System Preferences freezes when I try to change Desktop Picture. Help!

don't know why this happens, but help would be appreciated.

It sounds like the screen saver preferences file may have been corrupted. Use the Finder's find command and search for "com.apple.screensaver". At least one file should be found that looks like com.apple.screensaver.xxxxxxxx.plist where xxxxxxx is a bunch of numbers and letters. Throw the file in the trash. If multiple such files are found, throw them all in the trash. Then restart. The file will be automatically regenerated with fresh, default settings. See if that fixes the issue.

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System Preference freezes when I want to change desktop background picture

My system preference freezes when I try to change my desktop background picture, any help, I tried disk utility repair, couldn't find the files to trash.

Login to the problematic account ensure that System Preferences is closed down. Move the following file to trash:
<home>/Library/Caches/com.apple.preferencepanes.cache
but don't delete it from the trash yet, just in case you need to restore it. Re-open System Preferences, it will re-create the file. If all's well then, then you can empty the trash.

Lion, system preferences freeze when I tried to change wall paper,how do I fix this?

lion, system preferences freezes when I tried to change wall paper,how do I fix this?

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 preference freezes when i select icloud or mail accounts.

i migrated from mobile me to icloud and now the system preference freezes when i select icloud or mail accounts. The resources are 100% utilized. I also updated the software. Am using Lion OS X
Any Help , i need to get out of this.

No guarantees, what you might like to try the following:
1. Sign out of your account
(If you are unable to do this because System Preferences has frozen, Force Quit System Preferences and try again)
2. When prompted, opt to delete, contacts, calendars etc from your Mac.
(You are only deleting this data from your Mac, not from iCloud, the data will be reinstated when you log back in. If you need to check that the data is in iCloud before deleting it go to iCloud.com and check each section for data)
3. Having logged out, check that the iCloud accounts along with their data have disappeared from the Mail, Address Book and iCal Applications.
(If necessary, delete the iCloud accounts from each of these application separately from each Applications Preferences)
4. At this point it may be worth trying to log into iCloud from the System Preferences iCloud settings again, if this works, all well and good, if it doesn't continue to step 5.
5. Open your User Library folder in the Finder. (When in the Finder, go to the Go menu, hold down the option key (alt) and choose Library when it appears in the Go menu)
6. Navigate to Library > Application Support > iCloud and drag the iCloud folder to your desktop. (This action only copies the folder and will provide you with a back up)
7. Select the iCloud folder again in Library > Application Support and drag it to the trash, enter your administrators password when prompted.
8. Restart your computer.
9. You should now be able to enter your ID and Password in system Preferences > iCloud and log into your account. Check the services you wish to use and once you are satisfied it's working as it should, trashh the iCloud folder you copied to your desktop earlier.

System Preferences freezes when trying to change background

Hi,
Every time I try to change my background, system preferences freezes and I have to manually quit.
Can somebody tell me how to solve this?
Thanks.

You are probably running 10.4.10 in as much as the MacBook pro's came out well after 10.4.1 was released. In any case try deleting the file com.apple.systempreferences.plist in your user/library/preferences folder.

System Preferences Freezing when trying to access Keyboard options

As title say. I am trying to access my keyboard preferences via the system preferences and everytime i try to access this it freezes and say Not Responding.
I have tried other things in system preferences like mouse etc and seems to work.
Any Ideas?
regards
Andy

Could you tell me what you meant by 'deleted system preference'? Thank you.

Ai CS4 keeps freezing when I try to open a file - HELP!!!

Mac OS X Tiger - Ai CS4 freezes when I try to open a file from either dbl-clicking on the file or opening within Ai. This happened all the time with Ai CS3 so I upgraded, now its happening with the new version. Do I need to allocate more memory to Ai? If yes, how do I do that? I worked when I first installed, but now it will not allow me to open any of my files. I do not receive an error message, and I have to force quit the app after it freezes. Can anyone help me with this problem?

Download OnyX, clean out your system caches and repair permissions. If it occurs in eitehr version of AI, it hardly qualifies for the usual trash the prefs, but of course that is never wrong, too...
Mylenium

Iphoto freezes when I try to print a picture

Why does iPhoto freeze when I try to print a photo? I have to force the program closed.

That was a test to determine if the original library was damaged and it was. You did follow the next step but there's one more fix you can try on your damaged library:
Using iPhoto Library Manager to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library
1 - download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.>Click on the Add Library button,
2 - select the library you want to add from those in the selection window.
3 - make sure that in the rebuild window the checkbox "Scavange orphaned photos" is checked.
4 - now that the library is listed in the left hand pane of iPLM, click on your library and go to the Library ➙ Rebuild Library menu option
5 - in the next window name the new library and select the location you want it to be placed. Click on the Create button.
Note 1: This creates a new library based on the LIbraryData.xml file in the library and will recover Events, Albums, keywords, titles and comments. However, books, calendars, cards and slideshows will be lost.
Note 2: Your current library will be left untouched for further attempts at a fix if so desired.

System preferences freeze when try to set background image

Hi all
On a MacBook Pro 13 (Mid 2012, 2.5 i5, 4GB) running 10.7.5 I can no longer change the desktop background. When I start the system preferences and select desktop and screensaver the ui loads and shows "loading pictures". After that the system preferences dialog freezes and can only be closed with a kill on activity monitor.
Where do I start so search?

Ric91 wrote:
- delete ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.desktop.plist
That's what did it.

System preferences freezes when trying to change the date

Hey guys,
I've got a MacBook Pro running OSX 10.4.1. I'm having a problem with trying to change the time/date settings. Either going through the system preferences window or accessing it through clicking the clock in the top right and then 'open date & time', I get the spinning wheel and System Preferences crashes. Any ideas why?
Regards,
Phil

You are probably running 10.4.10 in as much as the MacBook pro's came out well after 10.4.1 was released. In any case try deleting the file com.apple.systempreferences.plist in your user/library/preferences folder.

System Preferences crashes when I try to set file sharing

I've installed Mountain Lion on a Late 2009 Mac Mini. When I enter System Preferences > Sharing and attempt to add a file sharing folder System Preferences crashes. I've tried this with a different user account and I have also attempted to trash user preference files with not luck. Right now I'm downloading ML once again to try a clean install... once again.
Anyone else seen this occur? Thanks.

Yes I had tried to insert the screen cap image and it began crashing Safari on every attempt. Whew, that's another issue though clearly...
Here is a copy/paste from the Console. Let me know if you need to see a different part...
Process:         System Preferences [242]
Path:            /Applications/System Preferences.app/Contents/MacOS/System Preferences
Identifier:      com.apple.systempreferences
Version:         12.0 (12.0)
Build Info:      SystemPrefsApp-232000000000000~22
Code Type:       X86-64 (Native)
Parent Process: launchd [126]
User ID:         501
Date/Time:       2012-08-13 00:02:15.623 -0400
OS Version:      Mac OS X 10.8 (12A269)
Report Version: 10
Crashed Thread: 0 Dispatch queue: com.apple.main-thread
Exception Type: EXC_BAD_ACCESS (SIGSEGV)
Exception Codes: KERN_INVALID_ADDRESS at 0x00007fffa3298f15
VM Regions Near 0x7fffa3298f15:
    Submap                 00007fff74ae5000-00007fff80000000          r--/rwx process-only submap
--> Submap                 00007fff80000000-00007fffc0000000          r--/rwx machine-wide submap
    unused split lib       00007fff82fa8000-00007fff82faf000 [   28K] r-x/r-x SM=COW system shared library region not used by this process
Application Specific Information:
/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/FinderKit.framework/Versions/A/FinderKit
com.apple.preferences.sharing v.12.0 (Sharing)
objc[242]: GC: forcing GC OFF because OBJC_DISABLE_GC is set
Performing @selector(_segmentAction:) from sender NSSegmentedControl 0x7fea7cb75b80
Thread 0 Crashed:: Dispatch queue: com.apple.main-thread
0   com.apple.FinderKit                     0x00007fff8c8baebb TString::IsMutable(__CFString const*) + 1
1   com.apple.FinderKit                     0x00007fff8c8192f2 _GLOBAL__I_a + 66
2   dyld                                    0x00007fff6fade378 ImageLoaderMachO::doModInitFunctions(ImageLoader::LinkContext const&) + 236
3   dyld                                    0x00007fff6fade762 ImageLoaderMachO::doInitialization(ImageLoader::LinkContext const&) + 46
4   dyld                                    0x00007fff6fadb06e ImageLoader::recursiveInitialization(ImageLoader::LinkContext const&, unsigned int, ImageLoader::InitializerTimingList&) + 380
5   dyld                                    0x00007fff6fadaeba ImageLoader::runInitializers(ImageLoader::LinkContext const&, ImageLoader::InitializerTimingList&) + 54
6   dyld                                    0x00007fff6facfe38 dyld::runInitializers(ImageLoader*) + 89
7   dyld                                    0x00007fff6fad587c dlopen + 581
8   libdyld.dylib                           0x00007fff8ab28dd8 dlopen + 57
9   com.apple.AppKit                        0x00007fff8e8ad45f FinderKitLibrary + 46
10 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00007fff8e8ad377 initFIFinderView + 15
11 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00007fff8e8ad22c -[NSNavFinderViewFileBrowser initWithFrame:options:] + 84
12 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00007fff8e8acfb8 _NSNavFileBrowserWithFinderKit + 140
13 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00007fff8e8ace4c -[NSSavePanel(NSSavePanelLayout) _makeFileBrowserView] + 294
14 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00007fff8e8acb8e -[NSSavePanel(NSSavePanelLayout) _setupFileBrowserView] + 146
15 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00007fff8e8ac7fc -[NSSavePanel(NSSavePanelLayout) _initContentView] + 2121
16 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00007fff8e8aaca3 -[NSSavePanel initWithContentRect:styleMask:backing:defer:] + 321
17 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00007fff8e8a8a37 +[NSSavePanel _crunchyRawUnbonedPanel] + 187
18 com.apple.preferences.sharing           0x0000000115537f2d 0x115523000 + 85805
19 com.apple.frameworks.preferencepanes          0x00007fff88bce679 -[AddRemoveView _segmentAction:] + 487
20 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00007fff8ea95219 -[NSApplication sendAction:to:from:] + 342
21 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00007fff8ea95077 -[NSControl sendAction:to:] + 85
22 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00007fff8ea94fab -[NSCell _sendActionFrom:] + 138
23 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00007fff8eac3eab -[NSSegmentedCell _sendActionFrom:] + 53
24 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00007fff8ea93493 -[NSCell trackMouse:inRect:ofView:untilMouseUp:] + 1855
25 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00007fff8eac37c0 -[NSSegmentedCell trackMouse:inRect:ofView:untilMouseUp:] + 1186
26 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00007fff8ea9245c -[NSControl mouseDown:] + 820
27 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00007fff8ea89dce -[NSWindow sendEvent:] + 6853
28 com.apple.systempreferences             0x000000010fed25b2 0x10fecb000 + 30130
29 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00007fff8ea85f04 -[NSApplication sendEvent:] + 5761
30 com.apple.systempreferences             0x000000010fed19a8 0x10fecb000 + 27048
31 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00007fff8e99bc7a -[NSApplication run] + 636
32 com.apple.AppKit                        0x00007fff8e940656 NSApplicationMain + 869
33 libdyld.dylib                           0x00007fff8ab297e1 start + 1
Thread 1:: Dispatch queue: com.apple.libdispatch-manager
0   libsystem_kernel.dylib                  0x00007fff89426d16 kevent + 10
1   libdispatch.dylib                       0x00007fff8d21ce26 _dispatch_mgr_invoke + 883
2   libdispatch.dylib                       0x00007fff8d21ca2a _dispatch_mgr_thread + 54
Thread 2:
0   libsystem_kernel.dylib                  0x00007fff894266d6 __workq_kernreturn + 10
1   libsystem_c.dylib                       0x00007fff8869ef2c _pthread_workq_return + 25
2   libsystem_c.dylib                       0x00007fff8869ecf3 _pthread_wqthread + 412
3   libsystem_c.dylib                       0x00007fff886891b1 start_wqthread + 13
Thread 3:
0   libsystem_kernel.dylib                  0x00007fff894266d6 __workq_kernreturn + 10
1   libsystem_c.dylib                       0x00007fff8869ef2c _pthread_workq_return + 25
2   libsystem_c.dylib                       0x00007fff8869ecf3 _pthread_wqthread + 412
3   libsystem_c.dylib                       0x00007fff886891b1 start_wqthread + 13
Thread 4:
0   libsystem_kernel.dylib                  0x00007fff894266d6 __workq_kernreturn + 10
1   libsystem_c.dylib                       0x00007fff8869ef2c _pthread_workq_return + 25
2   libsystem_c.dylib                       0x00007fff8869ecf3 _pthread_wqthread + 412
3   libsystem_c.dylib                       0x00007fff886891b1 start_wqthread + 13
Thread 5:
0   libsystem_kernel.dylib                  0x00007fff894266d6 __workq_kernreturn + 10
1   libsystem_c.dylib                       0x00007fff8869ef2c _pthread_workq_return + 25
2   libsystem_c.dylib                       0x00007fff8869ecf3 _pthread_wqthread + 412
3   libsystem_c.dylib                       0x00007fff886891b1 start_wqthread + 13
Thread 0 crashed with X86 Thread State (64-bit):
rax: 0x0000000000000001 rbx: 0x00007fff744a9390 rcx: 0x00007fff4fd34d30 rdx: 0x00007fff4fd34cc8
rdi: 0x00007fff744a9390 rsi: 0x00007fff744a9390 rbp: 0x00007fff4fd32450 rsp: 0x00007fff4fd32400
   r8: 0x00007fff6fb001a8   r9: 0x00007fff4fd323e0 r10: 0x000000010ff02000 r11: 0x0000000000000100
r12: 0x00007fff6fb000f0 r13: 0x0000000000000067 r14: 0x00007fff744bf220 r15: 0x0000000000000009
rip: 0x00007fff8c8baebb rfl: 0x0000000000010206 cr2: 0x00007fffa3298f15
Logical CPU: 0

System Preferences crashes when I try to set limitations on a managed user

Need help please. I have a managed account setup for my son. When I have the account set to "some limits" and try to locate a file to add/remove from his limit, the system preferences crashes (spinning rainbow.) Only way to recover is to restart. Also happens when I try to click on "This user can only use these applications." Get immediate spinning rainbow.
Many thanks!! D
iMac G4, 700Mhz Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Dwight Morrow...
First of all you need to make sure you are not getting impatient <and or> getting in a hurry, here. There can be other answers for a spinning rainbow, that needs the time to work itself out. It isn't always an indication of a crash but a more of a system hang.
Also there is missing specs such as available memory and HD space that could hold answers as to why there could be a lag in setting up the user account.
Other things like, when was the last Repair Permissions done? Do you use any other "X" Utilities like Onyx or Yasu?
Just look things over and get back if you should have any "?s".
...Ron

Why is my system prefences freezing when i want to change my desktop picture?

I got a picture and i want to tile it so i went to system prefences and changed it the ikmage are showed a question mark and the background went black.I shut it down turned it off and restart it but it wont work.Help me please.

First follow the instructions in this support article:
System Preferences stops responding after viewing Desktop & Screen Saver pane
If there's no change, continue as below.
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 Freezes When Attempting to Add New Printer

Running into an issue on a Mac Pro here. It crashed earlier today, and when I try to go into Print & Fax in control panels, it says "Loading" and then just pin wheels. There were several documents waiting to print at the time of the crash, but I can't get into the print cue now due to this. Is there a preference that could be corrupted?
Thanks!
R~

Try /Users/yourname/Library/Preferences/com.apple.print.PrintCenter.plist, move it to your desktop and restart.
-mj

System Preferences Crash when I try to open Sound or Security or Displays??

I have tried to remove the system preferences plists for sound and systempreferences and anything else that sounded right but it still crashes! What to do?
I have an intel mac

Repairing Permissions and/or Resetting the Power Management Unit (PMU) is known to resolve certain anomalies or conditions, and may help with your symptom. Nether process will compromise or harm anything with your Mac so it’s worth a shot.
Repair Permissions:
Go to: Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility
Select: your Hard Drive
Select: the First Aid tab
Select: Repair Permissions
Resetting the Power Management Unit (PMU)
If the computer is on, turn it off.
Disconnect the AC Adapter and remove the computer's battery.
Press and hold down the power button for 5 seconds and then release the button.
Reconnect the battery and AC Adapter.
Press the Power button to restart the computer.
Ref:
PMU: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303319
User's Guide: page-95
Regards,
MBP-15"/2.16/7200/W8612... Mac OS X (10.4.7) G4 Tower (OS 9/10), Dell 620 WorkStation (XP Pro), Gateway P4 (XP Home)

System Preferences freezes when I try to change Desktop Picture. Help!

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