Restoring system preference settings

Can't scroll up and down using 2 finger scroll ? Was changing system preferences and must have screwed them up. Is there a way to restore olld settings?

Your condition of backing up without an external disk is unrealistic and can't be done. A backup to an external is required.
Rather then do a restore and reinstall which usually is not necessary, I suggest you read http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/performance.html

Similar Messages

How to restore System Preferences's lock icon?

How to restore System Preferences's lock icon? My Mac's System Preferences's lock icon at the lower left corner disappeared, how to restore?

The solution is in this 5 Feb 2014 post by Dio Gratia:
"Go to the Security& Privacy System Preferences Pane, click the lock icon, authenticate and hit the Advanced button. Check the Require an adminstrator password to access system-wide preferences, hit Okay.
The lock icon will show up again on the Sharing Preference Pane. It should cure the missing lock icon in general."
See
Re: No lock in the preference pane???

Is it possible to save System preference settings for every user that logins to a Mac OS X?

I work at a school and we have iMacs running Mavericks 10.9 in our environment. We have them binded to our Windows domain so that way students can use their own login to access the Macs. I have a number of System preference settings that I would like to take a effect, but I only see that these settings take effect for every user. So even if I login as the Main administrator account and set settings in System Preferences, such as not allowing the Wifi symbol to show, the next user that logins will still see the wifi symbol because the setting isn't taking effect for their System preferences. Does anyone know a way to get System Preference settings to take affect for every user that logins? Maybe a script?

Modifying the user template is not supported. You can Google for people who have done it in the past. I would recommend going to official route, if possible. Here are a couple of training documents. I'm sure there is more available though more official channels.
http://training.apple.com/pdf/wp_osx_configuration_profiles_ml.pdf
https://www.apple.com/education/docs/l521219b_osx_deployment_guide_030513.pdf
http://training.apple.com/pdf/wp_integrating_active_directory_mav.pdf

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

How to Restore System Preferences From Time Machine

Hi,
Is there any way to restore past system preferences using Time Machine (such as desktop photo, trackpad settings, screensaver, etc.)? I would like to revert to some of these past settings without restoring my whole system from the backup disk & DVD.
Thanks in advance!

You can do that, but you have to figure out which preferences you want, and what file(s) they're in. And there are about a zillion of them!
Most user-level preferences you set via System Preferences are in one big file:
*<home folder>/Library/Preferences/com.apple/systempreferences.plist*
but a few are in separate files, such as:
*<home folder>/Library/Preferences/com.apple.screensaver.plist*
System-level preferences, such as Time Machine's preferences, are in separate files in the top-level Library folder:
/Library/Preferences/com.apple.TimeMachine.plist
or one of several files in the sub-folder:
/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguraton
Other preferences, such as all your Mail accounts, rules, etc., are in separate files at the user level, such as:
*<home folder>/Library/Preferences/com.apple.mail.plist*

System Preferences settings reset on reboot.

I have a Mac Pro that keeps loosing is System Preferences. I change the mouse settings and as soon as the machine is rebooted, settings go back to default. I've seen other posts similar to this but no one has had a solution.

Hello afloc,
You will have to reset your System Preferences to do this but it might help.
Locate this file: com.apple.systempreferences.plist It's here: /Home/Library/Preferences
Open the Preferences folder, locate that file, drag it to the Trash, empty the Trash and reboot.
Now try your mouse...
Carolyn

Restoring System Preferences in Mavericks with Time Machine

I'm trying to get back to an earlier version of the System Preferences with Time Machine. All goes well until I hit restore, and then I get the notification that "“System Preferences” can’t be modified or deleted because it’s required by OS X." Am I doing something wrong?

Try restoring the preference file to the Desktop and try manually, with Admin password, to replace the existing file.
To restore to a cifferent location Command (right) - click on the file in TM and select this contextual menu option:
OT

Problems saving system preference settings

Hi All
I have just bought a new intel Mac and upgraded it to Mac OS 10.7 Lion. Everything works great except for one small anoying problem. When I go to system preferences and set my sound output option to my external speakers all is ok untill I restart the machine. Now the setting is not saved and I have to redo it manually each time. All my other settings save ok. I have tried reparing permissions and reparing the start up volume with password utility as mentioned online. I have also deleted and redone my system prefrences plist file in the system folder. Does anyone out there know what is going on and how to fix it.
Thanks for your help.
Regards
Paul

Problems such as yours are sometimes caused by files that should belong to you but are locked or have wrong permissions. This procedure will check for such files. It makes no changes and therefore will not, in itself, solve your problem.
First, empty the Trash.
Triple-click the line below to select it, then copy the selected text to the Clipboard (command-C):
find ~ $TMPDIR.. $ -flags +sappnd,schg,uappnd,uchg -o ! -user $UID -o ! -perm -600 -o -acl $ 2> /dev/null | wc -l
Launch the Terminal application in any of the following ways:
☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Terminal in the icon grid.
Paste into the Terminal window (command-V). The command may take a noticeable amount of time to run. Wait for a new line ending in a dollar sign (“$”) to appear.
The output of this command, on a line directly below what you entered, will be a number such as "41." Please post it in a reply.

All system preferences / settings lost after restore

Maybe I'm missing the point, but I had to run a restore last night after a hanging software update. Basically what happened was I was running normal software update (tryna get that iPhone os update), and it got hung up installing something. I was forced to restart, and the machine would not restart...
So after going thru the requisite repair disk permissions and AppleJack to find my startup disk was not corrupted and still in fact had data on it (yet still couldn't restart) I just reverted my system to a pre-backup version via Time Machine, a backup that had occured just hours prior.
While I did not lose any data, I did lose:
- my default itunes library was reset (i keep my music on a separate internal disk, I had to manually add all my music into the library)
- extensions / bookmarks / settings / saved passwords in Firefox, Coda, FTP programs, etc
- haven't checked yet, but possibly Apache / Ruby installs on my startup disk too
- Dock / desktop background / mouse configuration / network configuation etc.
It's basically like a new computer but with my old files and applications installed on it.
is just how time machine works? i'm glad i didn't lose any data, but it's a real pain to set everything up the way i had it before...
any insight would be rad!

Colin Bayer wrote:
* I got home at ~8:30 PM to a screen that still said "Copying ..." some 100,000 files and no progress all day. Finder was frozen, couldn't do anything. had to hard restart
That sounds like corruption on your backups, but given what happened next, I don't think so:
* now i'm getting the "no" symbol upon startup. great, that means it can't find os X on my startup disk. it goes to the next available startup disk, which happens to be another internal drive with windows XP on it.
That wouldn't be caused by the problem restoring Application Support.
* i boot from the install disk again. run disk repair. install disk doesn't even show a formatted / S.M.A.R.T. verified disk in HD Bay 1. somehow hard restarting just totally ruined my startup disk...damnit.
* i can't even start in single user mode.
* try to erase and/or re-partition the startup disk from the Disk Utility on the CD, and can't do that either. it gives me some resource busy error. this appears to be a Leopard bug and fortunately I can reformat from the snow leopard install disk.
I'm very suspicious of your internal HD. Try this: Intel-based Macs: Using Apple Hardware Test
so, i'm left with reinstalling os 10.5.x via install disk on my now erased / reformatted hard drive. after that, i'm going to try to (again) restore from the time machine disk (thank god all of my media and time machine backups are on separate hard disks...). Will a time machine restore into a freshly installed OS from a previous install?
Depends. A full restore, where you start from your Install disc, will erase the drive and restore everything, including OSX.
If you do an +Erase and Install+ of Leopard, then use +Setup Assistant+ (see #19 in Time Machine - Frequently Asked Questions (or use the link in *User Tips* at the top of this forum), it will bring over everything you select except OSX. Then download and instal the "combo" update to get back to 10.5.8. http://support.apple.com/downloads/MacOS_X_10_5_8_ComboUpdate Be sure to do a +Repair Permissions+ via Disk Utility (in your Applications/Utilities folder) afterwards.

System Preferences Settings return to another setting after restart

To all Mac,
Just wondering if everybody having the same issue as me?
Example 1:
Under Sytem Preferences --> Keybaord --> Setting set to "All Controls" it works fine until I restart my Mac or Log Off then IN.
It happend to me under Keyboard and Language & Text Preference Only
Is getting quite irritating now.
I have realize that it only happen to my Mac with FileVault Turn On.
On my other MacBook with FileVault Turn Off it does not have the above issues.
Currently Running on Mac OS X Montain Lion 10.8.4
Under a MacBook Pro Core i5
Just wonder if there anybody out there with the same issue as me or have a solution.
Thanks!
I'm a Mac

Close all windows and quit all applications.
Hold the option key down and click the "Go" menu in the Finder menubar.
Select "Library" from the dropdown, then "Preferences" folder.
Look for this file.
com.apple.systempreferences.plist
Right click the file and select " Move To Trash" from the contextual menu.
Restart the computer.

How do i restore systems preferences to a mac osx 10.5.8

somehow my system pref..app has been removed from my mac..got a new printer and cannot install anything..any suggestions

Use Pacifist to extract it from your Mac OS X 10.5 DVD and then run the Mac OS X 10.5.8 combo updater.
(122229)

I have lost the system preferences settings icon and want to reinstall my os to orig settings unfortunately I have lost thrown out disc due to moving house, can i get a copy of hardware drivers as can buy os disc

Can anybody help I have no problems duyinng new os system,
but unable to find which hardware and drivers required for system to work

All hardware drivers are included with the Operating System, OS X.
You will need the Original system discs to Reinstall the OS clean. You can get them from Apple for a fee. So call Apple and have the serial # of your Mac and order the Replacement System Discs. And this time try not to lose or throw them away.

System Preferences quits all the time

Hi,
Just upraded my mid-2010 27" iMac to Lion (after carefully uninstalling the few PowerPC apps I had on SnowLeopard and all the apps which are said to be not working on http://roaringapps.com/apps:table).
Each time I open System Preferences, it quits unexpectedly.
I repaired the permissions with Disk Utiliy, rebooted the machine after shutting it down but no success.
I also runned Software Updates of course.
Any suggestions?
Note 1: what's more, some features are not working: four-finger swipe to navigate to one desktop to another (nothing happens), impossible to select a different desktop screen in System Preferences (since it quits on clicking a different Apple image).
Note 2: I got a MBA which ships with Lion installed and I have none of these problems.

Check Console right after System Preferences goes south to see if it has mentioned any third party software at the time the problem occurred. If so, update it to a Lion version or use its uninstaller to remove it.
If that doesn't help hold down the option key while selecting the Go menu in the finder and select Library (your user library). Move com.apple.desktop.plist in the Preferences folder to the trash. Restart.
You can also try the same procedure with going to your user library and moving com.apple.systempreferences.plist in the Preferences folder to the trash and restarting. If that doesn't fix things you can move the file back to where it was to restore your System Preferences settings.
You can also try starting in safe mode to see if a login item incompatibility might be responsible. Among other things, starting in safe mode disables all login items. Hold the shift key down after your hear the startup chime. Keep holding the shift key down until you see the Apple logo and the spinning wheel.
Mac OS X: Starting up in Safe Mode
Safe mode checks/repairs your disk and does some maintenance routines so it takes awhile to complete booting.This Knowledge base articles will tell what happens when starting up in safe mode and what functions it disables.
Mac OS X: What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode?
If System Preferences > Desktop works restart (will take longer than normal to rebuild caches that safe mode clears) and see if you still have problems. If you do go to System Preferences > Accounts > your account > Login Items. Write down what is listed and use the "-" key to delete any non-Apple items. Restart normally. Add login items one at a time between restarts until you find the culprit.
Mac OS X 10.6 Help: Eliminating incompatible login items
There is small chance that a corrupt image file could be causing the problem but you should have seen that problem surface in Snow Leopard.

TS4006 my iCal in my new MacBook Air doesn't sync with the iCal data in my iPad despite having it "checked" (ON) in the system preferences iCloud. what else do i have to do to activate the iCal and have sync with my iPad?

Issue: iCal
I can't sync the iCal in my new MacBook Air with the existing iCal in my iPad. I went to system preferences (settings) to iCloud and checked the iCal to enable it to sync to my existing iPad iCal. Still nothing happened. It's strange because i successfully synced my contacts doing the same thing. Is there anything I have to have my iCal activated in my new MacBook Air?

Welcome to the Apple Community.
First check that all your settings are correct, that calendar syncing is checked on all devices (system preferences > iCloud on a mac and settings > iCloud on a iPhone, iPad or iPod).
Make sure the calendars you are using are in your 'iCloud' account and not an 'On My Mac', 'On My Phone' or other non iCloud account (you can do this by clicking/tapping the calendar button in the top left corner of the application ), non iCloud calendars will not sync.
If you are sure that everything is set up correctly and your calendars are in the iCloud account, you might try unchecking calendar syncing in the iCloud settings, restarting your device and then re-enabling calendar syncing settings.

OS X 10.5.4 ignoring my preferences settings

I posted this question under a different heading, but after thinking about it I think the multiple symptoms are all attributable to OS X ignoring my preferences settings. I'm experiencing the following problems.
First, after working fine for months (since I got the computer), my mouse no longer registers my right clicks. The right mouse button works just like the main mouse button, even though my preference settings are for the right mouse button to be enabled.
Second, after working fine since the beginning, Spaces no longer opens applications in the space they are assigned. E.g., I have safari and mail assigned to space 2, and word and excel to space 1. They used to open correctly in their assigned space, but now they all open in whichever space is the active one. Again, the settings in the Spaces pref's pane remain unchanged.
Third, I had set my security preferences to require a password to wake from screensaver. The preferences remain unchanged, but now the computer wakes from the screensaver without requiring a password.
Fourth, I have the program "Text Expander" installed. It works as a preferences pane, but now no longer functions even though all settings in the preferences pane for the program remain unchanged.
All of this started last week. Logging out and back in does not correct the problem. I tried rebooting on Friday, which did solve all of these problems. After coming back to work after the weekend, the problems are back, and rebooting no longer solves them. I also tried trashing my finder preferences, but this did not seem to help.
Any advice appreciated.
- Tom

Thank you for the reply and the advice. I downloaded MainMenu and ran the various scripts, including repair permissions, and then rebooted. This didn't fix the problem. I then added a new account to see if the problem was restricted to my own account or was system wide. The new account worked properly, and then after switching back, my main account also worked...
Until this morning, when it was not working again. I rebooted again, and currently the Mac is responding to the System Preferences settings. (We'll see how long this lasts, though.)
A couple of additional things I noticed while the Mac was not responding to system preferences:
Fast user switching, although enabled, did not work and the account name did not appear in the menu bar;
Items that I had dragged off of the dock reappear after logging on again.
Thanks,
Tom

Restoring system preference settings

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