Corrupt preference files

I recently had a problem with Mail that BDAqua helped me with here over the weekend.
It was as though my Mail preference file was trashed. Well, I just now opened up Adobe Illustrator and the application informed me that the preference file was corrupt for that too, and was being trashed.
It looks like something is going on with my .plist files. My questions are, what could be doing it (is there a known worm that affects .plist?) and what can I do to prevent it from happening again? Is there a Tiger-compatible software that will scan and repair them?
Is this something I should be worried about getting worse?
Thanks!

HI Scott,
Did you trash the Adobe Illustrator .plist file?
No, it's not a worm. Preference files are susceptible to corruption since they are written-to frequently.
See if you can locate a file similar to this. com.adobeillustrator.plist
/Users/YourName/Library/Preferences. Drag that file from the Preferences folder to the Trash, empty the Trash and restart your Mac.
Just because one preference file is corrupted doesn't mean they all are. It's much easier and quicker to trash one then run a 3rd party software that could end up causing you more problems in the long run.
Carolyn

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Surgery on corrupt preferences file?

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I was told that I had a corrupt preferences file that needed fixing. Is there any way to do this without erasing all of my other preferences?
Thanks again!

Hi ¿Qué?,
I think you just need to move these 2 to the Desktop, reboot & set Speech Prefs again if needed, most likely default is OFF though...
/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.speech.recognition.recognizer. prefs.plist
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To place an item in illustrator cc 2014 the command repeats itself at least twice before i can place an item. would this indicate a corrupt preference file?

to place an item in illustrator cc 2014 the command repeats itself at least twice before i can place an item. would this indicate a corrupt preference file?

Monika
Thank you for taking the time with this issue. I do use a Mac with the latest OS X.
I have solved the issue simply by deleting all Adobe apps (cc 2014) I ran the Adobe app cleaner tool and deleted all traces of my Adobe software.
Then I re-installed all my apps and the issue has been resolved. In fact my Adobe apps (cc 2014) appear to be working better than ever before.
I think I may have had a corrupt preference file stored somewhere on my system. However, that was deleted and all is working fine now, better than ever before.
Thank you.
Stephen McCourt
Assure Design
6524 Blackcomb Place
Vernon B.C.
V1B 4E1
Tel: 250 545 2192
Cell: 250 540 3713
[email protected]
www.assuredesign.com

Corrupted Preferences File - Why?

Trash your Prefs! You know the mantra. When PS fails to do something, its trash your prefs!
I wondered why/how ones preferences ever get corrupted. Ive use PS, since 2.5 on all sorts of PCs, sometimes with it running around the clock for days. Never once had I encountered a corrupted preferences file until now, that is.
What I encountered can only be listed as an observation. Im sure that it is but one possible cause. Still, I thought that Id share my experience.
Up at 4:00AM to start a rush scan job. Everything boots up fine, and I start PS CS2. As its loading the plug-ins, etc., I notice that Sun Microsystems Java wants an update and its icon has appeared in the Tasktray of my XP-Pro SP3. I open it, and click Update Later, or whatever the exact dialog is. It drops back to the Tasktray. PS seems to be taking a long time to load on my workstation, but I give it a few moments. Nothing. Its hung at Reading Text Global Resources. I check Task Manager PS is shown as Not Responding. Odd, this has NEVER happened before in all those years. Not so much as once.
I remembered that there was an update for Extend Script, that I told PS to hold off on. I go to Updates, via Bridge and its still there waiting. I End Task for PS and look for something usable from MS. Of course theres nothing. Event Viewer shows an Application Hang, with no useful info. I install the Extend Script Update, and try PS again. It gets to the same spot and hangs.
OK, I allow Java to update (making sure to NOT allow the installation of the MSN Search Toolbar - sheezh! I try PS yet again. Hang at the same spot.
Re-boot and hang. Though I have said it a thousand times, trash your prefs, it takes a moment for it to sink in. I trash my prefs and all is good with PS. Luckily, I had my dual-monitor Workspace saved, and it only takes a minute to change the default preferences back to what I want.
Normally, I have everything, and I mean everything, set to NOT auto-update. I turn this feature off for every program that I install. I use Premiere a lot, and do not want Norton, or anybody, waking up and phoning home. Ill tell em when to update. Well, I missed Java.
I can only guess that it did its update thing, just at a critical time for PSs loading and blew up the prefs file. Had it popped up a second later, or maybe a second earlier, I doubt that Id have had to trash my prefs. After all these years (decades really), I had a corrupt preferences file.
Im sure there are a myriad things that can corrupt a preferences file, and I am only guessing at what caused mine. However, the timing is perfect, so Java gets the blame.
Just thought Id share,
Hunt

Ho,
I'm squarely with you on that one. If one's computer is just used for e-mail and browsing, it's not an issue. Real work, however, trumps getting the latest update, as soon as is possible. I just missed setting Java to manual. It slipped by my defenses. Won't happen again. I also hate any auto-update, that will require a reboot. Hey, I'm working here. I'll update and reboot, when I'm finished.
I also think that I need to clarify that I was only making an observation of what was happening on my system. The Java updater was not running yet, but only the "message" pop-up. Also, these two occurrances could have been purely coincidental. I was just the observer. After the prefs corruption, I did run the Java updater, and after the "trashing" of my perfs, all ran very well.
I do not want to scare people off from updating, Java, or anything. I am sorry if I was not clear. As I said, I have no idea whether the message pop-up had any effect whatsoever. It just hit at the same time. [and pissed me off, that I had not thought to properly configure it for my workflow]
Hunt

Corrupted Preference File; Delete?

Installed Leopard on 12/18. Now that OnyX is Leopard compatible, I have downloaded and installed. I then checked Preferences and the following was found to be corrupt:com.apple.iphotomosaic.plist. (User>Library>Preferences)
Can I trash this and start something up to rebuild this particular preference? If so, what? What does this .plist file do, anyway?
Thanks!

Go ahead and delete it. If it's sitting on your desktop, it's not doing it's job anyway . .. and if your computer is functioning, you're okay.
As I understand it, .plist files or "preferences" files are files created by an application to store the changes you make in the "preference" menu of the application. If there is no .plist file, it resorts to default preferences.
Try changing that mosic screensave prefernces and see if the file is recreated. If it's not, it still doesn't matter.
CMF

PSE 6 MAC: Corrupted Preference Files

I have a frequent problem with my cursors for all editing functions turning into four lines in a square pattern. I shut down, restart, to no avail. Then, I restart using command option shift and opt to delete preference file. Then all is good again. Anyone got a fix for this?

Hi Lee,
You must have at some point set the 'Painting cursor' to 'Precise' in 'Display and Cursor' setting under Preferences for PSE. That's the reason why when you restart no change is seen but on deleting the preference file, you get back to the normal cursor.
You can go to the 'Display and Cursor' setting under Preferences and set 'Paninting cursors' to 'Normal Brush Tip', restart the application, and this should work.
You can also toggle between the cursor style for the opened image by turning on/off the Caps Lock.
Hope this helps.

Corrupted Preference Files

Hey Gang,
I've been experiencing an issue with Safari where my com.apple.safari.plist. files keep getting corrupted.
On random occasions when I launch Safari (and other applications), no Safari window opens. The menu bar shows that Safari has launched but the Safari window is hidden. When I go to the menu bar, click File>New Window, no window appears and then the option to Quit in the Safari menu is faded.
I force quit Safari and then move the com.apple.safari.plist file to the desktop. I relaunch Safari and everything is back to normal for a couple of days.
I'm also experiencing the exact same issue with DVD Player and iTunes.
I have repaired permissions and run Disk Warrior to no avail.
What's going on?
Dan

Hi Daniel
Your profile shows 10.4.7, if that is correct then maybe you need to update the OS X
To get Tiger totally up to date use the 10.4.11 Combo Update below:
http://support.apple.com/downloads/MacOS_X_10_4_11_Combo_Update__Intel
Or to get Leopard totally up to date use the 10.5.6 Combo Update below:
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/macosx_updates/macosx1056comboupdate .html
Then go to *Apple > Software Update* and get the latest other updates for Safari, iTunes, QTime etc..
Dennis

Mail and safari hogging cpu - corrupt preferences?

I am having a major problem when I run Mail or Safari under Mavericks on my iMac - they hog all the CPU making it hard to do other things unless I keep quitting the Mail Web Content or Safari Web Content processes using Activity Monitor. This also has shown up in other discussions on this board and no one seems to have a resolution to the problem. But the curious thing is that I only have the problem on my older iMac, but on my new MacBook Pro that also runs Mavericks, runs Mail with identical settings (and is accessing the same server) and runs Safari with the same bookmarks there is no problem. So the problem must be with something on my iMac that is causing Mail and Safari to keep running these Web Content processes and taking over the CPU.
In the old days I would have assumed it was a corrupt Preferences file and deleted that, but no one has sugggested this. Is this possible? If so, what should be deleted?

While everything had been working fine, this morning I installed the latest update to the operating system and I am back with the same problem (although I am only having Mail Web Content hogging the CPU and not Safari Web content this time). I am posting below some information from the log as you suggested (sorry if it is too much but I don't know what you are looking for). Let me know if there is anything else you need. Thanks for the help LInc.
12/17/13 12:23:22.645 PM WindowServer[114]: disable_update_timeout: UI updates were forcibly disabled by application "Safari" for over 1.00 seconds. Server has re-enabled them.
12/17/13 12:23:22.983 PM Safari[226]: CGWindowContextCreate: failed to create window context delegate.
12/17/13 12:23:22.983 PM Safari[226]: CGWindowContextCreate: failed to create window context delegate.
12/17/13 12:23:22.983 PM Safari[226]: CGContextSaveGState: invalid context 0x0. This is a serious error. This application, or a library it uses, is using an invalid context and is thereby contributing to an overall degradation of system stability and reliability. This notice is a courtesy: please fix this problem. It will become a fatal error in an upcoming update.
12/17/13 12:23:23.181 PM Safari[226]: CGContextResetCTM: invalid context 0x0. This is a serious error. This application, or a library it uses, is using an invalid context and is thereby contributing to an overall degradation of system stability and reliability. This notice is a courtesy: please fix this problem. It will become a fatal error in an upcoming update.
12/17/13 12:23:23.184 PM Safari[226]: CGContextResetClip: invalid context 0x0. This is a serious error. This application, or a library it uses, is using an invalid context and is thereby contributing to an overall degradation of system stability and reliability. This notice is a courtesy: please fix this problem. It will become a fatal error in an upcoming update.
12/17/13 12:23:23.188 PM Safari[226]: CGContextTranslateCTM: invalid context 0x0. This is a serious error. This application, or a library it uses, is using an invalid context and is thereby contributing to an overall degradation of system stability and reliability. This notice is a courtesy: please fix this problem. It will become a fatal error in an upcoming update.
12/17/13 12:23:23.206 PM Safari[226]: CGContextScaleCTM: invalid context 0x0. This is a serious error. This application, or a library it uses, is using an invalid context and is thereby contributing to an overall degradation of system stability and reliability. This notice is a courtesy: please fix this problem. It will become a fatal error in an upcoming update.
12/17/13 12:23:23.209 PM Safari[226]: CGContextSaveGState: invalid context 0x0. This is a serious error. This application, or a library it uses, is using an invalid context and is thereby contributing to an overall degradation of system stability and reliability. This notice is a courtesy: please fix this problem. It will become a fatal error in an upcoming update.
12/17/13 12:23:23.212 PM Safari[226]: clip: invalid context 0x0. This is a serious error. This application, or a library it uses, is using an invalid context and is thereby contributing to an overall degradation of system stability and reliability. This notice is a courtesy: please fix this problem. It will become a fatal error in an upcoming update.
12/17/13 12:23:23.215 PM Safari[226]: CGContextRestoreGState: invalid context 0x0. This is a serious error. This application, or a library it uses, is using an invalid context and is thereby contributing to an overall degradation of system stability and reliability. This notice is a courtesy: please fix this problem. It will become a fatal error in an upcoming update.
12/17/13 12:23:23.219 PM Safari[226]: CGContextTranslateCTM: invalid context 0x0. This is a serious error. This application, or a library it uses, is using an invalid context and is thereby contributing to an overall degradation of system stability and reliability. This notice is a courtesy: please fix this problem. It will become a fatal error in an upcoming update.
12/17/13 12:23:23.222 PM Safari[226]: CGContextTranslateCTM: invalid context 0x0. This is a serious error. This application, or a library it uses, is using an invalid context and is thereby contributing to an overall degradation of system stability and reliability. This notice is a courtesy: please fix this problem. It will become a fatal error in an upcoming update.
12/17/13 12:23:23.225 PM Safari[226]: CGContextRestoreGState: invalid context 0x0. This is a serious error. This application, or a library it uses, is using an invalid context and is thereby contributing to an overall degradation of system stability and reliability. This notice is a courtesy: please fix this problem. It will become a fatal error in an upcoming update.
12/17/13 12:23:23.228 PM Safari[226]: CGContextSynchronize: invalid context 0x0. This is a serious error. This application, or a library it uses, is using an invalid context and is thereby contributing to an overall degradation of system stability and reliability. This notice is a courtesy: please fix this problem. It will become a fatal error in an upcoming update.
12/17/13 12:23:23.618 PM WindowServer[114]: common_reenable_update: UI updates were finally reenabled by application "Safari" after 1.97 seconds (server forcibly re-enabled them after 1.00 seconds)
12/17/13 12:23:34.580 PM sandboxd[268]: ([440]) com.apple.WebKit(440) deny file-read-data /Library/Preferences/com.apple.security-common.plist
12/17/13 12:27:55.684 PM com.apple.launchd.peruser.502[172]: (com.apple.mdworker.shared.01000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000[382]) Exited: Killed: 9
12/17/13 12:29:57.739 PM xpcproxy[449]: assertion failed: 13B42: xpcproxy + 3438 [EE7817B0-1FA1-3603-B88A-BD5E595DA86F]: 0x2
12/17/13 12:29:58.415 PM recentsd[396]: Failed to get Mail account information in a timely manner
12/17/13 12:30:04.973 PM com.apple.launchd.peruser.502[172]: (com.apple.PackageKit.InstallStatus) Throttling respawn: Will start in 9 seconds
12/17/13 12:30:11.256 PM com.apple.IconServicesAgent[279]: Icon filename entry missing from bundle info dictionary for bundle at URL: file:///System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/MailService.framework/Versions/A/XPCSe rvices/com.apple.MailServiceAgent.xpc/
12/17/13 12:30:14.797 PM WindowServer[114]: CGXGetConnectionProperty: Invalid connection 76299
12/17/13 12:30:39.935 PM loginwindow[43]: Could not find image named 'NSApplication'.
12/17/13 12:30:39.936 PM loginwindow[43]: Could not find image named 'hgfhfg'.
12/17/13 12:30:44.539 PM WindowServer[114]: CGXGetConnectionProperty: Invalid connection 70411
12/17/13 12:30:45.099 PM com.apple.SecurityServer[14]: Killing auth hosts
12/17/13 12:30:45.099 PM com.apple.SecurityServer[14]: Session 100021 destroyed
12/17/13 12:30:45.103 PM com.apple.SecurityServer[14]: Session 100023 created
12/17/13 12:30:45.825 PM Wallet[233]: Unknown class 'SUUpdater', using 'NSObject' instead. Encountered in Interface Builder file at path /Applications/Wallet.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/MainMenu.nib.
12/17/13 12:30:45.826 PM Wallet[233]: Could not connect the action checkForUpdates: to target of class NSObject
12/17/13 12:30:47.135 PM com.apple.AppSandboxSMLoginItemEnabler[463]: FAILURE: Job com.acrylic.WalletAgent is not loaded in launchd.
12/17/13 12:30:48.270 PM sandboxd[268]: ([400]) com.apple.WebKit(400) deny file-read-data /Library/Preferences/com.apple.security-common.plist
12/17/13 12:31:16.272 PM VDCAssistant[466]: AVF error: AVDLoadAllAccelerators machine not supported
12/17/13 12:31:17.108 PM Adobe Illustrator[231]: CoreText performance note: Client called CTFontCreateWithName() using name "Times Roman" and got font with PostScript name "Times-Roman". For best performance, only use PostScript names when calling this API.
12/17/13 12:31:17.108 PM Adobe Illustrator[231]: CoreText performance note: Set a breakpoint on CTFontLogSuboptimalRequest to debug.
12/17/13 12:31:17.132 PM Adobe Illustrator[231]: CoreText performance note: Client called CTFontCreateWithName() using name "Arial" and got font with PostScript name "ArialMT". For best performance, only use PostScript names when calling this API.
12/17/13 12:36:00.218 PM mdworker[448]: (Normal) Import: Spotlight giving up on importing file after 481.542 seconds, (0 seconds in Spotlight importer plugin, was sizing:0) - diagnostic:0 - find suspect file using: sudo mdutil -t 4554493
12/17/13 12:36:00.220 PM com.apple.launchd.peruser.502[172]: (com.apple.mdworker.shared.01000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000[448]) Exited with code: 75
12/17/13 12:40:05.535 PM WindowServer[114]: device_generate_desktop_screenshot: authw 0x0(0), shield 0x7fb189ddd3b0(2001)
12/17/13 12:40:05.600 PM WindowServer[114]: device_generate_lock_screen_screenshot: authw 0x0(0), shield 0x7fb189ddd3b0(2001)
12/17/13 12:40:05.601 PM WindowServer[114]: device_generate_desktop_screenshot: authw 0x0(0), shield 0x7fb189ddd3b0(2001)
12/17/13 12:42:24.368 PM WindowServer[114]: handle_will_sleep_auth_and_shield_windows: Deferring.
12/17/13 12:42:24.370 PM WindowServer[114]: CGXDisplayDidWakeNotification [2043353335863]: posting kCGSDisplayDidWake
12/17/13 12:43:10.608 PM xpcproxy[474]: assertion failed: 13B42: xpcproxy + 3438 [EE7817B0-1FA1-3603-B88A-BD5E595DA86F]: 0x2
12/17/13 12:43:32.092 PM WindowServer[114]: disable_update_timeout: UI updates were forcibly disabled by application "Finder" for over 1.00 seconds. Server has re-enabled them.
12/17/13 12:43:32.572 PM WindowServer[114]: common_reenable_update: UI updates were finally reenabled by application "Finder" after 1.48 seconds (server forcibly re-enabled them after 1.00 seconds)
12/17/13 12:43:46.758 PM WindowServer[114]: CGXSetWindowListSystemAlpha: Invalid window 156 (index 0/1)
12/17/13 12:43:46.758 PM WindowServer[114]: CGXSetWindowListSystemAlpha: Invalid window 157 (index 0/1)
12/17/13 12:44:02.078 PM mdworker[471]: (Normal) Import: Spotlight giving up on importing file after 480.36 seconds, (0 seconds in Spotlight importer plugin, was sizing:0) - diagnostic:0 - find suspect file using: sudo mdutil -t 4554493
12/17/13 12:44:02.081 PM com.apple.launchd.peruser.502[172]: (com.apple.mdworker.shared.01000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000[471]) Exited with code: 75
12/17/13 12:44:38.201 PM Console[491]: setPresentationOptions called with NSApplicationPresentationFullScreen when there is no visible fullscreen window; this call will be ignored.
12/17/13 12:44:40.829 PM WindowServer[114]: disable_update_timeout: UI updates were forcibly disabled by application "Console" for over 1.00 seconds. Server has re-enabled them.
12/17/13 12:44:41.949 PM WindowServer[114]: common_reenable_update: UI updates were finally reenabled by application "Console" after 2.12 seconds (server forcibly re-enabled them after 1.00 seconds)
12/17/13 12:44:47.000 PM kernel[0]: ALF: ifnet_get_address_list_family error 12
12/17/13 12:47:44.287 PM mdworker32[510]: CGSConnectionByID: 0 is not a valid connection ID.
12/17/13 12:47:44.287 PM mdworker32[510]: CGSGetSpaceManagementMode: No connection with id 0x 0

Photoshop CS5.1 preference file deleted problem

Hello
I hope soemone can help out here, i'm quite stuck!
I'm running OS 10.8.5 using PS CS5.1. My mac was left on overnight (not sure how relevant that is) and when opening up PS this morning it crashed with the message 'end of file encountered' 'preferences file is invalid/has been deleted'
I've read up on a few older posts about the same thing. I uninstalled/reinstalled from disk but the same thing happens.
Any ideas?
Cheers
Matt

Please hold down Shift+Option+Command keys as Photoshop is launched.
Incase this does not work, please delete the corrupt preference file:
Go to your home folder.
Go to your User Library folder.( OR Hit Command+Shift+G from the Mac desktop (or Finder > Go > Go to Folder) and type in ~/Library)
Go to the Preferences folder.
Delete the “Adobe Photoshop CS5 Settings” (or similar name) folder.(Folder name may differ depending on what version you have)
-Pragya

Firefox and Sea monkey both crash on opening and can't find preference file

I am using Mac Os X 10.5.8 and the latest versions of Sea Monkey and Firefox. Sea Monkey crashed while trying to access a conference. Now Sea Monkey crashes every time I try to open it as does Firefox.
I suspect there is a corrupt preference file that both are trying to access but I can't find it. I've looked at some online places that suggest various plist files in the Library/preferences folder but there is nothing there under mozilla or firefox type names or one called com.apple.internetconfig.plist that was also suggested.

Yay, solved it. Dances. The conference I was trying to access installed a plugin called WebEx.plugin. I removed this and both now work fine.

What is the cause of corrupt preferences?

I manage two macintosh computer labs and a number of windows based labs for a small liberal arts college. Lately, we have been encountering a surprisingly large number of students and faculty members who seem to have corrupt preference files for multiple applications and I am having trouble determining the cause. The common applications encountering these problems have been Flash MX, Swift 3D, and Final Cut Pro.
In each case, trashing their preferences and then relaunching the application resolved the issues. While this is an easy fix, the problem has been rather troublesome for our instructors and students.
I have tried explaining the removal of corrupt preferences to the instructors so they can perform it themselves if it is interrupting their courses, but they feel it is my job to do that and not theirs. I find it a little embarrassing to frequently be called into their classrooms for a 20 second fix and I'm sure they find the situations irksome and perhaps embarassing as well.
If at all possible, I would like to try to determine the cause of these corrupt preferences and take whatever actions may be available to try to prevent them from occurring as often, but I do not know where to begin.
Our setup:
An XServe running OS X Server 10.4.7 and Open Directory and AFP services.
An XRAID hosting all of the students' and faculty members' home directories.
Client computers, one lab Power Mac G5s and one lab Power Mac G4s, all with Mac OS X 10.4.7 on them. All users authenticate using OD accounts and remote home directories on AFP shares.
The image on the computers is the same image that was deployed at the beginning of this school term (back at the end of August) and has not been changed since. I'm not sure what could have changed that would have increased the likelyhood of preferences becoming corrupted.

As far as I know, its buggy software. If your school has an Apple tech support contract, you might try calling or emailing Apple to ask about this problem.

'the preferences file is corrupt and has been reset to the default settings' - cs4 Mac

greetings!
every time i start illustrator i encounter a new error.
"the preferences file is corrupt and has been reset to the default settings."
"the corrupt file will be backed up as Adobe illustrator Prefs.err"
this problem manifested after i added some more .ai and .ase files to my swatches directory. i do not believe anything else changed.
not sure how to diagnose the problem. is there a debug mode or something? perhaps an offending file.
an option would be to try remove each added swatch file or folder individually, but this would be a very very time consuming process for me.
i use cs4 on a Macbook pro running Snow Leopard - 10.6.2 and would appreciate your advice.
thank you
-s

s,
Every time you close down Illy, the current preferences (which may have been changed while you worked on files) are saved, and every time you start up Illy, those preferences will be used.
Usually, preference corruption probably occurs randomly, caused by the OS, but if something in your files change the preferences to something that is not viable you will get an error like that.
You may press Cmd+Option+Shift during startup, which will replace the current preferences with the defaults, and probably you will get rid of the error message. It is probably not a cure, though.
If the error is persistent, the cure would be to get rid of the offending things in the files you work with.

The preferences file is corrupt: adobe illustrator cs4

greetings!
every time i start illustrator i encounter a new error.
"the preferences file is corrupt and has been reset to the default settings."
"the corrupt file will be backed up as Adobe illustrator Prefs.err"
this problem manifested after i added some more .ai and .ase files to my swatches directory. i do not believe anything else changed.
not sure how to diagnose the problem. is there a debug mode or something? perhaps an offending file.
an option would be to try remove each added swatch file or folder individually, but this would e a very very time consuming process for me.
i use cs4 on a Macbook pro running Snow Leopard - 10.6.2 and would appreciate your advice.
thank you
-s
Message was edited by: Shenzi

The problem is that you're not getting rid of the corrupt Illustrator preferences. To do that, go to User/Library/Preferences and drag the entire Adobe Illustrator CS4 Settings folder to the trash (or to another drive if you want to keep it for some reason). Illustrator will then create a new Preferences folder the next time it's started. It's unlikely the problem was caused by swatches files, but if the error comes back after deleting prefs, then you'll need to determine which swatch file is causing it.

Illustrator cs4 preferences file corrupt message

I use Illustrator cs4 for windows and after I restart my computer when I open Illustrator cs4 a box pops open telling me that the preferences file is corrupt and it is using the default settings. This only happens when I restart my computer. If I don't restart my computer I can open and close the program over and over with no problem. Could there be some program conflicting with Illustrator?

I did a clean install before installing CS4 and the AI prefs issue
still occurred. CS4 is basically the only thing I have installed and
this happens. It's very weird.
This happens to me on two separate machines.
I've ran the file compare utility and you look at the differences in
the text and neither of them really make sense to me. How does it even
know the preferences are corrupt?
This is a very frustrating situation as I can never enjoy the Recent
Files List, and that every now and then when I want to change up my
preferences I have to go through a process of unlocking (read:
disabling Read Only) and backing up the file, opening AI changing
prefs, etc, and relocking. The only way to keep from getting the
corrupt prefs is to mark the prefs file as Read Only, but it totally
disables recent file lists and gives the hassle I just described.
What's odd is that the "working" prefs file can get corrupted when I
try to change preferences. I'll back it up first to be careful, then
unlock the one in AI, open AI, change a pref, close it and lock it,
and next thing I know it's corrupt again. So then I'll try putting the
backed up locked prefs file that was working and it will be corrupt
too. That may not make sense as I've described you, but I assure you I
understand it completely. Something is definitely wonky!
It's funny because I see a lot of suggestions to some people's issues
that say "you might have corrupt prefs, try moving the folder/deleting
it". Our issue IS the corrupt prefs!

Hi, I'm using Illustrator CS6 and at startup preferences file is corrupt... Why?

Please help me.

palmamor,
You may try the (relevant parts of the) list.
The following is a general list of things you may try when the issue is not in a specific file (you may have tried/done some of them already); 1) and 2) are the easy ones for temporary strangenesses, and 3) and 4) are specifically aimed at possibly corrupt preferences); 5) is a list in itself, and 6) is the last resort.
1) Close down Illy and open again;
2) Restart the computer (you may do that up to 3 times);
3) Close down Illy and press Ctrl+Alt+Shift/Cmd+Option+Shift during startup (easy but irreversible);
4) Move the folder (follow the link with that name) with Illy closed (more tedious but also more thorough and reversible);
5) Look through and try out the relevant among the Other options (follow the link with that name, Item 7) is a list of usual suspects among other applications that may disturb and confuse Illy, Item 15) applies to CC, CS6, and maybe CS5);
Even more seriously, you may:
6) Uninstall, run the Cleaner Tool (if you have CS3/CS4/CS5/CS6/CC), and reinstall.
http://www.adobe.com/support/contact/cscleanertool.html

Corrupt preference files

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