My System Preferences is Missing from my applications

Try doing a Spotlight search for 'System Preferences' to see if it's been put somewhere else by accident. If you find it elsewhere, move it to the Applications folder.

Also, are you definately checking in the correct applications folder? There may be 2 on your machine, one for Operating System 10 (OS X) and one for the old system (OS 9). Go to your Hard Drive and you may see that you have two. System Preferences should be in the modern (OS X) one, usually just called 'Applications', while the older one will be called something like 'Applications (OS 9)'

Also, have you looked in the Dock? It should be there by default, a little white symbol with an apple and a light switch on it.

Restoring Lost OS X Files

If you erase or otherwise "lose" an OS X system application or utility (such as Mail or Disk Utility, for example) you can restore them without having to reinstall OS X.

Download the shareware utility Pacifist. Read the documentation. Use Pacifist to extract a fresh copy of the missing application from the file archives on your OS X Installer disc. The file archives are usually found on the installer disc in the /System/Installations/ folder.

After restoring the application you need to reinstall the OS X Combo Updater for the version of OS X you currently have installed. This assures the new copy of the application is updated to the current version.

Lastly, it's a good idea to repair permissions.

That question mark means the dock can't find it where it should be (the icon on the dock is only an alias to the original, which it will have been trying to find in your applications folder.)

Did you do a Spotlight search?

Can you tell me how experienced you are with Macs, so I can know a little better how to help. I mean, have you been using them quite a while, or is this the first time you've switched it on?

Click on the blue apple icon in the upper left hand corner of your screen.

Click on System Preferences.

Does it open?

Hi

it's a smallish file, so email me if you wish & I'll send a copy from my mbp.