.mac System Preference "Synchronize with .Mac"

In the .mac System Preferences in the Sync tab there is an option to "Synchronize with .Mac." In doing some testing, a value of "Automatically" does not seem to trigger a sync as I would expect when a selectable item (like "Calendars") is changed. Does anyone know what initiates a sync when "Automatically" is specified?

HI,
Go here: http://www.apple.com/mobileme/setup/mac/
Automatically means it syncs when updates are available.
Carolyn

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10.5.2: You cannot use the application "System preferences.app" with...

Hello
after (successfully) updating from 10.5.1 to 10.5.2, the System Preferences.app cannot be started. Either the application does not start (a silent error) or there is a message "You cannot use the application "System preferences.app" with this version of MacOS X." The version is 10.5.2, according to "About this Mac", while the application version is 3.5. The same happens when I attempt to open "Time machine preferences" using the new menu/icon on the bar.
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Marinho.

Thanks, I did that, but it didn't solve the problem.
By the way, the application version (of System preferences.app) remained the same (old one). Then I removed the application to Trash (meaning to restore it later if required) and applied the update again (and a third time), but then a new System preferences.app was not installed and the older one has disappeared from the trash! What a mess this update turns out to be...
Marinho.

System Preferences Crash with Rapport & DivX Preferences Panes

Hello.
MacBook Pro Late 2008 / Intel Core 2 Duo 2.53 GHz / 8 BG RAM / Snow Leopard 10.6.8
I am experiencing a problem with the interaction between the Mac System Preferences (v7.0) and two installed Preferences Panes (Rapport by Trusteer and DivX). When I open either the Rapport or DivX preferences pane I receive the following message.
To use the "Rapport -or- DivX" preferences pane, System Preferences must quit and reopen.
(Cancel) (OK)
This was working fine until recently. I would click "OK" and System Preferences would quit and reopen in the appropriate mode for the Rapport or DivX preferences pane. But, now when I click "OK" System Preferences quits and never reopens (crashes). Rapport and DivX are the only installed preferences panes experiencing this problem. This is also happening on other Macs as well with Snow Leopard (10.6.8) and Lion (10.7.4) OS - MacBook and iMac (2009 models).
I have contacted Support for both DivX and Trusteer (Rapport) and they are looking into the problem - no solution yet.
Here is a screenshot video showing the exact events and failure details. I could not insert a video in this post, so here is a public Dropbox link to download the video.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/48793067/DivX-Rapport%20Preferences%20Crash.mov
Thanks for any help you may offer.

Rapport has never previously worked on a Mac. How to uninstall Rapport, by Trusteer:
http://www.trusteer.com/uninstalling-rapport-mac-os
However, Trusteer recently posted this in another thread:
We would like to recommend you to download Rapport's updated version, as we suspect the problems you were experiencing have already been resolved.
You can download the latest version here:
http://download.trusteer.com/Gcur4Wtnu/leopard/Rapport.dmg
Please restart your browser after the installation completes and let us know if the problem persists.
If the problem persists, we would be very interested in fixing it.
Please note that we offer 24/7 free technical assistance.
Should you need additional assistance, feel free to contact us by submitting the following form: http://www.trusteer.com/support/submit-ticket
We also have helpful information available in our FAQ: http://www.trusteer.com/support/faq
As regards DivX, download and install Perian from http://perian.org/
You should read this support page http://perian.org/#support in case you need to delete older codecs. In Macintosh HD/Library/Quicktime/ delete any files relating to DivX (Perian already has them), particularly any DivX extension to Safari. However it should be noted that Perian is not an internet plugin and will not play DivX files imbedded on a website. For that you will need the DivX Player browser plugin available from http://www.divx.com/en/software/mac Note that Perian will be discontinued after the release of Mountain Lion: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-57434082-263/perian-plug-in-for-quicktime-t o-be-discontinued/?tag=txt;title

System Preferences Resetting with Reboot

Since I upgraded to Mavericks I have this really annoying problem that my system preferences keep resetting with every reboot I make. For example the wacom driver resets to project the tablet on both displays instead of just one and the audio adjustments are resetting as well. I tried the PRAM- and the SMC- Reset but nothing seemed to work for me. Any help is greatly appriciated

https://discussions.apple.com/message/19315189#19315189

Screen Saver portion of System Preference App with 10.9.5 will not open

Screen saver with System Preference application will not open. All other Systemitems work fine.

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.
Log out or restart the computer. Test. If the problem is resolved. recreate your settings in the Screen Saver tab.

How to Check System Preference Settings with Time Machine

I just found and fixed a problem caused by a bad System Preference/Universal Access
setting and would like to go back in my Time Machine backup to see where the
error was made. I may have been too quick to blame the 10.5.3 update on the
problem so wanted to look back in time.
The problem is i don't know how to check System Preferences using the Time Machine.
Any suggestion?

If you're looking for specific settings, the short answer is you cannot. You can open the .plist files and try to find the specific option you're looking for, though it might not be too easy to decipher some of the contents of the .plist file. For the most part they're just lists of attributes and settings. For instance, here's a very small chunk of my Finder .plist file:
<key>All Images.cannedSearch</key>
<dict>
     <key>SidebarWidth</key>
     <integer>162</integer>
     <key>ToolbarVisible</key>
     <true/>
     <key>ViewHeight</key>
     <integer>1116</integer>
     <key>ViewStyle</key>
     <string>icnv</string>
     <key>WindowBounds</key>
     <dict>
          <key>bottom</key>
          <integer>1200</integer>
          <key>left</key>
          <integer>56</integer>
          <key>right</key>
          <integer>1920</integer>
          <key>top</key>
          <integer>84</integer>
     </dict>
</dict>
<key>AnimateInfoPanes</key>
<true/>
<key>AnimateSnapToGrid</key>
<string>true</string>
<key>AnimateWindowZoom</key>
<true/>
Each "key" is followed by an attribute, so for instance the "SideBar Width" key is given the "Width" integer attribute of 162. However, some keys have multiple entries, such as the "WindowBounds" key having sub-keys of "bottom", "left", "right", and "top".
These values are finder preferences, though are not accessible via the finder's preference settings. However, buried deep in the Finder's .plist file are some of the user-editable settings:
<key>ShowHardDrivesOnDesktop</key>
<true/>
<key>ShowMountedServersOnDesktop</key>
<true/>
<key>SidebarSearchesSectionDisclosedState</key>
<false/>
If you can find the attribute you're looking for, then that may help you narrow down which version of a .plist file to restore, though not all of them are straightforward legible text. Some have bizarre strings of seemingly random characters that only the application can interpret.
Message was edited by: Topher Kessler

System Preferences hangs with Mountain Lion

Various parts of system preferences hang under Mountain Lion. Prior to upgrade there was no problem. Any ideas?

I am still having this problem as well. Multiple panes will fail to launch. A reinstallation of ML failed to fix this. I even did a fresh reinstall, manually copying over my Documents, Music, Pictures, and other essential files to a backup drive beforehand. Almost all System Preferences fail to launch. A list of those that fail:
Desktop & Screensaver
Security & Privacy
Notifications
iCloud
Mail, Contacts, & Calendars
Date & Time
Software Update (The only one that seems to extend beyond the preference pane. Software update will not launch, even though I know there are iPhoto and iTunes updates to be downlaoded.)
Dictation & Speech
Time Machine (I really, really, really, really, really want this one to work!)
Startup Disk
Third-party:
Glimmer Blocker (I have let the developer know. There is an update, it does not seem to be working at this time.)

System preferences crashes with speech

Little background, I've been trying to test out some software (SousChef) but the app quits before it loads (bounces then disappears). The SousChef crew checked my logs and says my laptop is having trouble loading the speech subsystem. I've been searching around for any reference to this and can't find much. I tried to access the "speech" section in system preferences to see if there's an option to turn off/on but each time I select "speech" it crashes the system preferences. I can see the speech screen and it says "loading voices" (it's grayed out) so I'm not sure if there's a loading issue. The only speech related software I have is Rosetta Stone. Any help would be much appreciated!

Backup your data to a external drive and disconnect.
Look in your user/Library/Preference folder for a file called
systempreferences.plist
and drag it to your desktop and reboot.
You'll have to set the preferences for it again.
Also run all the cleaning and maintainence aspects of the free OnyX and reboot.
http://www.titanium.free.fr/
Should clean your system of any gremlins hopefully.

Displays in System Preferences blank with new Samsung LCD

On my G4, which has an ATI Rage Pro 16 MB AGP card and an ATI Rage PCI card installed, I now get a blank displays control panel since connecting a new Samsung SyncMaster 730b monitor to either card. The second monitor is a Gateway EV700. If I disconnect one monitor, I get the displays panel back, as soon as I reconnect and restart, it is blank again. I obviously cannot rearrange monitors, although I can change resolutions in my displays icon in the menu bar.
I purchased the AGP card and installed it after installing OS 10.3.9, although when I had an old Apple 720 monitor connected the displays panel worked fine. I have tried connecting the Samsung with both a DVI and a VGA cable (has both options) and nothing works to fix the problem.
Short of re-installing the OS, does anyone know a fix?
G4 500 MHz (AGP graphics) Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Thanks Grant.
I tried this as well, still no luck though, I still get a blank panel.
I took a chance and put the ATI Displays software on the machine, and still the displays panel is blank. The ATI cards still see the monitors and identify them correctly in the ATI control panel installed in system prefs.
At this point I think I just have to live with it, or try installing Tiger, which I have been contemplating. I am a little hesitant though as Tiger hogs a bit more ram and is a larger installation; plus the G4 is an old machine and other than this problem runs everything very well.
eMac 700, G4 500 MHz (AGP graphics), 2 Beige G3's, Blue & White G3 Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Imac display dims. can brighten in system preferences or with keyboard, but then randomly dims again

We have an iMac where I work that was purchased this last summer (2012). We bought a bunch, but this is the only one that has this issue. The main user of the computer says that the screen randomly dims while he is using it. It won't dim is he is actively typing, but if he takes his hands away for a moment the screen dims. He pushes the brighten key on his keyboard, an the screen goes back to normal. But it happens again moments later.
I already tried SMC and PRAM resets. I unchecked anything obvious in the energy saver preferences on his profile. It really didn't seem like a hardware issue to me, but I'm running out of ideas. Any thoughts?

I have been having this same problem as well for a couple months now on a 27" 2010 iMac.
After being in use for about 30 minutes, there is a couple of quick screen flashes and you can see the screen is now dimmed quite a bit. I don't have the auto dim thing turn on. Never did.
Bringing up the brightness just brings up the dimming, but it does not clear the screen back to the high contrast state.
Then after a few minutes, it just resets itself back to normal, only to do it again within an hour or two.
Pretty random actually.
Is this thing dying on me? I don't have apple don't care. Do I need to pay to have this fixed?
Any ideas what could be going on?

I am having an issue making power nap work on my mid 2011 mac book air with mountain lion and it is enabled in system preferences and plugged in in sleep mode it does not seem to work with time machine overnight

I am having an issue in making power nap work on Mountain Lion on my mid 2011 Mac Book Air. It is enabled in system preferences but with time machine and sleeping overnight it did not seem to do hourly back up as stated or any other functions of power nap that I know of. it has been enabeled on both battery and plug in dc and I did leave it on plug in overnight.

Hello APVzW, we absolutely want the best path to resolution. My apologies for multiple attempts of replacing the device. We'd like to verify the order information and see if we can locate the tracking number. Please send a direct message with the order number so we can dive deeper. Here's steps to send a direct message: http://vz.to/1b8XnPy We look forward to hearing from you soon.
WiltonA_VZW
VZW Support
Follow us on twitter @VZWSupport

System preferences shot after Security Update 2006-008 - no sound any more

All sorts of strange problems after running the 2006-008 security update, yet only affecting one my two MacMini:
System Preferences completely "shot", with the Date&Time item/icon looking very odd.
The little flag for language/keyboard setting and date/time did not show any more in the top menu bar -- basically everything left side of the blue Spotlight magnifying glass icon was gone.
Also Safari much more prone to quit.
Managed to delete some prefs and cached stuff and to replace the System Preferences application with the one from the other (working ok) Mac.
(I wish such components were available on the web!)
However: Currently I get no sound whatsoever. When I check the option to have the little speaker symbol displayed in the menu bar it shows. But as soon as I click it once, it vanishes from the menu bar.
In the Sound window, I have Volume set to full, yet everything is greyed out, "Sound off" is checked without my doing, while "Display sound volume in the menu bar" unchecks itself everytime(!)
And, very odd: While resetting PRAM and the fsck-routine working ok (no problems found) and disk utility claiming to have repaired all permissions, I can not run a reset of Open Firmware/nvram with the O-F-Apple-Alt key combination (I'm using an original Apple USB Keyboard for this, since I'm aware that my 3rd party keyboards from Logitech and Microsoft often refuse to perform such kind of "low level" tasks).
Mac Mini 1.66 GHz 2 GB RAM Mac OS X (10.4.8) German language OS

finally found the solution to my problems at
http://www.macfixit.com/article.php?story=20061229012312895
Late-Breakers
Friday, December 29 2006 @ 01:23 AM PST
Security Update 2006-008 Special Report: General fixes for common issues
"Re-apply the Mac OS X 10.4.8 combo updater Once again, re-application of the current combination updater (Mac OS X 10.4.8 for PowerPC or Intel) has proven useful in the case of Security Update 2006-008. Doing so overwrites potentially problem-causing files".
while it is widely known that the folks from redmond do release software before all the bugs are removed, i was not aware before that apple is following the same approach: using their customers as guinea pigs when it comes to updates. there is plenty of reports on MacFixIt about all sorts of troubles with previous apple os updates.
Mac Mini 1.66 GHz 2 GB RAM Mac OS X (10.4.8) German language OS

System Preferences stuck after Yosemite upgrade- advice on reverting to Maverick from Time Machine backup?

I just upgraded to Yosemite from Maverick overnight on my mid 2012 MacBook air via app store. On first boot up this morning, I did NOT choose to encrypt my hard drive or use iCloud during set-up. I was proceeding thru the set-up steps, then got an unresponsive iCloud system preferences window, with a small drop down window to set up an apple id, asking for birthday, security questions, etc. I have an apple id, and drop down is too small to reveal security questions or allow me to respond. Quit didn't work, and I started trolling this support site to find out what to do. I finally managed to force quit it just now. I am NOT a power user, I use my computer for email, photo organization, internet surfing, and some docs and spreadsheets. (I retired and switched to MAC to avoid all the microsoft BS, and haven't looked back. :-)
After reading all the posts here of people having trouble with yosemite on my critical uses, (email, etc) and the complicated answers to fix things, I am really out of my league. My goal now is to get to where I was last night before the upgrade, and wait until Apple fixes the many issues people are discovering before trying Yosemite again. I did do a complete Time Machine backup prior to the upgrade. My questions:
1. What issues, if any, are people having after reverting back to Mavericks after a Time Machine recovery?
2. Are there any special instructions to do this restore that are not in the standard restore instructions? Mac Basics: Time Machine backs up your Mac - Apple Support
I am a bit concerned to move forward, so any advice or re-assurance will enable me to take the next step. I am gonna hang out and see what I hear before I take the plunge to time machine restore!

Yes, Mavericks has smashed people's old backups.. start a new backup in a different location.. or archive off the old backup from the TC onto a USB drive.. wipe the drive and start again. You can then access the backups on the USB any time you want.. plug it into the computer and use TM to look at the files.
Spend a bit of time reading how TM works.
And what you can do with it.
http://pondini.org/TM/Home.html
Even if you just skim through FAQ.. check out how to mount TM backups from another mac..(effectively your old Mountain Lion install is another mac).
http://pondini.org/TM/17.html
Keeping your old backup intact makes good sense.. !!

System preference gone

I am trying to use an old office mac mini for a new job but it seem that who ever used it last in an effort to clear all personal information deleted system preferences along with just about everything else beside itunes and safari.
i have the install disk but i have tried many time to reboot it by holding c but it will not work i get a missing driver error
any clue on how i can wipe this thing clean
it is runnign 10.3.9

The original Mac Mini G4 model that shipped with Panther 10.3 in it,
had an install-restore disc set with a specific version of Panther.
That disc would say something to this effect: Mac OS X 10.3.7 (7T21)
and in order to have a working 10.3.9 system, that would have been
updated via downloads from the Apple Support software site.
If you did have that original set of software, the applications it had
when new could be installed along with a totally new system folder.
But without that installer set, you probably could consider looking
for a deal on Mac OS X 10.4 or 10.5; and the computer may need
more RAM installed, and since it is getting old, maybe a new HDD.
{An "Archive and Install" from the original install-restore disc set
could give you a working complete system folder; but there may
be damaged files or low-level corruption on the Mini's hard drive.}
There should be a DIY manual or instructions available online to
help you get into such a computer and do the hardware upgrade;
to be sure an OS X software upgrade was supported by the Mini.
However that works out...
Good luck & happy computing!

Wifi option disappeared from system preferences network tab

I used wifi at home in the morning, with no problem. I used ethernet during the day at work. When I got home, wifi wasn't working. At first, it was still an option in the Network tab of System Preferences (along with Ethernet, Firewire & Bluetooth PAN). When I clicked on 'Assist Me,' and started the process, I wasn't able to give the information needed. When I clicked 'Go Back' until I got to the main Network screen, the 'WiFi' option was no longer present. It is also not an option with I click on the "+" button to add a network option. In addition, on the top bar, the WiFi icon is greyed out, with an 'X' in it. Clicking on it shows: "WiFi: No Hardware Installed."
To add to the fun, when I called Apple Support, he had some resets in mind to try, but my computer will not stay off. Clicking 'Shut Down,' turns it off, but then right back on. Holding the power button turns it off, but he had me unplug the power for a minute, then plug it back in. When I do plug back in, it restarts again, on its own.
Any help would be greatly appreciated... Thanks!

In many cases, this issue is caused by a hardware fault. A short circuit or a microscopic break in a solder joint may open and close depending on temperature, making the failure intermittent.
Test after taking each of the following steps that you haven't already taken. Back up all data before making any changes.
1. If you can connect to the Internet via Ethernet, Bluetooth, or a USB network device, make sure all available OS X updates are installed. If Wi-Fi is your only means of network access, skip this step.
2. Reset the NVRAM.
3. Reset the System Management Controller.
4. Start up in Recovery mode. In the menu bar of the OS X Utilities screen, there's a Wi-Fi menu. If it works, selectInstall OS X. If your Mac was upgraded from an older version of OS X, you’ll need the Apple ID and password you used to upgrade, so make a note of those before you begin.
5. Make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store, or go to another authorized service provider.

.mac System Preference "Synchronize with .Mac"

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