System Preferences opens on it's own

No matter what program I'm in every few minutes I am switched back to the finder. My monitor preferences open up. Even though the System Preferences is open I can't get to the panel. I also can not shut down or restart. Other basic finder functions often don't work. I reinstalled the OS. It did not help.

I solved most of my problems. I found an option in the display prefs. that disables control on the display that opens the display control panel. This clears up all the finder issues.
The only problem left is no sound. I tried resetting by holding down command-option-p-r, but my computer will not restart with them down. For one thing I can not hear the sounds that prompt me. I held that down for a long time, but the computer only starts when I release the keys.

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Systems Preferences Opens Automatically

My Systems Preferences opens on start up every time. I've been to Login Items in Accounts and it's not there to remove.
How can I stop it from opening automatically?
Thanks.

Hi
Try this, go to Security and Privacy in System Preferences and unlock if locked, then tick the second box down in "For all accounts on this computer" called "require an administrator password to access system preferendes with lock icons"
Fingers crossed.
George

Why does System Preferences open on boot?

I have a 27-inch iMac, Late 2012, and I am running OS X 10.9.1.
Ever since I upgraded to Mavericks I noticed that System Preferences opens when I boot the computer. This did not happen before I upgraded. Is there a way to turn this off?

Quit the Sys Prefs app before shutting down. Also, check that you don't have it set to open in login items under Users & Groups.

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.

Why won't my system preferences open?

When I click on the system preferences on my dock, it jumps up once but will not open. There is no freeze signal, no visable failures, it just won't open.
Has anyone experienced this before?

Drag the Dock Icon off the Dock.
Then in Applications drag the SystemPreferences Icon to the Dock again.
Logout and login again.

Why doesn't my system preferences open up when I click on it?

Just got ram repaired and lost everything. When I reinstalled everything I found that my system preferences for audio ,video, printers etc doesn't open when I click on it

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.
☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Console in the icon grid.
Make sure the title of the Console window is All Messages. If it isn't, select All Messages from the SYSTEM LOG QUERIES menu on the left. If you don't see that menu, select
View ▹ Show Log List
from the menu bar.
Click the Clear Display icon in the toolbar. Then try the action that you're having trouble with again. Select any messages that appear in the Console window. Copy them to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C. Paste into a reply to this message (command-V).
When posting a log extract, be selective. In most cases, a few dozen lines are more than enough.
Please do not indiscriminately dump thousands of lines from the log into this discussion.
Important: Some private information, such as your name, may appear in the log. Anonymize before posting.

System Preferences open really, really slow

I have a recent iMac, really happy about it. Only recently, System Preferences became really slow when opening. I don't find too much about this when i google, only a few other people that mention that it's since Mavericks (could be over here too, not sure). The rest of the computer is still perfectly up tempo
(i have a macbook air that came delivered with Marvericks, and no problem there)
anyone any ideas? thanks in advance for your help!

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.
Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Console in the icon grid.
The title of the Console window should be All Messages. If it isn't, select
SYSTEM LOG QUERIES ▹ All Messages
from the log list on the left. If you don't see that list, select
View ▹ Show Log List
from the menu bar at the top of the screen.Click the Clear Display icon in the toolbar. Then try the action that you're having trouble with again. Select any messages that appear in the Console window. Copy them to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C. Paste into a reply to this message by pressing command-V.
The log contains a vast amount of information, almost all of which is irrelevant to solving any particular problem. When posting a log extract, be selective. A few dozen lines are almost always more than enough.
Please don't indiscriminately dump thousands of lines from the log into this discussion.
Please don't post screenshots of log messages—post the text.
Some private information, such as your name, may appear in the log. Anonymize before posting.

System preferences opens in 32-bit mode

My system preferences pane opens in 34-bit mode. The 32-bit mode is not checked in the finder getinfo box, I'm not sure this has any negative effect on anything, although I wonder if some preference panes are assuming 32-bit mode as well. I tried some steps from previous posts (see: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=11191454&#11191454) i.e. trashed the ,plists, and checked the architecture using the console (it has 3 architectures, including 64-bit).
Questions -
(1) how can I get this to open in 64-bit
(2) why is this happening?
(3) how can I tell if any other applications are running in 32-bit?

You may be able to repair this with The 10.6.3 Combo Update This is a fuller install, as opposed to an incremental "delta" update so it should overwrite any files that are damaged or missing. It does not matter if you have applied it before.
Remember to Verify Disk before update and repair permissions after update from /Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility.
-mj

Since installing Mavericks, system preferences opens on start up.

How do i stop this from happening? I looked in Users, but it is not in the list of apps in the start u pane.

Eric, here ya go
Hardware Information:
          MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2010)
          MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro6,2
          1 2.66 GHz Intel Core i7 CPU: 2 cores
          4 GB RAM
Video Information:
          Intel HD Graphics - VRAM: 288 MB
          NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M - VRAM: 512 MB
Audio Plug-ins:
          BluetoothAudioPlugIn: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.9
          AirPlay: Version: 1.9 - SDK 10.9
          AppleAVBAudio: Version: 2.0.0 - SDK 10.9
          iSightAudio: Version: 7.7.3 - SDK 10.9
System Software:
          OS X 10.9 (13A603) - Uptime: 0 days 0:2:58
Disk Information:
          TOSHIBA MK5055GSXF disk0 : (500.11 GB)
                    EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted>: 209.7 MB
                    MyMac (disk0s2) /: 487.12 GB (255.71 GB free)
                    Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted>: 650 MB
                    eDrive (disk0s4) <not mounted>: 12 GB
          MATSHITADVD-R   UJ-898
USB Information:
          Apple Internal Memory Card Reader
          Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
          Apple Inc. BRCM2070 Hub
                    Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
          Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver
          Apple Inc. Built-in iSight
FireWire Information:
Thunderbolt Information:
Kernel Extensions:
Problem System Launch Daemons:
Problem System Launch Agents:
Launch Daemons:
          [loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist
          [loaded] com.arcsoft.eservutil.plist
          [loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2.Agent.plist
          [loaded] com.micromat.TechToolProDaemon.plist
          [loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist
          [invalid] com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist
          [loaded] com.oracle.java.JavaUpdateHelper.plist
          [loaded] com.sharpcast.xfsmond.plist
          [loaded] com.smithmicro.vzwwirelessd.plist
Launch Agents:
          [loaded] com.arcsoft.esinter.plist
          [loaded] com.micromat.TechToolProAgent.plist
          [invalid] com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist
          [loaded] net.culater.SIMBL.Agent.plist
User Launch Agents:
          [loaded] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist
          [loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist
          [loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2Helper.diskSpaceWatcher.plist
          [loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2Helper.scheduledScan.plist
          [loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2Helper.trashWatcher.plist
User Login Items:
          iTunesHelper
          Dropbox
          SIMBL Agent
          Alfred 2
          VLCStreamer
          RescueTime
3rd Party Preference Panes:
          Flash Player
          FUSE for OS X (OSXFUSE)
          MouseZoom
          TechTool Protection
Internet Plug-ins::
          nplastpass: Version: 2.0.15
          Default Browser: Version: 537 - SDK 10.9
          SlingPlayer: Version: (null) - SDK 10.8
          AdobeAAMDetect: Version: AdobeAAMDetect 2.0.0.0 - SDK 10.7
          FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 11.9.900.170 - SDK 10.6
          AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 11.0.04 - SDK 10.6
          LogMeIn: Version: 1.0.935 - SDK 10.7
          Flash Player: Version: 11.9.900.170 - SDK 10.6
          LogMeInSafari32: Version: 1.0.935 - SDK 10.7
          QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3
          SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.6
          AdobePDFViewer: Version: 11.0.04 - SDK 10.6
          JavaAppletPlugin: Version: 14.9.0 - SDK 10.7 Outdated! Update
User Internet Plug-ins::
          BlueStacks Install Detector: Version: Unknown
          CitrixOnlineWebDeploymentPlugin: Version: 1.0.105
Bad Fonts:
          None
Old applications:
          AutoUpdate VZAccess:          Version: 7.4.1 - SDK 10.5
                    /Library/Application Support/Verizon Wireless/VZAccessManager/AutoUpdate VZAccess.app
          Microsoft Alerts Daemon:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5
                    /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Office/Microsoft Alerts Daemon.app
          Microsoft AutoUpdate:          Version: 2.3.6 - SDK 10.4
                    /Library/Application Support/Microsoft/MAU2.0/Microsoft AutoUpdate.app
          Microsoft Chart Converter:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5
                    /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Office/Microsoft Chart Converter.app
          Microsoft Clip Gallery:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5
                    /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Office/Microsoft Clip Gallery.app
          Microsoft Database Daemon:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5
                    /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Office/Microsoft Database Daemon.app
          Microsoft Database Utility:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5
                    /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Office/Microsoft Database Utility.app
          Microsoft Document Connection:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5
                    /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Microsoft Document Connection.app
          Microsoft Error Reporting:          Version: 2.2.9 - SDK 10.4
                    /Library/Application Support/Microsoft/MERP2.0/Microsoft Error Reporting.app
          Microsoft Excel:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5
                    /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Microsoft Excel.app
          Microsoft Graph:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5
                    /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Office/Microsoft Graph.app
          Microsoft Language Register:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5
                    /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Additional Tools/Microsoft Language Register/Microsoft Language Register.app
          Microsoft Office Reminders:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5
                    /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Office/Microsoft Office Reminders.app
          Microsoft Outlook:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5
                    /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Microsoft Outlook.app
          Microsoft PowerPoint:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5
                    /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Microsoft PowerPoint.app
          Microsoft Ship Asserts:          Version: 1.1.4 - SDK 10.4
                    /Library/Application Support/Microsoft/MERP2.0/Microsoft Ship Asserts.app
          Microsoft Upload Center:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5
                    /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Office/Microsoft Upload Center.app
          Microsoft Word:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5
                    /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Microsoft Word.app
          My Day:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5
                    /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Office/My Day.app
          Open XML for Excel:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5
                    /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Office/Open XML for Excel.app
          Solver:          Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.5
                    /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Office/Add-Ins/Solver.app
          SyncServicesAgent:          Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5
                    /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Office/SyncServicesAgent.app
          VZAccess Manager:          Version: 7.4.1 - SDK 10.5
                    /Applications/VZAccess Manager.app
          iSkysoft Helper Compact:          Version: 2.2.6.4 - SDK 10.5
                    /Users/Smitty/Library/Application Support/Helper/iSkysoft Helper Compact.app
Time Machine:
          Skip System Files: NO
          Mobile backups: ON
          Auto backup: YES
          Volumes being backed up:
                    MyMac: Disk size: 453.66 GB Disk used: 215.52 GB
          Destinations:
                    Mac_Back [Local] (Last used)
                    Total size: 465.44 GB
                    Total number of backups: 26
                    Oldest backup: 2013-11-21 05:51:48 +0000
                    Last backup: 2013-12-14 01:30:12 +0000
                    Size of backup disk: Too small
                              Backup size 465.44 GB < (Disk used 215.52 GB X 3)
          Time Machine details may not be accurate.
          All volumes being backed up may not be listed.
Top Processes by CPU:
               2%          WindowServer
               1%          Cubby
               1%          EtreCheck
               1%          identityservicesd
               0%          mds_stores
Top Processes by Memory:
          86 MB          soagent
          74 MB          Dropbox
          53 MB          Finder
          45 MB          mds_stores
          45 MB          WindowServer
Virtual Memory Statistics:
          1.93 GB          Free RAM
          1.02 GB          Active RAM
          269 MB          Inactive RAM
          671 MB          Wired RAM
          231 MB          Page-ins
          0 B          Page-outs

Clicking on a link opens system preferences

Clicking on any weblink (in mail, safari or even firefox) results in system preferences opening. I have run onyx, repaired permissions and restarted several times. Web browsing is not functional on this machine. Please advise if you have any suggestions.

Hi,
Try using [RCDefaultApp|http://www.rubicode.com/Software/RCDefaultApp> to see if you can re-associate the http/https protocols to Safari instead.

After system date/time reset macbook pro can't open any programs and access system preferences

Hi,
Booted my macbook pro 2009 and the time was reset to 2001, a prompt asked me to change settings or else the computer might function erratically. So i changed the date and time settings as suggested but then suddenly it stopped working. I restarted the computer but i could no longer open any programs. My dock was gone, the screen background was changed back to the original and i couldn't access the system preferences. Every time i click on the apple icon the screen just refereshes and that's it.
My laptop hasn't been turned off for the last 48 hrs before this happened. i was working and uploading huge files to dropbox and since my internet connection was really slow, i had to keep it on so it would upload continously. Was thinking this might have caused some malfunction.
Has anyone experienced this kind of issue?

You need to charge the computer, perhaps the battery went dead.
Do a SMC and PRAM reset, see if that assists.
Also hold the shift key after that upon boot, that will fix things
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3046
If you get into your account, see if system preferences opens and try to set the time and date, align with Apple's servers, reset the screen saver and desktop picture see if it holds upon a reboot
If not your going to have to delete your
com.systempreferences.plist
file in your
"User"/Library/Preference folder
Reboot the machine and then open System Preferences and reset your preferences.
Now in 10.6, the "User"/Library/Preference folder is not hidden
In 10.7 the "Users"/Library/Preferences folder IS hidden
so in 10.7 you need to use the Finder > Go To Folder and type
/Library/Preferences
and click OK
Then scoll down to the file above, there will be two of them perhaps, one is a lock file the other one you can Trash, so do that and reboot.

Error message when opening System Preferences

When trying to open System Preferences, a window openstitled, “A Problem Report for System Preferences” opens with a message,"System Preferences quit unexpectedly"

Try restarting the computer in Safe Mode this will clear some caches, one may have become corrupt. Then restart the computer while doing a SMC reset. If this still doesn't help let us know.
SMC RESET
Shut down the computer.
Unplug the computer's power cord and all peripherals.
Press and hold the power button for 5 seconds.
Release the power button.
Attach the computers power cable.
Press the power button to turn on the computer.
PRAM RESET
Shut down the computer.
Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Command, Option, P, and R. You will need to hold these keys down simultaneously in step 4.
Turn on the computer.
Press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys. You must press this key combination before the gray screen appears.
Hold the keys down until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for the second time.
Release the keys.
Roger

Clicking links opens system preferences

Clicking on any link in a received e-mail (commercial or personally sent) results in system preferences opening instead of safari. I have repaired permissions, rebooted and I ran onyx . Safari is default browser. Anyone else with this issue?

What if you select Safari as the default web browser by choosing the "Other..." option and locating the application manually? Maybe the choice in the popup menu doesn't work.
Does it use Firefox when it's set to the default browser?

System preference lock opens

when i power up i notice that the lock in system preference opens in the network section, and when i check in the certification window theres a invalid certificate with permission to login. i think that file opens the lock i'm not sure if to delete the file or not. can someone help me?

I, too, am having such issues.
Running Leopard, MBP 2.33.
Since updating to Leopard, I cannot seem to lock my padlock... EVER!
e.g., I "get info" for some folder, and unlock the small padlock at the bottom right to modify the preferences. After entering admin password and unlocking the lock, I cannot "re-lock" the padlock.
Moreover, my System Preferences folder is ALWAYS UNLOCKED! I cannot change it.
In fact, if I switch to a "standard" user account, they are still unlocked!
Funny enought, I happen to be listening to music at the same time, and it continued to play while in the standard account.
Seriously wacky stuff going on with permissions.
Any help? Anyone?

System Preferences defaulting to File Sharing

Hi there !
Everytime I open up System Preferences it is opening to the file sharing preferences.
I would like it open to the window of icons for preferences (the main one).
How do I go about changing this?
I have already closed out system preferences and rebooted. Neither have worked.
Thanks !!

Well I can't say this is a correct answer or helpful answer because I think this new MacBook Pro is a lemon.
I own a macbook so I know my way around and how to do this. This laptop is not right.
Even after deleting the com.apple.systempreferences.plist file. it still did that.   But it's also doing other odd things.
Everytime I shut down or reboot (and yes, I uncheck repopen windows), it will open mail and system preferences (open to file sharing) everytime.   I make sure everything is closed (no app indicator light is on), and no matter what, it still opens to them.
Also it's not holding some tracking preferences.   I'm going to take it back today and exchange it.
Thanks for the answer above !

System Preferences opens on it's own

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