plist files and they do exist.

     

     

    Open the Finder.

     

    From the Finder menu bar click Go > Go to Folder

     

    Then copy / paste the following:

     

    ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.desktop.plist

     

    Click Go then move the com.apple.desktop.plist file to the Trash.

     

     

    See if that makes a difference.

  • by n1k4r0,

    n1k4r0 n1k4r0 Aug 30, 2016 2:11 AM in response to Carolyn Samit
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 30, 2016 2:11 AM in response to Carolyn Samit

    nope, the file is not there at all. the finder goes from com.apple.dashcode to com.apple.dictionaryservices without anything in between

  • by Carolyn Samit,

    Carolyn Samit Carolyn Samit Aug 30, 2016 2:24 AM in response to n1k4r0
    Level 10 (120,969 points)
    Apple Music
    Aug 30, 2016 2:24 AM in response to n1k4r0

    I can locate com.apple.desktop.plist no problem on my Mac.

     

    Finder image for ASC.jpg

     

     

    You may need to restore OS X using OS X Recovery.

  • by dialabrain,

    dialabrain dialabrain Aug 30, 2016 2:29 AM in response to Carolyn Samit
    Level 5 (5,920 points)
    Mac App Store
    Aug 30, 2016 2:29 AM in response to Carolyn Samit

    Intesresting. com.apple.desktop.plist doesn't exist on mine either. I'm not having wallpaper issues though.

  • by n1k4r0,

    n1k4r0 n1k4r0 Aug 30, 2016 2:36 AM in response to dialabrain
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 30, 2016 2:36 AM in response to dialabrain

    what I'm asking myself is: if I (and dialabrain) don't have the desktop.plist where are stored the wallpaper preferences since dialabrain have no problems and my second monitor neither?

    they must be somewhere i don't believe in magic...

  • by dialabrain,

    dialabrain dialabrain Aug 30, 2016 2:55 AM in response to n1k4r0
    Level 5 (5,920 points)
    Mac App Store
    Aug 30, 2016 2:55 AM in response to n1k4r0

    Just so I don't add to any confusion. I'm not using a second monitor. And yes, the setting has to be somewhere.

  • by n1k4r0,

    n1k4r0 n1k4r0 Sep 1, 2016 1:59 AM in response to dialabrain
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 1, 2016 1:59 AM in response to dialabrain

    All right, I tried this, opened the Library window and put files in date order, than opened Preferences and set a wallpaper for the desktop just to see in what file it would be saved in.

    The only affected files are com.apple.spaces.plist and ByHost/com.apple.loginwindow.<huge id>.plist but once opened seems there's no wallpaper setting at all inside them...

    Now I'm really puzzled, where are saved the file names of the images to be used as wallpapers??

  • by tygb ,

    tygb tygb Sep 1, 2016 2:48 AM in response to n1k4r0
    Level 2 (204 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 1, 2016 2:48 AM in response to n1k4r0

    Please click on go to go folder . then type ~/library .

    In preferences folder find com.apple.screensaver.plist

     

    Right click on the plist and move to trash , restart empty the trash .

     

    In previous macs , com.apple.desktop.plist really existed but apple has changed the settings in new versions .

     

    And also check have you unknowingly checked the boxes .

     

    Change the picture after every ....minutes and random order , if so please uncheck them before deleting the plist .

     

    Thanks !

  • by n1k4r0,

    n1k4r0 n1k4r0 Sep 1, 2016 1:48 PM in response to tygb
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 1, 2016 1:48 PM in response to tygb

    tygb wrote:

     

    Please click on go to go folder . then type ~/library .

    In preferences folder find com.apple.screensaver.plist

     

    Right click on the plist and move to trash , restart empty the trash .

     

     

    I give it a try but two things seems strange to me.

    first I opened the screensaver.plist and again there's no image file written inside

    second I changed wallpaper some hours ago to try to find the plist file where they are written in and now I deleted the screensaver.plist, log out and then login and the wallpaper is still there. wasn't supposed to disappear once deleted the plist?

    anyway a log out is not a restart so I'll see tomorrow what will happen.

  • by n1k4r0,

    n1k4r0 n1k4r0 Sep 12, 2016 6:47 AM in response to n1k4r0
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 12, 2016 6:47 AM in response to n1k4r0

    I know it's a long delay but I get some vacations .

    I tried the procedure suggested by tygb but after the third restart the wallpaper disappeared again and I see a nice almost-black desktop so I guess that even com.apple.screensaver.plist is not the right answer.

    maybe I should take a trip to Cupertino to solve this problem