System Preferences Pops Up

After I log on, the System Preferences pane comes onto the screen.
How can I stop this?
Thank you....

You are welcome.
I don't need the points, but for future reference, give the "correct answer" to the person that helped you, not yourself.
Barry

Similar Messages

Can not stop pop ups etc, display color too intense not responding to system preference display commands what antivirus is used in macs

My 13 inch mac book pro is overrun with popups in spite of setting security section etc. I removed McAfee and used clsm then avasti and my display is too intense not responding to system preference display commands I have Adobe Flas in computer but Media Downloader keeps popping up to install also sILVER LIGHT IS IN HD BUT NOT WORKING VERY NEW MAC USER

A
You may have installed one or more of the common types of ad-injection malware. Follow the instructions on this Apple Support page to remove it. It's been reported that some variants of the "VSearch" malware block access to the page. If that happens, start in safe mode by holding down the shift key at the startup chime, then try again.
Back up all data before making any changes.
One of the steps in the article is to remove malicious Safari extensions. Do the equivalent in the Chrome and Firefox browsers, if you use either of those. If Safari crashes on launch, skip that step and come back to it after you've done everything else.
If you don't find any of the files or extensions listed, or if removing them doesn't stop the ad injection, ask for further instructions.
Make sure you don't repeat the mistake that led you to install the malware. It may have come from an Internet cesspit such as "Softonic" or "CNET Download." Never visit either of those sites again. You might also have downloaded it from an ad in a page on some other site. The ad would probably have included a large green button labeled "Download" or "Download Now" in white letters. The button is designed to confuse people who intend to download something else on the same page. If you ever download a file that isn't obviously what you expected, delete it immediately.
Malware is also found on websites that traffic in pirated content such as video. If you, or anyone else who uses the computer, visit such sites and follow prompts to install software, you can expect more of the same, and worse, to follow. Never install any software that you downloaded from a bittorrent, or that was downloaded by someone else from an unknown source.
In the Security & Privacy pane of System Preferences, select the General tab. The radio button marked Anywhere should not be selected. If it is, click the lock icon to unlock the settings, then select one of the other buttons. After that, don't ignore a warning that you are about to run or install an application from an unknown developer.
Still in System Preferences, open the App Store or Software Update pane and check the box marked
Install system data files and security updates (OS X 10.10 or later)
or
Download updates automatically (OS X 10.9 or earlier)
if it's not already checked.
B
"Avast" is the worst of the whole wretched lot of commercial "security" products for the Mac. Not only does it fail to protect you from any real danger, it may send personal data (such as web browsing history and the contents of email messages) back to the developer without your knowledge, give false warnings, destabilize and slow down the computer, expose you to network attack, and corrupt the network settings and the permissions of files in your home folder. Removing it may not repair all the damage.
Some versions of the product also inject advertising into web pages. In short, apart from the fine print in the license agreement, Avast is indistinguishable from malware, and is arguably worse than any known malware now in circulation.
Back up all data, then remove Avast according to the developer's instructions. Restart.
If you tried to remove Avast by dragging an application to the Trash, you'll have to reinstall it and then follow the instructions linked above.

How do I get System Preferences from popping up??

Help, I'm new to Macs and everytime I click on a link from gmail my system preferences box pops up and I cannot get to the website without pasting link into Safari. What do I do to change this?

How are you accessing Gmail? Are you using Apple's Mail or are you looking at in Safari? If you are using Safari, if click a link on a website does that come up in Safari, or will it bring up System Preferences?
Take a look at Preferences in Safari (Safari->Preferences) and tell us what is filled in for the Default web browser. If it's not Safari, set it to Safari and let us know.
In theory you *could* choose Other and set the default web browser to System Preferences--just not sure why someone would do that or how you could easily do it by accident.

My system preferences sound setting window keeps popping up.

We have two MacBook Pro 2008 computers and the System Preference Sound Setting are popping up while we're in other programs including Word and Chrome. As quickly as I close the window it is popping up again. If I click out of it and back into the program I'm working in it will pop me back out to System Preferences with the Sound Settings. We tried restarting the computers and it still happens. Any thoughts?

We were able to figure this out. We moved our bluetooth printer to a new room. It sends constant signals to pair up. We went into our bluetooth settings and selected advanced and unchecked the boxes. That was it.

HT201250 i was trying to manually erase files from my macbook air. at one point, my system preferences disappeared from the dock and i had a pop up message telling me the application was 'incomplete'. I tried to reinstall iLife but i wont work.

I used the small key that comes with the air but it doesn't seem to be doing much. Am i supposed to be reinstalling OS X or iLife? I tried OS X and I didn't see much difference except for the return of my system preferences and safari which had initially disappeared, but I'm still missing the App Store and iPhoto. I can't reinstall iLife either.

Try a few things: 1) restart in safe mode (restart holding the shift key) and this will repair the drive (if need be) and trim/delete cache files. Restart normally.
2) if you use iPhoto or Aperture launch the program and then empty the trash folder of the program(s). Launch your Mail program and check out how much is in the Trash and Archive folders. You can delete the really old stuff if there is any.
3) Download omniDiskSweeper (free) to see what's on your drive. Be careful about deleting anything that isn't in your personal drive space and be very careful about deleting anything in the Library folder.

Why does system preferences not pop up after 2nd time accessing it using right click on desktop?

Any help? Genius bar was stumped. I reinstalled mt. lion, but it still persists. Thanks.

Your question is very confusing ... especially "after 2nd time accessing it using right click on desktop".
"Using right click" -- why would you do that? What are you right clicking?
"On desktop" -- does that mean on a vacant area of your desktop?
Anyway, a quick way to System Preferences is to simply click normally on the System Preferences icon in the dock, which looks like this:

Display settings in System Preferences acting up

I'm having trouble with my Display settings under System Preferences. I am not using an external monitor. My display seems to be working fine, but when I open Display settings to change resolution and colour, weird stuff happens. Basically, I cannot use this preference pane at all.
My display is 1920x1200, but when I open the Display settings, I get two windows, one telling me that "I am about to change [something something], some applications cannot display information correctly if the screen has less than 800x600 pixels", and the other one, the usual main window, telling me that my resolution is now 640x480 (it isn't).
If I hit OK in the extra window that pops up, my resolution changes to 640x480 or something similar, and I am unable to change back unless I reboot. Also, in the main Display settings window, it says <<< DO NOT LOCALIZE >>> under the list of available resolutions, as well as << do not localize >> in the box where I can change refresh rate. None of the buttons seem to be working.
Does anyone have any idea what is going on here? This was working just fine when I received my new MacBook Pro a few days ago, but now it's not. I've been repairing disk permissions and rebooting, etc.
I have been installing the trial version of Adobe CS5, but had massive problems with this installation (as a lot of people are reporting with CS5 and Snow Leopard...) and uninstalled them again, cleaning out Adobe preference files. Could I have deleted some other important files by accident in this process?

Quit System Preferences, then delete these files or folders.
Users/yourname/Library/Preferences /com.apple.systempreferences.plist
Users/yourname/Library/Preferences/By Host/com.apple.systempreferences.xxxxx.plist and com.apple.PrefPane.Network.xxxxx.plist (the X's will be numbers)
Also, Users/Home/Library/Caches
Now relaunch System Preferences. Let us know.
-mj

I cannot sign into iCloud on my iMac. I have read all of the help information, but that isn't working. I cannot do anything with my system preferences - like add a new printer - because it won't log me in, sign me out, forget password doesn't work, etc.

I have been unable to log in to iCloud on my iMac. None of the hints online have worked. I can't sign in (with any password), sign out, the forget password doesn't work, the support button doesn't work. It's locked. I can't find anyway to fix this - I need to add a new printer ASAP - help!!!

The "Mail, Contacts & Calendars" window popped up a couple of weeks ago and is asking for my Apple ID password, which it will not accept, It won't sign me out (I am not logged in), the support or forgot password buttons won't work. With this window stuck open, I cannot access anything on system preferences. I can't find any way to make it go away. I have tried both my current and old Apple ID passwords, tried using FaceTime to login with the newer password, etc.

How do I set up iCloud if I can't acces it in my system preferences?

All I want to do is turn on 'Find My Mac' in iCloud. Unfortunately I never moved my mobileme account over to icloud before mobileme was shut down (because it wasn't actually my account. My mom and I shared it but it was hers so I didn't want to mess with it). I have set up iCloud on my iPhone and i now have a @me.com email seperate from my apple ID, but when I go to system preferences and click on 'iCloud' under 'Internet and Wireless'
^^ this pops up. So then I click 'Move to iCloud' and
^^ this pops up. SO then I 'Visit iCloud.com' and
I am directed ^^ here. As I've said, I've already created an iCloud account and I have an Apple ID so everything works fine once I log in except I don't know how to add my Macbook as a device in the 'Find My iPhone' section. But from what I know the only way to turn on 'Find My Mac' is to go through the iCloud selection in system preferences, which I am unable to do. So. What do I do?
Basically I can't access the iCloud settings in system preferences like I should be able to.
Thanks!

Welcome to the Apple Community.
Have you logged out of Mobile Me.

Mac Sleep Timer (through 'Energy Saver' in System Preferences) won't work

Hello,
I have a MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2009) running Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.3,
and it has been installed with the latest software updates possible.
(The latest update is the 'Security Update 2010-003')
Previously I was using Mac OS X Leopard 10.5 on my MacBook,
and I can vaguely remember the timed computer sleep through Energy Saver would work.
That is, when the counter's time matches the amount of time I specified (e.g. 10 minutes), the computer enters sleep mode and displays a pulsing power light.
After upgrading to Snow Leopard I can barely remember the scheduled computer sleep will work as I don't really notice how it sleeps / I will shut down my MacBook before I go to bed.
==========
However, last night I was really tired and slept in front of my MacBook unconsciously.
When I woke up, I found that my MacBook didn't display a pulsing power light but a continuously-growing power light.
I tapped the trackpad and the display turned on, so I knew that my MacBook didn't go to sleep a whole night.
*What that means is that the Sleep Timer (through 'Energy Saver' in System Preferences) won't work.*
But the timed display sleep DOES work.
==========
After spending a whole day Googling,
I found that there are plenty of people suffering the same problem as me, although their Macs and OSs vary.
I also found an official support page from Apple concerning the related issue:
Mac OS X: Why your Mac might not sleep or stay in sleep mode
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1776
I tried the following methods but still can't resolve the problem:
_- boot my MacBook in safe mode_
_- use the 'Disk Utility' to repair Disk Permissions through booting my MacBook from the Mac OS X Snow Leopard Installation DVD_
_- reset NVRAM (Intel-based) (as PRAM is used by PowerPC-based Macs)_
_- reset SMC (System Management Controller)_
NONE of the above-mentioned methods can resolve the problem.
Althought I am sure that the Spotlight isn't indexing the hard drive, and I just start my computer and do nothing and wait for the scheduled computer sleep, the scheduled computer sleep just won't work.
In the other Mac forum, I saw someone suggest installing an application called PleaseSleep:
http://www.dragonone.com/products/macosx/pleasesleep/
It works.
But I really want to find out what caused this problem as this is a function shipped with Mac which is expected to work normally.
What's more, Apple is claiming to be a green Apple, right?
==========
Here's the log taken from 'Console':
- Sleep by closing the lid of my MacBook:
Apr 18 13:21:05 Michael-Leungs-MacBook loginwindow[25]: loginwindow SleepWakeCallback WILL sleep
Apr 18 13:21:05 Michael-Leungs-MacBook PleaseSleep[288]: Sleep notification received from the system
Apr 18 13:21:07 Michael-Leungs-MacBook configd[37]: network configuration changed.
Apr 18 13:23:21 Michael-Leungs-MacBook loginwindow[25]: loginwindow SleepWakeCallback will power on, Currenttime:4/18/2010 1:23:21.028 PM - Waketime:4/18/2010 1:23:19.410 PM = Deltatime:1.618421972
Apr 18 13:23:21 Michael-Leungs-MacBook loginwindow[25]: handleUnlockResult, Currenttime:4/18/2010 1:23:21.579 PM - Waketime:4/18/2010 1:23:19.410 PM = Deltatime:2.169138968
Apr 18 13:23:23 Michael-Leungs-MacBook configd[37]: Sleep: Success - AC 98 - Clamshell Sleep
Apr 18 13:23:23 Michael-Leungs-MacBook configd[37]: Wake: Success - AC 98 - EC LID0
Apr 18 13:23:23 Michael-Leungs-MacBook configd[37]: Hibernate Statistics
Apr 18 13:23:23 Michael-Leungs-MacBook PleaseSleep[288]: Wake notification received from the system
- Sleep by manually clicking the Apple logo in the upper left corner of the screen -> 'Sleep':
Apr 18 13:31:46 Michael-Leungs-MacBook loginwindow[25]: loginwindow SleepWakeCallback WILL sleep
Apr 18 13:31:46 Michael-Leungs-MacBook PleaseSleep[288]: Sleep notification received from the system
Apr 18 13:31:49 Michael-Leungs-MacBook configd[37]: network configuration changed.
Apr 18 13:32:04 Michael-Leungs-MacBook loginwindow[25]: loginwindow SleepWakeCallback will power on, Currenttime:4/18/2010 1:32:04.033 PM - Waketime:4/18/2010 1:32:02.720 PM = Deltatime:1.313067079
Apr 18 13:32:04 Michael-Leungs-MacBook loginwindow[25]: handleUnlockResult, Currenttime:4/18/2010 1:32:04.589 PM - Waketime:4/18/2010 1:32:02.720 PM = Deltatime:1.869303048
Apr 18 13:32:06 Michael-Leungs-MacBook configd[37]: Sleep: Success - AC 98 - Software Sleep
Apr 18 13:32:06 Michael-Leungs-MacBook configd[37]: Wake: Success - AC 98 - OHC1
Apr 18 13:32:06 Michael-Leungs-MacBook configd[37]: Hibernate Statistics
Apr 18 13:32:06 Michael-Leungs-MacBook PleaseSleep[288]: Wake notification received from the system
- Sleep by manually pressing control + eject, and the press 'Sleep':
Apr 18 13:34:17 Michael-Leungs-MacBook loginwindow[25]: loginwindow SleepWakeCallback WILL sleep
Apr 18 13:34:17 Michael-Leungs-MacBook PleaseSleep[288]: Sleep notification received from the system
Apr 18 13:34:46 Michael-Leungs-MacBook loginwindow[25]: loginwindow SleepWakeCallback will power on, Currenttime:4/18/2010 1:34:46.080 PM - Waketime:4/18/2010 1:34:44.720 PM = Deltatime:1.360466003
Apr 18 13:34:46 Michael-Leungs-MacBook loginwindow[25]: handleUnlockResult, Currenttime:4/18/2010 1:34:46.564 PM - Waketime:4/18/2010 1:34:44.720 PM = Deltatime:1.844347000
Apr 18 13:34:46 Michael-Leungs-MacBook configd[37]: PMConnection AirPort configd plug-in com.apple.powermanagement.applicationresponse.slowresponse 566 ms
Apr 18 13:34:46 Michael-Leungs-MacBook configd[37]: bootpsessiontransmit: bpf_write(en0) failed: Network is down (50)
Apr 18 13:34:46 Michael-Leungs-MacBook configd[37]: DHCP en0: INIT transmit failed
Apr 18 13:34:46 Michael-Leungs-MacBook configd[37]: PMConnection IPConfiguration com.apple.powermanagement.applicationresponse.slowresponse 567 ms
Apr 18 13:34:46 Michael-Leungs-MacBook configd[37]: network configuration changed.
Apr 18 13:34:48 Michael-Leungs-MacBook configd[37]: Sleep: Success - AC 98 - Software Sleep
Apr 18 13:34:48 Michael-Leungs-MacBook configd[37]: Wake: Success - AC 98 - OHC1
Apr 18 13:34:48 Michael-Leungs-MacBook configd[37]: Hibernate Statistics
Apr 18 13:34:48 Michael-Leungs-MacBook PleaseSleep[288]: Wake notification received from the system
- Sleep by _turning on the application called 'PleaseSleep' based on the settings from 'Energy Saver'_:
Apr 18 13:37:22 Michael-Leungs-MacBook PleaseSleep[288]: Application is enabled
Apr 18 13:37:29 Michael-Leungs-MacBook System Preferences[1136]: * AGCAttach() failed
Apr 18 13:37:31 Michael-Leungs-MacBook [0x0-0x58058].com.apple.systempreferences[1136]: Couldn't find any matches.
Apr 18 13:38:23 Michael-Leungs-MacBook PleaseSleep[288]: Checking sleep conditions...
Apr 18 13:38:23 Michael-Leungs-MacBook PleaseSleep[288]: Going to sleep...
Apr 18 13:38:23 Michael-Leungs-MacBook loginwindow[25]: loginwindow SleepWakeCallback WILL sleep
Apr 18 13:38:23 Michael-Leungs-MacBook PleaseSleep[288]: Sleep notification received from the system
Apr 18 13:38:56 Michael-Leungs-MacBook loginwindow[25]: loginwindow SleepWakeCallback will power on, Currenttime:4/18/2010 1:38:56.042 PM - Waketime:4/18/2010 1:38:54.720 PM = Deltatime:1.321902931
Apr 18 13:38:56 Michael-Leungs-MacBook loginwindow[25]: handleUnlockResult, Currenttime:4/18/2010 1:38:56.571 PM - Waketime:4/18/2010 1:38:54.720 PM = Deltatime:1.850627959
Apr 18 13:38:56 Michael-Leungs-MacBook configd[37]: PMConnection AirPort configd plug-in com.apple.powermanagement.applicationresponse.slowresponse 707 ms
Apr 18 13:38:56 Michael-Leungs-MacBook configd[37]: bootpsessiontransmit: bpf_write(en0) failed: Network is down (50)
Apr 18 13:38:56 Michael-Leungs-MacBook configd[37]: DHCP en0: INIT transmit failed
Apr 18 13:38:56 Michael-Leungs-MacBook configd[37]: PMConnection IPConfiguration com.apple.powermanagement.applicationresponse.slowresponse 708 ms
Apr 18 13:38:56 Michael-Leungs-MacBook configd[37]: network configuration changed.
Apr 18 13:38:58 Michael-Leungs-MacBook configd[37]: Sleep: Success - AC 98 - Software Sleep
Apr 18 13:38:58 Michael-Leungs-MacBook configd[37]: Wake: Success - AC 98 - OHC1
Apr 18 13:38:58 Michael-Leungs-MacBook configd[37]: Hibernate Statistics
Apr 18 13:38:58 Michael-Leungs-MacBook PleaseSleep[288]: Wake notification received from the system
- If I disable 'PleaseSleep' and only depend on the non-working 'Energy Saver', nothing happens.
==========
Looking forward to your replies! Thanks in advance!

Found this discussion by googling "com.apple.systempreferencescouldn't find any matches"...
One month ago I bought a brand new Macbook Pro 13", and after a couple of weeks I realized it wasn't sleeping on its own when it should, per the system preferences. (I did sleep when I chose "Sleep" in the menus or closed it... It just wouldn't sleep on its own, while open.) What was extra frustrating was that it was intermittent... It would sleep on its own maybe 1/3 of the time, but other times it would NEVER go to sleep. I deleted PowerManagement.plist, reset the SMC, etc... No luck.
I took it to the "geniuses" at the Apple Store, and the guy took all of five minutes trying to diagnose the problem. When my MBP wouldn't sleep on its own, he promptly replaced it with a new one. That was nice, but I actually would have preferred that he diagnosed and fixed it. (I think the store was so swamped with people coming in for service that day that they were doing anything they could to close cases and get customers out of there ASAP.)
Now, sitting here with my 48-hour-old MBP, I still have the problem. The other one was so new that I had barely put anything on it yet. The only applications I had put on it were MS Office for Mac 2011, Firefox, Chrome, and Adobe Flash Player. I've put Office and Flash Player on this one, but not yet Firefox or Chrome. That's it. No other customization or fancy business.
I looked into the Console just now, and I see the "Couldn'tfind any matches" entry popping up again and again. The last three seemed to pop upright around the time when my MBP should have gone to sleep on its own, but not down to the second, so it's hard to definitively point at that and say it's it for sure.
They need to fix this!!

My icloud won't allow me to shut my system preference menu and is giving me an error message frostycup=1, Do I have a virus?!?

I really need HELP!!!....I'm trying to shut down my computer and i have icloud open in system preferences and it's giving me an error message frostycup=1 which won't let me shut down my computer (it doesn't allow it) Is this a virus? and can I deal with it or should I bring it in to apple??!?!

You might try force quitting system preferences. Press Option Command Escape, click on System Preferences in the pop-up, then click Force Quit. Then restart your Mac and see if the problem occurs again. If not, I wouldn't worry about it. I've only heard of this in relation to the iTunes store; it might be a glitch and you'll never see it again.

Why dosen't the system preferences work on my Mac?

is there any way I can fix it it won't pop up no more

Have you tried to open System Preferences from the Apple Menu?
Have you tried to open System Preferences from the Applications folder?

System Preferences-Network-Can't access

When I open Network I get a warning message "Nework setings have been changed by another appplication"
I cannot close the notice and therefore cannot read or change the settings. I usually keep the page locked, but notice it is unlocked.
I don"t know how long it has been like this.
Help!
Anthony342

Hi Anthony342, and a warm welcome to the forums!
To stop the pop-up, Go to System Preferences: Security. Check the box next to "Require password to unlock each secure system preference." Then lock Security.
Try this cure for Security update...
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1730909&tstart=0
The locations are actually...
/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/preferences.plist
/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.airport.preferences.plist
/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/NetworkInterfaces.plist
/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.nat.plist

I don't know my administrator's name in order to make changes in system preferences.

I cannot make any changes in system preferences because whatever 'administrator name' I put down will not work. The password is correct. What steps should I take?

Thank you so much for your help. I apparently had the wrong Admin username somehow, and found it by typing
dscl . -read /groups/admin GroupMembership | open -ef
into Terminal. A text box popped up with the root username.

Safari Issues: not allowing access to settings and system preferences

I posted this somewhere else, but think it was the wrong place so am reposting here
In the last couple of weeks, I have tried to reset my homepage in safari as it has somehow changed from what I have always had to the following apple page. http://www.apple.com/startpage/ I did not choose for this homepage, and am guessing someone else has clicked on something and by accident ( not me).
I have gone into the internet and network section of system preferences and get a drop down message that these have been changed from an outside source. I click on ok to get out of that section and it will not close off and have had to force quit to get out of it. This has happened two or three times.
I have also tried to access safari help to see if there is another way to change the homepage and although I am able to search and get results I cannot access the actual topic content.
I have never come across this issue before and have no idea of what may be happening. has apple hijacked my homepage?

Hi there,
To stop the pop-up, Go to System Preferences: Security. Check the box next to "Require password to unlock each secure system preference." Then lock Security.
Try this cure for Security update...
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1730909&tstart=0
Cure for Security update...
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1730909&tstart=0
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8309498#8309498
But Safari's Homepage setting is in Safari's Prefs...
Safari>Preferences>General>Home Page

System Preferences Pops Up

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