Leopard ate up my System Preference Screen

I installed Leopard, and it seems to be working fine except for one big problem. When I click "System Prefence" under Apple, nothing happens! Has anyone had this problem or know how to fix it? Thank you for your help!

Restarting iBookG4 while holding SHIFT Key ended up losing Dreamweaver and another application. They disappeared!!! System Preference did not work. Since then, I used both Disk Warrior and Disk Utility at least twice each, but no change. So, I now not only have no System Preference window but also two lost applications. HELP!!!!

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I was changing my desktop screen saver in system preferences screen protection. Now it says it is "Loading Images" and won't stop. The Colourful wheel goes around for ever and It does not stop. Can anyone help me?

I was changing my desktop screen saver in system preferences>screen protection. Now it says it is "Loading Images" and won't stop. The Colourful wheel goes around for ever and It does not stop. Can anyone help me?

Welcome to the Apple Support Communities
I have seen a lot of cases like your issue, and it's easy to solve.
First, open Disk Utility, select Macintosh HD in the sidebar and repair permissions. Sometimes, a permission can be damaged and it makes that an application doesn't work properly.
If that doesn't work, open Finder, select Go menu > Go to Folder, type ~/Library/Prefereces, delete "com.apple.desktop.plist" and "com.apple.systempreferences.plist" and restart

System Preferences - screen saver... bug or feature?

10.6.8 MBP
I have a folder which contain several sub folders - the contents of one sub-folder I use as screen saver.
In the System Preference pane for desktop /screen saver I can see the standard options of:
iPhoto
Flagged
Last 12 Months
I don't use iPhoto & the library is empty & I've trashed the associated iPhoto.plist's - therefore when I click the "Flagged" & " Last 12 Months" of course as expected I see the message ' Your selected submissions have no pictures. You can change…. etc"
However if I select the iPhoto box - then the screensaver displays the contents of all the sub-level folders. When it should display the same 'Your subscriptions…' message.
Why?

FIXED IT!!!
Ok - so in case anybody else suffers this problem it turned out the iPhoto Library was referencing a folder of files on a (non existant) other computer. This explains why:
1. It always happened when I went into Wallpaper prefs (was looking for these non existent photos)
2. It didn't appear in Disk Utility (because it was within the iPhoto Library package itself (i.e. the database)
3. It happened on a new computer as the iPhoto library was restored from a previous computer.
In order to find this, I troubleshooted by moving the iPhoto Library to desktop (without opening it) and wall/screensaver prefs worked fine. Then, I used terminal and the grep command (screenshot attached) to find where it was referencing "kitch_n_stage" (I.e. the windows share). Then I moved those files to the trash, but the iPhoto library back and opened iPhoto. It had to rebuild the database as I removed the photos folder and the library.adpb file.
The command was grep -lr "name of shared computer" *
(Would suggest backing up your iphoto library before doing this)

System Preferences Screen Saver Bug

I recently purchased a new iMac running Mountain Lion (previous computer was first gen intel Macbook Pro running Lion) and have noticed that a bug that persisted on my previous computer now exists on my new one!
Essentially, when I browse to the Screen Saver Tab in System Preferences, it says "There was a problem connecting to the server X" which was an old networked computer (which has never been mapped ever to my new iMac) and the prompt refuses to go away until I close system preferences.
I have restored my Pictures, Movies, Music using my previous time machine backup (no migration assistant used) and selecting the previous volume... but I don't know how that would cause the following? (See image):
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

FIXED IT!!!
Ok - so in case anybody else suffers this problem it turned out the iPhoto Library was referencing a folder of files on a (non existant) other computer. This explains why:
1. It always happened when I went into Wallpaper prefs (was looking for these non existent photos)
2. It didn't appear in Disk Utility (because it was within the iPhoto Library package itself (i.e. the database)
3. It happened on a new computer as the iPhoto library was restored from a previous computer.
In order to find this, I troubleshooted by moving the iPhoto Library to desktop (without opening it) and wall/screensaver prefs worked fine. Then, I used terminal and the grep command (screenshot attached) to find where it was referencing "kitch_n_stage" (I.e. the windows share). Then I moved those files to the trash, but the iPhoto library back and opened iPhoto. It had to rebuild the database as I removed the photos folder and the library.adpb file.
The command was grep -lr "name of shared computer" *
(Would suggest backing up your iphoto library before doing this)

System Preference Screen Blank

Hi Folks,
I have been in the forums and tried all that I could find before I posted this...
My Old G-4, Mirror door, 1.25 running 10.5.8 has a strange problem. When I try and open my system preference...the box is blank. I can click on things by chance and they open? Also when I open Pages or any i-Works 9 ap the template screen is also blank but I can click and things will open. Everything else seems to run OK
I have deleted the plist several times and run disk utility also.
I have also reinstalled the OS and updated it and no luck...
Frustrated is too small of a word to use to describe this!

Hi,
How full is the start up Drive in this Tower ?
I would start with a PRAM reset.
Shut down the computer.
Restart it holding down Apple/CMD (or ⌘)+ALT PR Keys until you have heard three Start Up Bongs.
9:36 PM Thursday; June 10, 2010

I can not maximize my system preference screen to view it.

all of the sudden i can open system preferences but can not maximize it to view my preferences

Which model MBP do you have?
See http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2377 and http://support.apple.com/kb/TS4088?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US - do either apply to your machine?
Clinton

There is no quicktime preferences in System Preferences screen?

I upgraded to Snow Leopard no problem, bought the Quicktime Pro registration, but there is nowhere in preferences that shows Quicktime 7? Is it a separate download?

Look in your Utilities folder for Quicktime 7. If Quicktime 7 is not there, here is how to install it.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3678
If you do have it, look in Quicktimes 7 Menu for registration drop down menu.
Message was edited by: David M Brewer

System preferences freezes on screen saver

Hello,
Anytime I access my system preferences - screen saver - I get the spinng wheel and it freezes up. I can change my wallpaper and it only happens on the screen saver section of my system preferences.
I've tried the following fixes based on previous commuity
1)
Force Quit System Preferences
Move iPhoto Library to desktop
reload iPhoto
retry system preferences
2)
Tried looking for com.apple.... files people recommended in the library to delete
Was unable to find the file.
I'm on the Macbook Pro, late 2013. OS X 10.9.1
I just transititioned over from pc to Macbook so I beg your pardon if my "jargon" isn't up to your speed. Any help is appreciated - thanks in advance.
Cheers,
Stephen

Back up all data. Quit System Preferences if it's running.
Triple-click anywhere in the line below on this page to select it, then copy the text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C:
~/Library/Preferences/ByHost
In the Finder, select
Go ▹ Go to Folder...
from the menu bar. Paste into the box that opens (command-V), then press return. A folder should open. If it does, look for a file with a long name that begins "com.apple.screensaver". There may be several such files. Move them to the Trash.
Test. If the problem is resolved. recreate your settings in the Screen Saver tab.

System Preferences - "Displays" shows no options

Hello all,
I was wondering if anyone has encountered the following issue since upgrading to Leopard and whether you have pointers on how to fix it?
After upgrading to Leopard a week ago, System Preferences option "Displays" shows no selectable options. It comes up blank. I have installed the latest update to OS X (10.5.1) and this update has not resolved my issue.
Thanks in advance for any help.

I see you've not had any input on the "Displays" issue. I just upgraded my PowerBook G4 1.67 GHz, 2 GB Ram to Leopard 10.5.2. I even reinstalled the OS a couple times, which is a pain, but still didn't get any options. It says "loading displays" if I single click the preference. If I double click it shows a blank gray window. If you have resolved this problem please pass it on.
Thanks.

System Preferences Hang

I've just recently been struggling to print on my HP Laserjet 1020 and a Canon all in one and uninstalled both of the printers and rebooted my laptop. Now the System Preferences screen hangs when I click on the Print/Fax option. Any suggestions on how to fix this?

Maybe try to go to your user/library/preferences folder and remove com.apple.systempreferences.plist and possibly another one relating to the print preferences (not sure which), and restarting?

My Macbook Air does not have a place to check to allow Handoff in my System Preference (General). I have updated to Yosemite.

Trying to use Handoff. I've read where I need to go to the System Preferences - General - and check to allow Handoff. There is no place to checkmark that. I have updated to Yosemite.

What model (i.e., how old) is your MacBook Air? Note the following from Help for that System Preference screen:
Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices
(not available on all computers)
If your Mac supports Handoff, select to turn on Handoff between your Mac and iOS devices set up with iCloud. For more information, see Pick up where you left off with Handoff.

Interesting Issue with Screen Saver in System Preferences

Sorry for posting what might be a simple fix, as I thought it would be such, but apparently I just can't seem to figure this out. (as I trouble shoot for Pro Apps support requests every day at the office, but it's always the simplest items that seem to get us for some reason)
Just recently assisted installing Snow Leopard (Mac Box Set) on my sister's machine, clean install, and was in the process of updating her screen saver the way it was previously, Cycling through her Photos in iPhoto. When I first selected iPhoto within the screen saver system preference pane, it would give me a message saying that there were no photos selected/available. Yet, when I opened iPhoto '08, all her photos where all coming up as expected. No matter how many times I tried to select iPhoto in the screen saver pane, it wouldn't come up.
I figured I'd follow the request it was giving me, about using the icon at the bottom of the pane to manually add the "Pictures" folder where they all reside. Instead of just adding the "Pictures" folder to the side bar, it now shows ALL various sub-folders in the side bar list. (making the list about 100x longer than original)
I figured I'd try reversing what I did, selecting the various photo folders/sub-folders and use the to remove them from the list, but each of the various items listed all have the button disabled and cannot be removed. I then made several attempts to delete any/all preference files that were associated with *screensaver* in the various *.plst file namings. Though, no matter how many, or how many times I removed all the obvious screen saver *.plist files I could find, even after emptying the trash, and starting System Preferences once again, the HUGE list of photos were still showing up in the Screen Saver pane within System Preferences.
I appreciate any advice and/or guidance in how I might be able to remove the extra photo folders from the Screen Saver Sys Preferences side bar, and thank you very much in advance for taking the time thus far.
Best Regards,
-James-

How about the system preferences?
com.apple.systempreferences.plist
R

Screen Saver System Preferences layout issue on Yosemite

Hi,
After a clean install (first formatted and installed from a clean bootable USB-stick (so a really clean install)), the Screen Saver System Preferences shows a glitch after activating the Photos App (I think). I checked every step in the process and the glitch showed up after activating the Photos App.
When navigating to System Preferences and then to Desktop & Screen Saver, first it shows two columns of screen saver types (as it should be), but when the photos from the Photos App are loaded (in the background in the Desktop screen), the preview window with the selected screen saver stretches half a centimeter to the left, pushing one of the two columns away.
I have already tried reinstalling Mac OS Yosemite 10.10.3, deleting caches, removing screen saver config files (tip from Linc Davis), etc. The console does not show useful information (for me).
In my case the issue shows up on my iMac (27-inch, Late 2012) and MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Mid 2014). Only on the MacBook the two columns merge to one. One the iMac I only see a small stretch, but it does not cause the two columns to merge.
Please reply if the same issue occurs and if there is a known solution.
Regards.

Hi Cameron I'm not going to be much help because I too have exactly the same problem with my machine - I have tried re-installing Leopard and that makes not one scrap of difference - I have cleared out all the rubbish on the machine - no difference - sent umpteen "reports" to Apple expecting some sort of response - after all the OS is the best thing since sliced bread so they can't have many reports to deal with - perhaps its us causing the problem.
Regards Bob

System Preferences- Desktop/Screen saver- crash EVERY TIME

Hi-
I have a brand new iMAc 24" with Leopard and all software is up to date via update as of 12 hours ago (10.5.1 etc). I have office 2004 and photoshop/illustrator but NO other software loaded. The computer is now 7 days old. Yesterday I used system preferences to change my desktop picture to something from my iPhoto library, as per normal with 10.5.1 I got one picture up and then went to change it and now EVERY TIME I try to change anything in the desktop/screen saver system preferences the application dies. I can get the desktop/screen saver page to open but as soon as I click any conceivable option on that window the system preferences application dies. I have sent about 7 crash reports to apple and see that others are describing similar (not identical) problems. Is apple going to fix this? I DID not install leopard on this computer, its BRAND NEW. The only thing I have done is to update whatever apple told me was available. HELP...

My computer was a month old when I installed Leopard (which turned out to be an adventure....), and once I finally got a proper install one of the features I explored was Desktop and Screensaver, specifically I tried the new mosaic option in the Screensaver for pictures, it seemed to work. The 10.5.1 update came out, a bit later I tried that Screensaver option again and not only did it not work, but it crashed System Prefs. I ended up trashing every plist and cache file having to do with System Prefs, Screensaver, and iphotomosaic in my home ~/Library folder. Oh, and in searching for them they managed to crash the Finder too. So take a look thru ~/Library, especially Preferences, be sure to also look in the ByHost folder, and you might also check the Caches folder. Remove all files you can find that have to do with System Prefs, Screensaver, and Desktop. Once I did that all was fine again with my System Prefs. The mosaic option even started working again.
Francine
Francine
Schwieder

Desktop/Screen Saver panel missing in System Preferences

Hello,
I recently had to have my hard drive changed and I reloaded OSX 10.6.8 back on it along with the applications DVD. Now when I go to the system preferences, the DESKTOP/SCREEN SAVER panel is no longer listed. I am very new to my Imac and tried to reinstall the applications disk. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to fix this problem so I can change the desktop pictures? Thanks

Open System Preferences and go to View menu (on the menu bar). You should see Desktop & Screen Saver listed.
If you see it, go to View menu > Customize, and mark "Desktop & Screen Saver".
If you do not see it, insert the Snow Leopard DVD, hold the C key while your computer is starting up and reinstall Mac OS X

Leopard ate up my System Preference Screen

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