My Systems Preferences window is now a menu??????

I am accustomed to clicking the Systems Preferences icon on the dock and getting a window with things lined up in rows. Just recently when I click it, it will say "System Preferences, Edit, View, Window, Help" at the top of the screen, and the only way I can view the list is to click "View". Then I get a drop-down menu that lists everything. But when I select one, nothing happens. What did I (or somebody else who uses this computer) do to cause this, and how can I get it back the way it was? Thanks.

The menus you list have always been there, so that's nothing new. The issue sounds more like the window is missing - i.e. it's drawn off-screen (or maybe very close to the edge so you're not noticing it, maybe?).
The easiest resolution is probably to trash the System Preferences preference file (the one for System Preferences itself, not all your system's preferences).
Just trash ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist then relaunch System Preferences.

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    Message was edited by: Carolyn Samit

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