System Preferences: Desktop & Screensaver Crash

I just upgraded to Snow Leopard, and installed all the updates available. Still, every time I open the Desktop & Scrensaver Pane, it freezes while Loading Images, gives me the beachball, then crashes System Prefs altogether. I have a crashlog available if that'd help.

With that many system components crashing, I think it is time to reinstall the OS. Use your Snow Leopard DVD to reinstall. The default installation now is a variation on Archive & Install. As a result, while all the Mac OS X system files will be replaced, your user data is left untouched.

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The System Preference:Desktop&Screensaver will not open. I get a rotating circle that never stop rotating. I have to do a Force Stop.

The System Preference:Desktop&Screensaver will not open. I get a rotating circle that never stop rotating. I have to do a Force Stop.

Quit System Preferences if it's running. In the Finder, hold down the option key and select
Go ▹ Library
from the menu bar. From the Library folder, delete the following item, if it exists:
Caches/com.apple.systempreferences
and move the following item to the Desktop:
Preferences/com.apple.desktop.plist
Launch System Preferences and test. If you still have the issue, put the item on the Desktop back where it came from and post again. Otherwise, delete the item.

System preferences - desktop & screensaver - HELP

Whenever I go to System Preferences > Desktop & Screensavers It freezes up and a rainbow twirl comes up and it doesnt go away. I then have to force quit, switch my mac off and on but still it does the same thing. Please help!
I looked at the Console > system.log and here is what i got:
Aug 27 23:11:53 Madisons-MacBook-Pro com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[118] ([0x0-0x22022].com.apple.systempreferences[221]): Exited: Terminated: 15
Aug 27 23:19:37 Madisons-MacBook-Pro com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[118] ([0x0-0x25025].com.apple.systempreferences[246]): Exited: Terminated: 15
Aug 27 23:26:59 Madisons-MacBook-Pro [0x0-0x2b02b].com.apple.systempreferences[285]: System Preferences(285,0x7fff799d2960) malloc: reference count underflow for 0x4003487c0, break on auto_refcount_underflow_error to debug.
Aug 27 23:26:59 Madisons-MacBook-Pro [0x0-0x2b02b].com.apple.systempreferences[285]: System Preferences(285,0x7fff799d2960) malloc: reference count underflow for 0x4003e38c0, break on auto_refcount_underflow_error to debug.
Aug 27 23:27:11 Madisons-MacBook-Pro com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[118] ([0x0-0x2b02b].com.apple.systempreferences[285]): Exited: Terminated: 15
Aug 27 23:31:06 Madisons-MacBook-Pro [0x0-0x31031].com.apple.systempreferences[309]: System Preferences(309,0x7fff799d2960) malloc: reference count underflow for 0x40035fbe0, break on auto_refcount_underflow_error to debug.
Aug 27 23:31:06 Madisons-MacBook-Pro [0x0-0x31031].com.apple.systempreferences[309]: System Preferences(309,0x7fff799d2960) malloc: reference count underflow for 0x4003db520, break on auto_refcount_underflow_error to debug.

Exact same issue here!
I think it has to do with some third party app. I've used Kuvvo to automatically get wallpapers from the net en change them.
After I decided to go back to my own wallpapers and removed the Kuvvo app, my wallpaper prefs is crashing.
I tried to reinstall Kuvvo with the hope of fixing broken links / references but to no avail!

[little bug] System Preference: Desktop & Screensaver (bug in Spanish lang)

I don't know how report a bug in Mac OS X (10.5.3) for this reason I post in this forum.
If I set the language of the system to "Español" (Spanish) since 10.5.2 appear a visual bug in +System Preference+, exactly in *Desktop & Screensaver* with the right scrollbar. This bug doesn't appear if i switch the system language, example, to English.
Proper (language system: English)
http://iuseapple.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/leopard-newdesktopimages.jpg
Bug (language system: Spanish)
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb203/ptrabucco/mac/wall_screensaver.png
This is exactly the bug:
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb203/ptrabucco/mac/wallscreensaverBUG.png
Thanks.
P.S.: Apologys for my bad english. I hope this help to the devs.

You can provide bug or feedback information in several ways with Apple. For generic feedback you can use this:
http://www.apple.com/feedback/
To comment on a product defect (a bug), the best way is to get an ADC membership to become part of Apple's developer community. You don't need to actually be a software developer to join ADC, and the online membership is free. See this information:
http://developer.apple.com/products/
Once you have a membership, you can use
http://bugreporter.apple.com/
to report bugs. You might want to review this information before reporting your bug:
http://developer.apple.com/bugreporter/bugbestpractices.html

OS X System Preferences Desktop Screensaver ICON DISAPPEARED

How can I get the DESKTOP Screensaver ICON to show up in the
System Preferences Sceen? I either deleted the application by
mistake or .......
Any help is appreciated,
Spanky

Welcome to Apple Discussions.
Try this....
Quit System Preferences. Then go to Users/yourname/Library/Caches
Delete these 2 files...
com.apple.preferencepanes.cache
com.apple.preferencepanes.searchindexcache
Then, relaunch System Preferences. Did that help?
If you actually deleted the Preference Pane in /System/Library/Preference Panes. Then, you'll need to reinstall from your install disk using Pacifist to extract and install just that package from your install disks.
-mj

System preferences- desktop/screensaver pane, freezing

when I open apple system preferences pane, desktop and screen saver. in order to change either the screen saver or the desktop background the cursor becomes jittery then freezes then the whole system freezes. Any suggestions anyone?

Hi Peter, and a warm welcome to the forums!
First, Safe Boot , (holding Shift key down at bootup), use Disk Utility from there to Repair Permissions, move these files to the Desktop.
/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/ByHost/com.apple.screensaver.<12digitHex Number>.plist
/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.desktop.plist
/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist
Then reboot once more.

System Preferences - Desktop & Screensaver **Please Help**

Hello
When I access the "Desktop" tab, my Pictures Folder is empty and if I try to add another folder, it tells me this folder s already there (which it is!).
I also have two Aperture drop-downs, one of which displays my projects and folders and the other one seems to do nothing when I click onto it.
Therefore... how can I view the pictures that ARE in my Pictures Folder and not being displayed and why is there two Aperture lists and how do I remove one of them as selecting (or trying to) does not allow me to ' - ' any of them.
Thanks.

Hmmm.
Just for a test, have open a finder window ~/pictures and also the system prefs desktop pane with the pictures folder selected.
Drag everything out of the finder window to the trash or a temporary folder and then drag them right back in. Select pictures folder again in system prefs and see if updates. That's what mine does anyway.
Make sure at least one of the items in it is a jpeg and see if that makes any difference.

When I go to system preferences, desktop and screensaver, my mac freezes up; why?

In system preferences, desktop and screensaver, my imac freezes up. Can anyone help? Thank you.

Might be corrupted preferences ...
Open the Finder. From the Finder menu bar click Go > Go to Folder
Type or copy paste the following:
~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist
Click Go then move the com.apple.systempreferences.plist file to the Trash.
Retart your Mac thn try System Preferrences > Screen Saver

Deleting files out of system preferences desktop background.

Does anyone know how to delete files out of system preferences>desktop & screen saver?
Some how when adding one photo to the file for the desktop background it took the entire photo file. So that instead of one photo for the file it has over 200 now. Read everything and tried everything. Still can't figure out how to delete that file from the list.
I know how to add photos or whatever to use as desktop background just no idea how to remove them from the list.
Any ideas?

Doug,
When you go to system preferences>desktop & screen savers>desktop. On the left is a window with the names of the images listed. Apple Images, Nature file, Plants file, Picture Folder, Choose Folder and so forth. The ones that come with Apple products. Not sure what all else is native to Apple.
Iv been using my own desktop background since the day I got the iBook. Normally I just get one photo or image and more it there to use. But, last week I did something different or wrong. Maybe holding a button to long, not sure. Instead of moving the one photo it moved the entire photo file. That file had over 200 (2,500x1,800 in size & over 550KB for each) and probably closer to 250 photos in it.
Way to many to be there. And I simply can't find a way to remove that file from the desktop list. I can high light it, but it doesn't delete with the delete button. I can high light it, but it doesn't change anything in system preferences banner to edit, view, etc....to remove it either. It won't click & drag to trash.
Being very careful because I don't want to delete the file and by error delete it totally off the computer. I could creat a new file with only 1 photo in it for use as the desktop background. Then try to choose that file. However, since the last big OS-X update it's been doing this. Everytime I choose a file or photo it's adding the entire file not just the 1 photo. And Iv managed to add 3 files so far to that list.
Any ideas? Thx, Mike

IPhoto 6.0.6 lost 'sync' with System Prefs/Desktop&Screensaver!?!?!?

I took my G5 to the Apple store for a check(fan speed) and when I got it back, when I go to System Prefs/desktop & Screensaver I can no longer see the folders representing the photo albums. I thought it might be an iPhoto Issue, but now I'm not so sure. I'm running 10.4.10 ans iPhoto 6.0.6. I created another user and tried the same thig and it's not working there either. I have 4100+ images in 30+ albums.
I'm almost ready to load 10.4 on my 2nd internl drive and then use migration assistant, but I don't know if THAT would work. I have repaired permissions, ran Diskwarrior 4.0, thrown out plists and prefs, and caches. I've even removed the .xml file, still without success.

OK FOLKS!!! GET THIS!! It was a single corrupt photo. The photo worked fine within iPhoto, but caused the disconnect with the system prefs. it wasn't a very big photo, or old, but I did drag it from a web page.
I ended up creating new iPhoto Libraries, and importing the photos until it broke. Then I went through the files within the one questionable folder until it broke. I pitched the file from the iPhoto Library, and my hard drive but the Library stayed broken. I just deleted it, and started over. I have all my original photos back, and in the proper albums again. Now to the tweaking all over again. 6000+ photos to go through.

System Preference Desktop

System Preference
Desktop & Screen Saver (can't access)
When trying to access desktop pictures to change screen image - it's beachballing -
“Loading images…”
Please advise

That's because of a problem with the Desktop settings file. First, open Finder, select Go menu (on the menu bar) > Go to Folder, and type ~/Library/Preferences. Then, delete "com.apple.desktop.plist" and "com.apple.systempreferences.plist", and restart. Finally, you will be able to change the wallpaper and access to Desktop and Screen Saver

System Preferences- Desktop/Screen saver- crash EVERY TIME

Hi-
I have a brand new iMAc 24" with Leopard and all software is up to date via update as of 12 hours ago (10.5.1 etc). I have office 2004 and photoshop/illustrator but NO other software loaded. The computer is now 7 days old. Yesterday I used system preferences to change my desktop picture to something from my iPhoto library, as per normal with 10.5.1 I got one picture up and then went to change it and now EVERY TIME I try to change anything in the desktop/screen saver system preferences the application dies. I can get the desktop/screen saver page to open but as soon as I click any conceivable option on that window the system preferences application dies. I have sent about 7 crash reports to apple and see that others are describing similar (not identical) problems. Is apple going to fix this? I DID not install leopard on this computer, its BRAND NEW. The only thing I have done is to update whatever apple told me was available. HELP...

My computer was a month old when I installed Leopard (which turned out to be an adventure....), and once I finally got a proper install one of the features I explored was Desktop and Screensaver, specifically I tried the new mosaic option in the Screensaver for pictures, it seemed to work. The 10.5.1 update came out, a bit later I tried that Screensaver option again and not only did it not work, but it crashed System Prefs. I ended up trashing every plist and cache file having to do with System Prefs, Screensaver, and iphotomosaic in my home ~/Library folder. Oh, and in searching for them they managed to crash the Finder too. So take a look thru ~/Library, especially Preferences, be sure to also look in the ByHost folder, and you might also check the Caches folder. Remove all files you can find that have to do with System Prefs, Screensaver, and Desktop. Once I did that all was fine again with my System Prefs. The mosaic option even started working again.
Francine
Francine
Schwieder

Desktop&screensaver crashes

Hi, please help! Every time I got to the desktop/screensaver preference panel I get the beachball and then crashes. What can I do?
I also dont have the library folder that everyone says to go into and delete some stuff in there, i dont have a folder called that.
Thanks so much

If you're running Lion -- this forum is for Snow Leopard -- you won't see the Library folder in question (in Snow Leopard, Leopard and Tiger it's visible in your home folder.) If you are running Lion, to have access to that folder, open Terminal in Applications>Utilities and copy/paste the following and hit return.
chflags nohidden ~/Library
Basic informaton: there are three Library folders: one in your home folder, one in /Library (the startup volume) and one in /System/Library. You should generally stay out of the latter and be very cautious about anything you do in the second one.
Some basic troubleshooting information for this problem. One of the first things to try is to create a new admin user account, log in to that and see if the problem persists. If it does, it's a system wide issue. if not, it's peculiar to your normal account. You can also do this by enabling the Guest Account and logging into that.
Which files were you thinking of deleting from your home folder Library?

Desktop screensaver crash

Hi, I have a problem once again with desktop/screensaver panel crashing when I select it from system prefs.This happend about a year ago after a security update and I was stuck with this until the next update which put the problem right.Now,after the last update, its done it again! Is there anything I can do about this or do I just have to take a chance and hope that the next update (if there is going to be one?) will cure it?
cheers in anticipation,Tony Dellaway
G4 400mz Mac OS X (10.3.9) 512Mo

Hi Tony Dellaway,
I just posted the same question as you - right before you - by seconds. (BJArt - System Preferences quitting) I wasn't aware of the update affecting my Desktop/Screen Saver in the past - I thought maybe it had to do with the Screen Saver I'm currently using. I'll watch your post as well as mine for any help or answers.
BJArt

System Preferences Keeps on Crashing

Every time I open the screen saver settings, System Preferences crashes. I've run the repair disk utility programme, but there were no problems. I also ran the repair permissions programme and some stuff was corrected. But still the screen saver settings crash.
I don't know what to do. If the crash report would be useful I could copy that here. Has anyone had this problem before?
Thanks

Hi redinall,
First quit System Preferences. Then.....
Try trashing the .plist found @ Home/Library/Preferences/By Host/com.apple.screensaver.xxxx.plist (where the xxxx stands for an alphanumeric string of #'s and letters).
Try opening System Preferences again and then open Screensaver preferences and see if any luck.
If still no luck follow through the steps found in the FAQ from Dr. Smoke, of the X-Lab, "Multiple applications quit unexpectedly or fail to launch".
hope that helps some,
littleshoulders

System Preferences: Desktop & Screensaver Crash

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