System Preference is blank

I want to change the background picture on my desktop. I am told that to do so I should click on "System Preference" under the apple sign and then click on the "Desktop & Screen Saver" pane. When I click on "System Preference" nothing happens.

There are several Library folders. The one that Barry was directing you to is in your Home folder. (In these discussions, and in the Unix world in general, the "~" (tilda) character is used as shorthand for "your home folder".)
In a Finder window, have you an Applications folder in the left column. If so, click on it and see if SystemPreferences.app is listed in the next column. If it is, double-click it and see what happens. If nothing happens, then as Barry suggested look for file com.apple.systempreferences.plist in the Preferences folder in the Library folder of your home directory and delete it. Restart your computer and try using the System Preferences under the Apple menu again.
Let us know how you get on.
AK

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Tiger 10.4.11 Went to System Preferences Accounts- blank screen, no names

Problem one---I am trying to delete my accounts in my classroom. I go to system preferences>Accounts, and nothing shows, blank screen... nothing. I click "Show All" and all the menus return.
Problem 2- Upon trying to do the same thing as in problem one, when I "do" get to the screen that shows all of the user account names, I click on the "minus" sign to delete an account name, the computer freezes.
Thanks! I hope I explained this clear enough.

At this point I think you should get Applejack...
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/19596
After installing, reboot holding down CMD+s, (+s), then when the DOS like prompt shows, type in...
applejack AUTO
Then let it do all 5 of it's things.
At least it'll eliminate some questions if it doesn't fix it.
The 5 things it does are...
Correct any Disk problems.
Repair Permissions.
Clear out Cache Files.
Repair/check several plist files.
Dump the VM files for a fresh start.
These files may be corrupt also...
/Library/Preferences/com.apple.preferences.accounts.plist
/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist

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

Systems preference window

Why is the systems preference window blank - as well as all the pull downs?

Hello Susan,
First, Safe Boot , (holding Shift key down at bootup), use Disk Utility from there to Repair Permissions, test if things work OK in Safe Mode.
Then move these files to the Desktop for now...
/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist
/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist
/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.desktop.plist
/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.recentitems.plist
Reboot & test.
PS. Safe boot may stay on the gray radian for a long time, let it go, it's trying to repair the Hard Drive.

Blank white System Preferences window

Hello all,
I purchased a secondhand G5 for the purpose of having a second internet station at home (I do most of my work on a late 2008 MBP but we've got multiple people here who like to use the Internet at the same time). When I set up this computer, it was hooked up to an old flat screen monitor (bought when they first came out) the HD was wiped clean, Leopard was installed, the internet was set up and working and everything seemed good to go. However, I wanted to get into the system to change the monitor resolution setting since the type/icons were a little big for my taste.
When I pulled up System Preferences, I got a completely blank white window. This happens every time System Prefs is launched. I can click on this window where normally icons would be, and things seem to happen (the window changes size) but it remains completely white. Moreover, all of the pulldown menus from the top menu bar also are blank white. I can move my mouse down in the File menu where Quit would normally be, and I can click on it and System Preferences quits. If I quit out of System Prefs, the Finder and other software windows act normally. When I log into System Prefs again, same blank white window, same problem.
This blank white window thing also happens with Preview, but I have not noticed it with any other programs on the system (yet).
Here's what I've done to troubleshoot:
Discarded appropriate systempreferences.plist file in the User>Library>Preferences window, also appropriate file in User>Library>Caches. Emptied trash and rebooted. Same problem.
Reinstalled Leopard, 10.5. Tested, same problem. Upgraded with combo pack to 10.5.8, tested, same problem.
Swapped out video card for a known working video card, tested, same problem.
Swapped monitor for known working new monitor, tested, same problem.
Am I missing some other .plist or similar file that should be discarded? Has anyone experienced anything like this and been able to solve it? Would this be due to software issues, or some kind of hardware issue? Because I can't see System Preferences, I can't create a new user account and discard the old one to try and resolve any software issues, my only choice is to do a clean install (which I have done to no avail).
Help? I'd appreciate any guidance. Thanks in advance.
Raji

Well, at least we are seeing some light here. I forgot about Safe Mode! When I started up into that, I can see the System Preferences windows just fine... it's no longer white, and I can select what I need and make changes.
However, I have done permissions repair from every possible angle (both from HD and DVD), I have reset the PRAM, and I still get a blank Sys Prefs window on normal startup.
The only thing suggested here I have not tried is replacing the PRAM battery (since at the moment, I don't have one). That will be the next angle of attack but I'll have to wait to get one in.
Other than the battery, could this be some kind of peripheral or software conflict?
This is bugging me! I mean really.... it's just an Internet station, but one does want things to work properly nonetheless!
Thanks for the help so far.... ! It has been useful.

System Preferences opens to a blank, white window

I erased my drive when I set up a Dual 2.7GHz G5 tower for sale, and installed Leopard. Updated to 10.5.4. Then found that when I open System Preferences, I get a blank white window. I can go to the dock item and click to select a particular tab, but it only changes the window size. It is still all white.
The menu bar items also display only white. Any ideas??? I'm stumped. Also sold the G5, so must get it fixed ASAP.

I don't know if this will help: it used to work well in 10.3 and earlier, and quite often in 10.4.
Strange behaviour by System Preferences can often be fixed by trashing com.apple.preferencepanes.cache in Home > Library > Caches folder. Trash com.apple.preferencepanes.searchindexcache as well if you have it.
If this alone doesn't fix things after a logout/login, then trash them again (because it will have regenerated more bad files), together with com.apple.systempreferences.plist in Home > Library > Preferences folder, and in the Home > Library > Preferences > ByHost folder, the files com.apple.systempreferences.xxxxxx.plist, where xxxxxx = a hexadecimal numeric string.
You need to log out and log back in again for this to have any effect (or restart if you prefer).
If none of this helps, you will need to look in your log files to find out why your preference panes are not opening: the simplest way to do this is to use Console.
Open the Console application from /Applications/Utilities. It will default to showing the "Console Messages" and possibly the "system.log". Use the File menu if necessary to get both these logs open, and use the Broom tool to Clear both windows.
Now try to open System Preferences and see what appears in either of these windows. Copy and paste it here.
You may see a message saying "Crash report written to <pathname of crash.log>". If so, click on the "Logs" icon at the top left in the tool bar (preferably in another window). Then, depending on the <pathname of crash.log> in your message, look under either ~/Library/Logs or /Library/Logs by clicking the disclosure triangle, then click the disclosure triangle for "CrashReporter".
Find the crash log corresponding to your message and select it. It will open at the end of the log. Look back for the last line of asterisks in the log, then post everything after that to the end of the log.

My problem started when system preferences was unresponsive and would not force quit. I tryed to restart and got the grey screen, but it never restarted. I closed the lid and now the screen is blank. Has anyone had a similar problem after Lion?

My problem started when system preferences was unresponsive and would not force quit. I tryed to restart and got the grey screen, but it never restarted. I closed the lid and now the screen is blank. Has anyone had a similar problem after Lion installation?

No, as I have yet to be convinced on Lion.
Did a permissions repair help from the install DVD?

My start up screen comes up blank and I can't access anything but system preferences. Can I reset my laptop. It's a MacBook air

Help my start up screen is a blank screen and the only thing I can access is systems preferences. How can I reset my laptop

Please read this whole message before doing anything.
This procedure is a diagnostic test. It’s unlikely to solve your problem. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.
The purpose of the test is to determine whether the problem is caused by third-party software that loads automatically at startup or login, by a peripheral device, or by corruption of certain system caches.
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. Note: If FileVault is enabled on some models, or if a firmware password is set, or if the boot volume is a software RAID, you can’t do this. Ask for further instructions.
Safe mode is much slower to boot and run than normal, and some things won’t work at all, including sound output and Wi-Fi on certain iMacs. The next normal boot may also be somewhat slow.
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. Test while in safe mode. Same problem? After testing, reboot as usual (i.e., not in safe mode) and verify that you still have the problem. Post the results of the test.

Accounts System Preference Blank

Problem surfaced while trying to install Retrospect Client on G4 Graphite Dual 450 running OS X (10.3.9). Retrospect itself, running on Dual 2.6 G5 (OS X - 10-4-8) can see the new client and tries to add it via TCP/IP, but requires password.
These are work machines and the users can never remember their passwords, so there are none, but Retrospect doesn't enable connection without a password. So, I go to the System Preferences - Accounts, and the window opens completely blank - no accounts, nothing.
The G4 is started in its Admin account.
I tried restarting from a system DVD and repairing permissions, but this does not seem to solve the problem. Is there a preference file I can throw away, or anything else that can be done to re-enable the Accounts Panel?

macrobat,
Welcome to Apple Discussions.
Quit System Preferences, find the com.apple.preferences.accounts.plist file which is located in the Macintosh HD/Users/username/Library/Preferences Folder, drag it to the Desktop, log out/in or restart and check for functionality of the Accounts preference.
If that is not successful, Quit System Preferences (if it's running) and trash the following file: Macintosh HD/Users/username/Library/Caches/com.apple.preferencepanes.cache
Then launch System Preferences again and check for functionality.
;~)

How can I fix my system preferences so the system preferences window don't freeze up every time I open it?

Hi,
I was wondering if anyone knew how to fix a System Prefrences problem? Every time I try to open system prefrences I get that little color wheel over the System Prefrences window, and I am not able to change any system prefrence options or click on any options in the window. It just freezes up. I have iOS Lion 10.7.4 version on a 2012 Macbook Pro i7. Right now my screen saver is just a blank blue color, and I am unable to set any other photo from my photo library to the hpome screen picture even without going throiugh system prefrnces. I have tried Disk Utility>Verify Disk Permissions, and that did not work. I have also tried Disk Utility>Permissions Repair, and that did not work either. Can anyone tell me another option to try because I am unable to open Time Machine to repair to an earlier date because that window freezes up also. Does anyone know any other options? This Macbook Has been doing this sort of thing since I took it out of the box brand new 4 months ago, but it fixted itself before the Macbook help coverage was expired so I never bothered to call Apple about it. Now it just freezes up and never works, I can't change my system time out I cant change any system prefrences on my Macbook Pro. It really ***** bad. Also another symptom my macbook has right before this problem accours is my screen saver on my computer will automatically be swithched to that Galaxy screen saver all the sudden when I turn my computer on then when I go to change the screen save back to a picture I had on my computer the system prefrences just freeze up. Please let me know if you know what I can do. Thanks.
Also I am Unable to open Dock Preferences and i get the frozen screen color wheel Just like on System Preferences.
J
Message was edited by: skybluguy76

Launch the Console 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.
☞ If you’re running Mac OS X 10.7 or later, open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Console in the page that opens.
Click the Clear Display icon in the toolbar. Try the action again. Post any messages that appear in the Console window – the text, please, not a screenshot.
Important: Some private information, such as your name, may appear in the log. Edit it out by search-and-replace in a text editor before posting.

Is there a way I can permanently disable the security lock thing in System Preferences?

Aside from logging and using the root account on a daily basis, is there a way to permanently be rid of the security lock thing in System Preferences?
Yosemite has a bug (?) where if an Admin account has its password set to blank (empty), you can't remove the security lock...
You can click it, it'll ask for Username and Password (Why?), and when you click on 'Unlock', it unlocks for a brief moment and instantly locks itself again...
This is beyond infuriating. Do advise.

Thanks for taking the time to reply. However I'm quite aware that the sleep/wake button disables the screen. Unfortunately, mea maxima culpa, I sometimes accidentally hit shuttle before I've pressed the sleep/wake button, often when I am trying to do more than one thing at once. Sometimes I accidentally hit shuffle at other times too,eg when waking up the phone.
This is especially exasperating when listening to classical pieces with multiple movements. I will look for an alternative music player for the iphone, as I don't think the default music application and I are a good match.
Thanks again,
Tim Blackwell

System preferences fails to recognize a new ext. HD to which my MacPro has been cloned (with SuperDuper). I want to check to be sure that it will function as a start up disk.

I have a new 3 TB Western Digital ext. HD. I used Super Duper to clone my MacPro HD to the ext. HD. I want to be certain that I can use it as a Startup disk in an emergency. To test this, I wanted to restart with the new drive as the startup disk. The disk image is on the desk top and the computer recognizes it but in System Preferences>Startup Disk, it does not appear. Any ideas? Mid 2010 MacPro w/ Yosemite 10.10.1
System Report>System Info>Storage lists the new ext. HD but System Preferences>Startup disk does not show it.
Many thanks.

I did not see anything about GUID there. I formatted with Disk Utility as Mac OS Extended (Journaled) but I think I erred there. On the left column, there is a list of items. Next to the bottom, it lists my HD on 2 lines. On the very bottom line, after an indent, the HD is listed once again. I selected the indented lower line to clone to. I'll bet that I should have selected the upper line.
When I click on the upper line, Disk Utility blank space after "Format" fills in with MS-DOS (FAT). I'll change that to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and clone to that line selection.
You gave me the idea to re-check Disk Utility and recognize what I think was my error. However, I am not going to prove that. I shall install Yosemite on the ext. HD and go from there. I never would have thought of that. Thank to y'all and that includes LINC. Great help!

Where is my Admin account? Account Preferences is blank. HELP!!

I've been having problems with starting up my G4 iBook lately.
Upon booting up, it automatically asks me to log into my non-admin account. My Administrator account is missing from the log in screen!
When I go to System Preferences > Accounts, it says it's "Loading accounts" and then my Accounts screen is blank!
I'd like to Repair Permissions in Disk Utillity however I'm unable to since only the Administrator account can do that.
Any advice? Thanks in advance.

Return to default desktop, apparent "loss" of home directory???
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107854
"Try Disk Utility
1. Insert the Mac OS X Install disc that came with your computer, then restart the computer while holding the C key.
2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first.)
Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Disk Utility.
3. Click the First Aid tab.
4. Click the disclosure triangle to the left of the hard drive icon to display the names of your hard disk volumes and partitions.
5. Select your Mac OS X volume.
6. Click Repair. Disk Utility checks and repairs the disk."
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214
You can also repair permissions from there... at least some.

Mighty Mouse - Mouse/keyboard system preferences gone

I have a bluetooth mighty mouse instaled in my computer but now I cannot access the mouse/keyboard preferences in the System preferences. They do not appear. The mouse is working just fine but I cannot change anything in the preferences. And I cannot watch the state of charge of the batteries either. I cannot see nothing. That tab is all grey now.
I tried also to do so via the bluetooth preferences but when I ask to open the Bluetooth preference of the mouse a window appears and says that the mouse preferences are not shown because I haven't any mouse connected to my computer.
I remember that when I had access I changed the name of the mouse.
I already deleted the connection and tried to re-install it again. But the mouse appears with the same name, and the problem persists.
Please... Any bright soul?

I have a slightly different problem: My bluetooth Mighty Mouse works in a basic mode (primary & secondary button, scroll wheel) but the side buttons and scroll buttons do not work. In the Keyboard & Mouse preferences, I have Dashboard set up for the scroll button and Expose set up for the side buttons. They do not work. If I set up the primary or secondary buttons for Dashboard or Expose, it works. In the Bluetooth tab, the Bluetooth Mouse Name is blank and Battery Level is grayed out. In the Bluetooth Preferences, it shows Mighty Mouse connected. Any ideas? I am running OS X 10.5.4 (but it didn't work in 10.5.3 either)

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 Preference is blank

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