System preferences in trash

Every time I try to access system preferances on my mac it comes up with a notifacation that it is unable to open as it is in "Trash" when i try to find it in trash to remove it, it is not there. I have tryed system updates but nothinng has so far worked. Any help!??

It's apparent you have a major issue. Visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQ on resolving Trash problems. If you don't find a solution there, then reinstall Snow Leopard:
Reinstall OS X without erasing the drive
1. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions
Boot from your Snow Leopard Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list.  In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive.  If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer.
If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.
2. Reinstall Snow Leopard
If the drive is OK then quit DU and return to the installer.  Proceed with reinstalling OS X.  Note that the Snow Leopard installer will not erase your drive or disturb your files.  After installing a fresh copy of OS X the installer will move your Home folder, third-party applications, support items, and network preferences into the newly installed system.
Download and install Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo v1.1.

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    Move it back.  It is essential for the operation of thngs.

  • System Preferences into trash

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    Hi David
    The Apple menu is not the place to look for the Applications Folder. You can use Spotlight to find it as JP recommends but here's another way of locating it that should be quicker. Click on the Finder icon at the left end of the dock and a window will open showing the folders in your hard drive. The Application Folder will be one of them. Open that and see if your System Prefs are in there.
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  • Finder, Mac HD, System Preferences, and Trash wont open!

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    Welcome to the forum.
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    1.Shut down the computer.
    2.Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Command, Option, P, and R. You will need to hold these keys down simultaneously in step 4.
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  • System Preferences glitch

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    Trash the file: User->Library->Caches->com.apple.preferencepanes.cache
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  • Strange icon in system preferences...

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    i think i put system preferences in my trash by accident and now it says i cant open it because it may be dameged or incomplete what do i do??? HELP please?

    Did you retrieve it from the trash, or are you trying to open it while in the trash?
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  • Does anybody know how to reinstall System Preferences? I accidentaly put System Preferences in the trash and emptied the trash :P

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    How Restore Deleted or Missing OS X Components
    A few of the basic OS X installed applications can be restored from the Optional Installs installer located in the Optional installs folder on your Installer DVD.  However, if what you need is not there then follow the instructions below.
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    Insert the OS X Installer DVD into the optical drive.  Use a simple utility like TinkerTool to toggle invisibility so you can see invisible items.  Alternatively, open the Terminal application in your Utilities folder and at the prompt enter the following:
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    The install packages are located in the /System/Installation/ folder on the DVD.
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      C. Insert Mac OS X installer CD and when it mounts, navigate to .... Menu->Go->Go
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    2b. or click the “Find” icon in the Pacifist window and type the name of the software you need.
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    7. In the Toolbar (upper left), you now have the option to extract or install. Click a file in the lower list and those two icons will be enabled.
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      • Default selection
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  • How can my System Preferences be in the Trash?

    I went to change some network settings on my computer by going through System Preferences and Finder said System Preferences was in the trash!  How is that possible?  Whne I searched for it I couldn't find it in the trash.  Confused!

    It is possible because it is an app in your Applications folder.  Did you double click on the Trash icon in your dock to open your trash in a finder window?  Did you see any files in the trash at all?

  • Stopped mac protector scam download in process of scanning files.  Trashed application from download folder/application folder and system preferences' accounts log in items.  does anything else need to be purged? checked?

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  • "System Preferences" were accidentally thrown in the trash.

    My System Preferences were accidentally thrown in the trash.  I cannot open the system preferences from the apple menu bar.  How can I retreive them and/or do I need to re-install using my install discs?

    Drag it back, or if you emptied the Trash, use Pacifist to extract a new copy from the Mac OS X 10.5 DVD and run the 10.5.8 combo updater.
    (60888)

  • Some how I have deleted the system Preferences application. I had already deleted everything from the trash bend before I realized system pref. was deleted. How can I recover or get it downloaded?

    Somehow I have deleted the system Preferences application. I had already deleted everything from the trash bend before I realized system pref. was deleted. How can I recover or get it downloaded? Everything has been transferred to my new mac pro, but would like to give this old mac to son-in-law.  Can I download system preferences back into this old mac? 
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    How Restore Deleted or Missing OS X Components
    A few of the basic OS X installed applications can be restored from the Optional Installs installer located in the Optional installs folder on your Installer DVD.  However, if what you need is not there then follow the instructions below.
    How to Use Pacifist to Restore Deleted or Missing OS X Components
    Insert the OS X Installer DVD into the optical drive.  Use a simple utility like TinkerTool to toggle invisibility so you can see invisible items.  Alternatively, open the Terminal application in your Utilities folder and at the prompt enter the following:
    defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles Yes
    Press RETURN.
    To turn off the display of invisible files repeat the above command substituting No for Yes.
    The install packages are located in the /System/Installation/ folder on the DVD.
    Download the shareware utility Pacifist. Use it to extract a fresh copy of the missing item(s) from the file archives on your OS X installation DVD. The file archives are in the /System/Installations/ folder (use Go to Folder option in the Go menu of the Finder.)
    Here are Four Basic ways to use Pacifist (courtesy of George Orville.)
    Drag a .pkg icon onto the Pacifist window .....proceed to step 7.
    Click on “Open Package ....” and navigate to package desired and click “Open” in the open/save window.....proceed to step 7.
    Insert Mac OS X installer CD and when it mounts, navigate to .... Menu->Go->Go to Folder. In the path field enter or paste ....
    /Volumes/disc name/System/Installation/Packages (where disc name is the name of the CD/DVD that you inserted.)
    Click on the  "Go" button ..... • Drag a .pkg to Pacifist..... proceed to step 7.
    The package you'll need will have to be discovered by trial and error, but for most applications you should start with the Essentials.pkg and/or Additional Essentials.pkg.
    D. Insert your Mac OS X install disk 1 .... and open Pacifist.
    1.          In Pacifist, select "Open Mac OS X Install Packages" ... dialog may appear asking for disk 2, then disk 3 and finally disk 1 again.... {if DVD is not used)...If “Stop Loading” is selected...the procedure will stop!!!
    2a. When loading is complete, a new window appears, click the triangle to display contents of each package...Select item and proceed to step 7.
    2b.          or click the “Find” icon in the Pacifist window and type the name of the software you need.
    3.          In the list that comes back, click the top most entry for the item that you want. ..... that is the one for the English language.
    4.          On the top of the Pacifist window, click “verify” .... you will probably be prompted for your password.
    5.          Enter checks for.... “verify permissions” and “verify file contents.” and click “verify” ....enter password when prompted.... you will get back output which may look like this:
              20 files were scanned. 20 of 20 files were present on the hard disk. 0 of 20 files had file permissions that did not match those specified in the package. 0 of 20 files had checksums that did not match those specified in the package.
    6.          Click “close”. Go to step 7.
    Extract or Install........
    7.          In the Toolbar (upper left), you now have the option to extract or install. Click a file in the lower list and those two icons will be enabled.
    8.          If “Extract to...” is selected.... navigate to the location where the file will be placed, select “choose”, select “extract” in new dialog that appears,authenicate , if prompted, click “OK”.
    9.          In the next dialog, click “Extract”.
    10.          If “Install” is selected... dialog will appear with the location/path of the installed software. Click “Install”
    11.          Type in your password, click “OK”
    Pacifist will begin to extract files.
    12.          In steps 8/10ß.... you also have the choice to “cancel”
    Notes:          Pacifist may find that a file it is installing already exists on the hard disk. Pacifist will present you with an alert panel....
    Stop
    Leave original alone
    Update .....
    Default selection
    Replace .... (Replace option should only be used on full install packages)

  • System Preferences quits suddenly. I have lost the dock, including the trash and ability to change desktop image. How can I replace this part of System Preferences? Where can I find Trash?

    System Preferences quits suddenly. I have lost the dock, including the trash and ability to change desktop image. How can I replace this part of System Preferences? Where can I find Trash? All other aspects of System Preferences work.

    just that that is one method, and lacks provision for working boot image and for an emergency - Lion gives a small minimal emergency boot environment but may lack all the utilities you need to use and run, even some drivers that your mac requires for add on PCIe.
    Just grab and look through Help in Carbon Copy and SuperDuper, both excellent and each has their use - together - for cloning.
    And do you have two TM backup sets? ought to consider that also, rotate daily or make a weekly set. Otherwise you are putting all your eggs in the proverbial one basket.

  • How dom I recover system preferences which I accidentally trashed from the dock

    How do I recover system preferences which I accidentally trashed from the dock

    Welcome to Apple Support Communities
    Although you removed System Preferences from the Dock, you still have it, because it is stored in the Applications folder.
    To get the System Preferences icon back in the Dock, open a Finder window and select Applications in the Finder sidebar. Then, look for the System Preferences icon, and if you find it, drag it to the Dock

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