I lost System Preferences

I am using Mac OS X 10.5.8 on my iMac desktop.
I have no access to the system preferences. When I try to open, nothing opens up. It used to have a few icons left on it until a few months ago as I lost icons gradually, and now when trying to open system preferences ..... nothing opens up, neither any clicking noise of something being processed. So this option has gone totally dead.
Now I have the problem of screen (window) being moving around when I move the mouse around. I found it in other blogs, the solution to this problem, as they say, is via system preferences, to unselect the zoom (or something like that),
But as I have mentioned above, I have no access to the system preferences, so I am stuck in the middle.
I have the following options and I need someone may, plz, help:
Is there any keyboard commands for the same solution, i.e. to zoom-out ...in the international access pan via system preferences, to fix the wobbly screen (window)?
OR
How to get the system preferences back?
OR
How to back-up (massive data, using the time machine??) and then how to upgrade the whole system to a later (which one) edition of the software that should be compatible with my iMac desktop:
This is 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 2GB 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM.
What would be the best and easier, please anyone help me out.
I am looking out here for a GURU...
Regards

Normally I would suggest doing a re-install of OS X however we don't know much about your computer. First, what size is the HD and how much free space does it have on it?

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I lost system preference os 10.4.11 how do I get it back?

I am using os 10.4.11 Tiger and somehow I lost System Preference. How do I get it back? I tried Spotlight it can't find it. Thanks

It says the application is damaged, or the file you are trying to open? If the application then you may need to reinstall the roperty List Editor application. You might be able to do this with a custom installation using your original Tiger discs. However, sometimes the smaller utilities are cannot be installed this way. You then either need to use Pacifist to grab the specific application, or just do an Archive and Install (selecting to preserve Users and settings).
In any case, if something is damaged this raises the questions why, and if anything else is damaged. I'd definitely boot from your installer disc and verify your hard drive with Disk Utility. If it reports issues, try repairing them. If DU won't repair them then you'll need a more powerful utility such as Diskwarrior.

Lost system preferences 10.5.8?

I'm running Tiger 10.5.8. I lost my system preferences and can't get them back (can't find install discs) either. Help!

lady-mcbeth wrote:
My iMac CAME with Tiger. I was cleaning it up to give to my brother and noticed that I couldn't bring up system prefs. I tried getting it from the install CD, but because I upgraded, I kept getting an error message that it couldn't be used on it. I went to Apple's website and downloaded the 10.5.8 'combo' upgrader (got this info from a CNET article) and tried to do it that way; same error message. I don't have any backups for my PPC iMac (my time capsule was one of the ones that fried) and I'm really stuck. Any suggestions? Please help!
How did you go about doing the "cleaning it up?" Check out the following information: Erasing disks securely
Start up from your install disc, go to Disk Utility and select the disk and click erase - to securely erase data click Security Options and Erase Free Space which will entirely wipe your disk, overwriting it with zeros so that no data is recoverable.
Restoring your computer’s software
You can also custom install system preferences from the Universal Install Leopard DVD that you purchased retailed.

I lost system preferences on my iMac running 10.5.8.

I posted this last night and was a bit frazzled and it was all wrong. I said that I was running Tiger; I'm running Leopard. My iMac CAME with Tiger. I was cleaning it up to give to my brother and noticed that I couldn't bring up system prefs. I tried getting it from the install CD, but because I upgraded, I kept getting an error message that it couldn't be used on it. I went to Apple's website and downloaded the 10.5.8 'combo' upgrader (got this info from a CNET article) and tried to do it that way; same error message. I don't have any backups for my PPC iMac (my time capsule was one of the ones that fried) and I'm really stuck. Any suggestions? Please help!

lady-mcbeth wrote:
My iMac CAME with Tiger. I was cleaning it up to give to my brother and noticed that I couldn't bring up system prefs. I tried getting it from the install CD, but because I upgraded, I kept getting an error message that it couldn't be used on it. I went to Apple's website and downloaded the 10.5.8 'combo' upgrader (got this info from a CNET article) and tried to do it that way; same error message. I don't have any backups for my PPC iMac (my time capsule was one of the ones that fried) and I'm really stuck. Any suggestions? Please help!
How did you go about doing the "cleaning it up?" Check out the following information: Erasing disks securely
Start up from your install disc, go to Disk Utility and select the disk and click erase - to securely erase data click Security Options and Erase Free Space which will entirely wipe your disk, overwriting it with zeros so that no data is recoverable.
Restoring your computer’s software
You can also custom install system preferences from the Universal Install Leopard DVD that you purchased retailed.

Help. Lost System Preferences

I have accidentally deleted System Preferences from my Trash. It is completely gone. Is there a simple way to re-install it? I just bought this MacBook Pro and I'm new to it

If it truly is gone, try using Pacifist to reinstall it from Install Disc 1
http://www.charlessoft.com/
Ultimately, an Archive & Install or Erase & Install of the OS would also solve the problem.
~Lyssa

I lost system preferences on my MacBook

I can't find system preferences. It won't open from the apple and it disappeared from the dock. I cannot find it in the harddrive, so I am thinking that it got deleated accidently. How can I get it back. I am using a MacBook with Lion 10.7.5. Thank you.

Reinstalling Lion/Mountain Lion Without Erasing the Drive
Boot to the Recovery HD: Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions: Upon startup select Disk Utility from the main menu. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions as follows.
When the recovery menu appears select Disk Utility. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the main menu.
Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion: Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion and click on the Continue button.
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.

I Have even lost system preferences I have erased allllll my apps

someone please help how can I get them back?? Is there anyway
Is there a way I can reinstall OSX wihtouth erasing my data

I don't even know it started with me trying to install cable internet and then somehow I ended up with my application in the trash and then I said this can't be the original app flder it has gotta be a copy and then I tried to put it back out of the trash where it belongs but it wouldn;t take it. So I figured I had made a copy of the folder or something. So considering I could not put that folder back, I put the second folder back in the trash and then almost had a heartattack lol. Do you know if I use the second cd that comes with the mac installer 2 if it will let me just install the apps. It does say osx apps. Or should I just go with the archive and install

I have lost my system preferences following restoration of harddisc

I appear to have lost system preferences following restoration of my hard drive I have looked everywhere and whilst the dropdown box under the Apple logo apears to have it nothing happens. Can anyone suggest a solution

How Restore Deleted or Missing OS X Components
A few of the basic OS X installed applications can be restored from the Optional Installs installer located in the Optional installs folder on your Installer DVD. However, if what you need is not there then follow the instructions below.
How to Use Pacifist to Restore Deleted or Missing OS X Components
Insert the OS X Installer DVD into the optical drive. Use a simple utility like TinkerTool to toggle invisibility so you can see invisible items. Alternatively, open the Terminal application in your Utilities folder and at the prompt enter the following:
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles Yes
Press RETURN.
To turn off the display of invisible files repeat the above command substituting No for Yes.
The install packages are located in the /System/Installation/ folder on the DVD.
Download the shareware utility Pacifist. Use it to extract a fresh copy of the missing item(s) from the file archives on your OS X installation DVD. The file archives are in the /System/Installations/ folder (use Go to Folder option in the Go menu of the Finder.)
Here are Four Basic ways to use Pacifist (courtesy of George Orville.)
Drag a .pkg icon onto the Pacifist window .....proceed to step 7.
Click on “Open Package ....” and navigate to package desired and click “Open” in the open/save window.....proceed to step 7.
Insert Mac OS X installer CD and when it mounts, navigate to .... Menu->Go->Go to Folder. In the path field enter or paste ....
/Volumes/disc name/System/Installation/Packages (where disc name is the name of the CD/DVD that you inserted.)
Click on the "Go" button ..... • Drag a .pkg to Pacifist..... proceed to step 7.
The package you'll need will have to be discovered by trial and error, but for most applications you should start with the Essentials.pkg and/or Additional Essentials.pkg.
D. Insert your Mac OS X install disk 1 .... and open Pacifist.
1.          In Pacifist, select "Open Mac OS X Install Packages" ... dialog may appear asking for disk 2, then disk 3 and finally disk 1 again.... {if DVD is not used)...If “Stop Loading” is selected...the procedure will stop!!!
2a. When loading is complete, a new window appears, click the triangle to display contents of each package...Select item and proceed to step 7.
2b.          or click the “Find” icon in the Pacifist window and type the name of the software you need.
3.          In the list that comes back, click the top most entry for the item that you want. ..... that is the one for the English language.
4.          On the top of the Pacifist window, click “verify” .... you will probably be prompted for your password.
5.          Enter checks for.... “verify permissions” and “verify file contents.” and click “verify” ....enter password when prompted.... you will get back output which may look like this:
          20 files were scanned. 20 of 20 files were present on the hard disk. 0 of 20 files had file permissions that did not match those specified in the package. 0 of 20 files had checksums that did not match those specified in the package.
6.          Click “close”. Go to step 7.
Extract or Install........
7.          In the Toolbar (upper left), you now have the option to extract or install. Click a file in the lower list and those two icons will be enabled.
8.          If “Extract to...” is selected.... navigate to the location where the file will be placed, select “choose”, select “extract” in new dialog that appears,authenicate , if prompted, click “OK”.
9.          In the next dialog, click “Extract”.
10.          If “Install” is selected... dialog will appear with the location/path of the installed software. Click “Install”
11.          Type in your password, click “OK”
Pacifist will begin to extract files.
12.          In steps 8/10ß.... you also have the choice to “cancel”
Notes:          Pacifist may find that a file it is installing already exists on the hard disk. Pacifist will present you with an alert panel....
Stop
Leave original alone
Update .....
Default selection
Replace .... (Replace option should only be used on full install packages)

System preferences lost

Hello. I have an iBook G3 Dual USB with Mac OS X 10.0.3, and I seem to have lost System Preferences. I do not have the install CDs. Is there a way to get it back?

Not if you have deleted it. You would need your Panther installer disc in order to reinstall OS X components. Perhaps you should consider purchasing a later version of OS X since the version you are using is just barely past the original OS X Beta. You can install any version of OS X up to and including Tiger (10.4.x.) You can look for copies on eBay, but be sure you only purchase a full retail installer package. Do not purchase single disc installers with gray labels. Such discs are machine dependent and may not work on your model. I would recommend updating at least to Panther (10.3.x.) Panther requires a minimum of 128 MBs of installed RAM and Tiger requires at least 256 MBs of RAM. Practically speaking I would install the maximum supported by your model which entails adding a 512 MB memory module - PC-100 3.3V 144-pin SO-DIMM.

Do I need to re-install if I'm just missing System Preferences?

Lately some parts of my system have been "disappearing." I "lost" the Activity Managet over a year ago but never really knew what I was missing. But now somehow I've lost System Preferences (It shows up with a big question mark when I click on it in the dock) and I really have need of it.
My question is: Do I need to reinstall the whole OS from the install DVD, or can I just selectively install those one or two things that have gone missing?
Imac Mac OS X (10.3.9)

hgelman,
Have you looked for System Preferences in your Application Folder? Just because the Dock icon has a question mark does not necessarily mean that it has disappeared from your system.
You can selectively reinstall files and folders with Pacifist, but depending upon the application you may have to reinstall the Mac OS X Combined Update 10.3.9 and the Security Update 2006-003 (10.3.9 Client) to get back to the most current version.
;~)

Why lost my System Preference Display?

After installing Lepord 10.7.4 I have lost the Display resolution except for 1920 x 1200 and 960 x 600. Neither of these is acceptable for my iMac. Before downloading 10.7.4 I had all kinds of resolutions shown in System Preference Display. How can I can I get back to them?

A reported fix:
https://discussions.apple.com/message/18572141#18572141

I lost my password and cannot log on to my MacBook Pro. MacOS X window opens upon startup, with my log on name, requesting password, but I cannot remember it. Is there a way to bypass this window and reset my password? Cannot get to System Preferences

I lost my password and cannot log on to my MacBook Pro. MacOS X window opens upon startup, with my log on name, requesting password, but I cannot remember it. Is there a way to bypass this window and reset my password? Cannot get to System Preferences or Apple Menu
Thanks!

Yes.
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4913069

TS3147 I seem to have lost fax capability with Snow Leopard. Does not appear in Print as before. Cant find fax in system Preferences. No drivers for fax found Bob Wines.

I seem to have lost fax capability with Snow Leopard.
Does not appear in Print as before. Cant find fax in System Preferences. No drivers for fax found.
Initially said it was downloading software but no longer does this. Fax test works on HP site.
Using HPC410aHP Photosmart Premium
Any help would be appreciated.
Bob Wines.

Thanks for your detailled description of the faxmodem installation!
I've tried this with Mac OS X v10.8 Mountain Lion and it works fine.
I've to type "cupsctl WebInterface=yes" in terminal to see the interface.
Does anybody know, if send faxes are saved somewhere?

Lost some applications after deleting System Preferences

My friend, REALLY, inadvertently deleted his system preferences ... he managed to retrieve most functionality by copying the 'Previous Systems' folder contents into a new S prefs folder ... in the process of doing this he has lost at least two applications ... Preview and Photo Booth ... does anybody know if it is possible to solve this problem without doing a clean installation?
Thanks
Duncan

Hi Duncan, it appears to be time for a relatively painless Archive & Install, which gives you a new/old OS, but can preserve all your files, pics, music, settings, etc., as long as you have plenty of free disk space and no Disk corruption, and is relatively quick & painless...
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107120
Just be sure to select Preserve Users & Settings.
The other possibility is to Get Pacifist...
http://www.charlessoft.com/
then extract what you need from your Install Disk.

HT1338 i have lost my system preferences, how can i get it back. i have been using my laptop without system preferences. please help.

i have lost my system preferences and app store in my macbook pro osx leopard. i want to upgrade. i can't. i have been trying. where or how can i get it back. i am in foreign country. there is no apple store here.

Do you have your 10.6 Install Disc, if so reinstall, if not...
Try re-installing the big 10.6.8 Combo...
http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1399

I lost System Preferences

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