Missing System Preference Icon

One of my System Preferences icons seems to be missing... I have been trying to disable DVD player from automatically launching when I insert a DVD, and the "CDs &DVDs" icon is missing in the System Preferences.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Nick
MacBook 1.83GHz Intel Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Hi Nick
Hmmmm.
When you say it is missing... In Sys Pref. in the second row called hardware there are normally 6 icons with the CD-DVD one being the first on the far left position. Is that space now empty?
If is not empty and you click on the space where it should be, what happens?
I'm running out of ideas. So... one more time with one extra deletion.
With Sys Pref closed
trash
~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist
~/Library/Caches/com.apple.preferencepanes.cache
as well as
~/Library/Preferences/ByHost/com.apple.systempreferences
then log out and then back in
then click on Sys Pref. to see if CD-DVD is back where it should be.
regards roam.

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System preferences icon deleted by mistake.

Hi to all
i did delete my system preferences icon by mistake.
and now i can not go through the system preferences to set my laptop settings, like the background, network ..... ect.
now, could someone assist me pls
Thank you so much

Are you referring to the actual application in your Applications folder or the icon in the Dock? If the latter simply open your Applications folder, locate the System Preferences application and drag its icon into the Dock. If the former then you have to reinstall it from your OS X Installer DVD:
How to Use Pacifist to Replace 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 from VersionTracker or MacUpdate. 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.)
A. Drag a .pkg icon onto the Pacifist window .....proceed to step 7.
B. Click on “Open Package ....” and navigate to package desired and click “Open” in the open/save window.....proceed to step 7.
C. 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

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Check inside your Applications folder and see if you can find your System Preferences Application. If you can see there try and open it. If it works then drag it to the dock creating a new alias and remove the question mark. If you do not see System Preferences in the Applications folder then it may have been moved or even deleted. Try searching for it. If you find it move it back to the Applications folder.
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http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/7135/screenshot20100128at902.png
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Message was edited by: Crzyrio

drag it off the dock. then open the Main Applications folder at the top level of the hard drive and drag System preferences from there to the dock.

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http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/resetlaunchservices.html
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Hi
Since installing Lion, the icons on my system preferences pane have all changed to the same icon as the system preferences app. i.e just the cogs.
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It's not a folder, it should be a single file.
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Stange bit of business this. Yesterday everything was peachy. Today when I booted the system I get this instead of the regular icon!
Question: Now what?

Hello Gwaredd
If you are still trying to fix the issue...
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A couple weeks ago, I attempted to download an extension for Safari (unfortunately, I can't remember the name), and there wasn't any indiciation that it was being downloaded. Upon quitting Safari immediately afterward, when I opened up Safari's preference window, I noticed that some of the preference icons were missing.
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Please read this whole message before doing anything.
This procedure is a test, not a solution. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.
Step 1
The purpose of this step is to determine whether the problem is localized to your user account.
Enable guest logins and log in as Guest. For instructions, launch the System Preferences application, select Help from the menu bar, and enter “Set up a guest account” (without the quotes) in the search box.
While logged in as Guest, you won’t have access to any of your personal files or settings. Applications will behave as if you were running them for the first time. Don’t be alarmed by this; it’s normal. If you need any passwords or other personal data in order to complete the test, memorize, print, or write them down before you begin.
Test while logged in as Guest. Same problem(s)?
After testing, log out of the guest account and, in your own account, disable it if you wish. Any files you created in the guest account will be deleted automatically when you log out of it.
Note: If you’ve activated “Find My Mac” or FileVault in Mac OS X 10.7 or later, then you can’t enable the Guest account. Create a new account in which to test, and delete it, including its home folder, after testing.
Step 2
The purpose of this step is to determine whether the problem is caused by third-party system modifications that load automatically at startup or login.
Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed for the test, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards. Boot in safe mode and log in to the account with the problem. The instructions provided by Apple are as follows:
Be sure your Mac is shut down.
Press the power button.
Immediately after you hear the startup tone, hold the Shift key. The Shift key should be held as soon as possible after the startup tone, but not before the tone.
Release the Shift key when you see the gray Apple icon and the progress indicator (looks like a spinning gear).
Safe mode is much slower to boot and run than normal, and some things won’t work at all, including wireless networking on certain Macs.
The login screen appears even if you usually log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.
Note: If FileVault is enabled under Mac OS X 10.7 or later, you can’t boot in safe mode.
Test while in safe mode. Same problem(s)?
After testing, reboot as usual (i.e., not in safe mode) and verify that you still have the problem. Post the results of steps 1 and 2.

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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.
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;~)

System preferences icon still in the dock but invisible

I have this problem and I don't know how to fix it.
The system preferences app is still working properly, the problem is that the icon is missing, it seems to be still on the dock, when the system preferences app is open there is even the little light underneath, but there is no icon, just an empty space. What should I do?
If I could post a screen shot would be much easier to explain.
Thanks in advance
Hope to hear from you soon.

Click on the icon in the Dock and hold down the mouse as you drag it upward. It will disappear in a "poof".
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so I have exhausted all avenues, tried EVERY trip and trip I could find online and here in Apple Support PLUS Apple Support Communities to try and restore this missing pain (I cannot access system preferences NO MATTER how much I try, and the last 5 days of searching has lead me to figure out, I am missing this system preference pain)
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I only know enough to be dangerous, but this is from apple ( http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1528) try this.
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Removing system preferences icons?

I have a few icons in my system preferences that are no longer needed but I can't seem to delete them. Nothing is showing up in a Spotlight search but the icons are still there!! How do I get rid of them?
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Have you checked in Preference Panes folders? There are at least two locations for these:
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Missing System Preference Icon

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