Ticket Options
Question Profile
| DATE | Jan 20, 2008 |
| TICKET | #335720 |
| STATUS | Closed |
| SUBJECT | Can't startup System preferences |
| CAT | Computers, Operating Systems, Applications or Connected Devices |
| TYPE | Operating System Features, Bugs and Problems |
| DESC | Apple |
| DESC | 10.4.X (Tiger) |
| PLATFORM | Apple Macintosh (PowerPC G3,G4,G5) |
| MODEL | Powerbook G4 |
| PROC | 1.67 |
| RAM | 2 gb |
| DRIVE | 80 |
| NAME | Mario |
| USERNAME | Marrio Debaene |
| TECHNICAL | Lots of Experience |
| ISSUE | Need Advice |
Question Details
TICKET ARCHIVE -> Can't startup System preferences
Marrio Debaene - Jan 20, 2008 - 4:10 am
Sir,
Can't startup System preferences in tiger from the applemenu, I downgraded from leopard to tiger, I can open System preferences from the app folder, and I see in the 'recent app' menu the icon from the Leopard system preferences, so it has something to do with aliasing. how can I solve this problem?
TIA
Mario
Can't startup System preferences in tiger from the applemenu, I downgraded from leopard to tiger, I can open System preferences from the app folder, and I see in the 'recent app' menu the icon from the Leopard system preferences, so it has something to do with aliasing. how can I solve this problem?
TIA
Mario
earthsaver - Jan 20, 2008 - 9:25 am
After running Software Update into the ground, did you repair permissions?
- Ben
- Ben
Marrio Debaene - Jan 20, 2008 - 9:42 am
Yes I did
earthsaver - Jan 20, 2008 - 10:23 am
I don't know where that data is stored.
Cheryl - Jan 20, 2008 - 6:00 pm
Mario,
When you downgraded from Leopard to Tiger, what kind of install did you do? It is important that you select Archive and install so that all the Leopard files are put in the previous system folder.
Click twice on the hard drive icon and see if you have a previous system folder. If you do, drag it to the trash. Restart the computer and see if things improve.
Cheryl
When you downgraded from Leopard to Tiger, what kind of install did you do? It is important that you select Archive and install so that all the Leopard files are put in the previous system folder.
Click twice on the hard drive icon and see if you have a previous system folder. If you do, drag it to the trash. Restart the computer and see if things improve.
Cheryl
Marrio Debaene - Jan 21, 2008 - 3:37 am
yes I did a 'Archive and install' and i see the previous system , i didn't trash it yes because there are still a lot of files in the users folder in that 'previous system' folder
Cheryl - Jan 21, 2008 - 7:52 am
Mario,
If you did an Archive install, there should not be any user file in the previous system folder. All that should be there is the old system folder and old Library folder that use to sit on the hard drive and works with the system folder. You may be confused with the folder named usr which is a system folder not the User/accounts folder.
Try this: Click twice on the hard drive icon on your desktop. You should have one folder of each - Applications, System (with a blue X on the folder), Library, opt, and Users.
Open System. You should have one folder in there named Library. Open that and check to see that you have one folder of each.
Now go to Home>Library>Preference Panes. This is for any preferences of a system program that you installed. Normally this would be an empty folder. Is there anything in the folder?
Finally, open a window (you can go to the Go Menu and select Home). Now in the Search box that is at the far right in the title bar, type in recent app.
In a bit, Spot Light should show you if there are any files with that name. Clicking on it once will show you at the bottom of the window where it is located. Open a new finder window and follow the path to that file.
Does Spotlight find the file and if so, where is it sitting?
Cheryl
If you did an Archive install, there should not be any user file in the previous system folder. All that should be there is the old system folder and old Library folder that use to sit on the hard drive and works with the system folder. You may be confused with the folder named usr which is a system folder not the User/accounts folder.
Try this: Click twice on the hard drive icon on your desktop. You should have one folder of each - Applications, System (with a blue X on the folder), Library, opt, and Users.
Open System. You should have one folder in there named Library. Open that and check to see that you have one folder of each.
Now go to Home>Library>Preference Panes. This is for any preferences of a system program that you installed. Normally this would be an empty folder. Is there anything in the folder?
Finally, open a window (you can go to the Go Menu and select Home). Now in the Search box that is at the far right in the title bar, type in recent app.
In a bit, Spot Light should show you if there are any files with that name. Clicking on it once will show you at the bottom of the window where it is located. Open a new finder window and follow the path to that file.
Does Spotlight find the file and if so, where is it sitting?
Cheryl
Marrio Debaene - Jan 21, 2008 - 10:01 am
Now go to Home>Library>Preference Panes. This is for any preferences of a system program that you installed. Normally this would be an empty folder. Is there anything in the folder?
this one is not empty there's a file Apple Qmaster.prefPane
no, spotlight didn't find a file with that name
Cheryl, you are damn quick
TIA
this one is not empty there's a file Apple Qmaster.prefPane
no, spotlight didn't find a file with that name
Cheryl, you are damn quick
TIA
Cheryl - Jan 21, 2008 - 11:51 am
Marrio,
Qmaster is a program that you have installed, so unless you have trashed it, that preference pane stays there.
Your problem could be that your home preferences saved things from the Leopard install. All you have to do is clear out those preferences. Don't worry - the preference files will regenerate new, fresh files.
Go to Home>Library>Preferences. Now go to the view menu and select by list. This will put all the files in alpha order making it easier to find specific files.
Locate and trash the following:
com.apple.dock.plist
com.apple.finder.plist
com.apple.recentitems.plist
com.apple.systempreferences.plist
Restart the computer, then empty the trash.
Now go to Utilities>Disk Utility and run Repair Permissions. Quit Disk Utility and give your dock a test out. Does System Preferences open?
One note - some of your preferences may be changed to default after deleting the preference files.
If System Preferences still does not open from the dock, drag that icon to the trash. You will see a poof of 'smoke'. Now go to Applications, locate System Preferences and drag the icon to the dock. The original System Preferences will stay in the Applications folder and you will get a new icon in the dock. Now try opening System Preferences from the dock.
Cheryl
Qmaster is a program that you have installed, so unless you have trashed it, that preference pane stays there.
Your problem could be that your home preferences saved things from the Leopard install. All you have to do is clear out those preferences. Don't worry - the preference files will regenerate new, fresh files.
Go to Home>Library>Preferences. Now go to the view menu and select by list. This will put all the files in alpha order making it easier to find specific files.
Locate and trash the following:
com.apple.dock.plist
com.apple.finder.plist
com.apple.recentitems.plist
com.apple.systempreferences.plist
Restart the computer, then empty the trash.
Now go to Utilities>Disk Utility and run Repair Permissions. Quit Disk Utility and give your dock a test out. Does System Preferences open?
One note - some of your preferences may be changed to default after deleting the preference files.
If System Preferences still does not open from the dock, drag that icon to the trash. You will see a poof of 'smoke'. Now go to Applications, locate System Preferences and drag the icon to the dock. The original System Preferences will stay in the Applications folder and you will get a new icon in the dock. Now try opening System Preferences from the dock.
Cheryl
Marrio Debaene - Jan 21, 2008 - 3:14 pm
Yes Cheryl that works, but thats a thing at first, still can't get acces to software update or system preferences through the apple menu.
Mario
Mario
Cheryl - Jan 21, 2008 - 5:48 pm
Mario,
I did some searching about the Apple Menu problem (I had to read many before finding exactly your problem). I found a couple of things that worked for others and one of them just might work for you.
1) Go to the Hard drive and click twice. Now drag the previous system folder in the trash. Restart the computer and give Apple Menu a try out.
You can empty the trash. Since it is the old Leopard, you are better off trashing it and installing any program that does not work correctly such as Stuffit Expander.
2) Go to System Preferences from the Dock and select Universal Access. Turn everything off. Sometimes it gets turned on by accident with one of the f keys. To turn off that function go to Keyboard & Mouse preference pane in system preferences>Keyboard Shortcuts and uncheck the Universal Access.
3) Rebuild LaunchServices. It repairs some types of icon corruption. To do this go to Utilities and open terminal and copy and paste the following in the Terminal window.
/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/LaunchServices.framework/Versions/A/Support/lsregister -kill -r -domain local -domain system -domain user
press return
Wait for Terminal to return to the command line like an answer.
Quit Terminal.
Let me know if any of these help.
Cheryl
I did some searching about the Apple Menu problem (I had to read many before finding exactly your problem). I found a couple of things that worked for others and one of them just might work for you.
1) Go to the Hard drive and click twice. Now drag the previous system folder in the trash. Restart the computer and give Apple Menu a try out.
You can empty the trash. Since it is the old Leopard, you are better off trashing it and installing any program that does not work correctly such as Stuffit Expander.
2) Go to System Preferences from the Dock and select Universal Access. Turn everything off. Sometimes it gets turned on by accident with one of the f keys. To turn off that function go to Keyboard & Mouse preference pane in system preferences>Keyboard Shortcuts and uncheck the Universal Access.
3) Rebuild LaunchServices. It repairs some types of icon corruption. To do this go to Utilities and open terminal and copy and paste the following in the Terminal window.
/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/LaunchServices.framework/Versions/A/Support/lsregister -kill -r -domain local -domain system -domain user
press return
Wait for Terminal to return to the command line like an answer.
Quit Terminal.
Let me know if any of these help.
Cheryl
Marrio Debaene - Jan 21, 2008 - 6:35 pm
Cheryl,
it works but you made a little mistake,
/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/LaunchServices.framework/Versions/A/Support/lsregister -kill -r -domain local -domain system -domain user
should be
/System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/\
Frameworks/LaunchServices.framework/Support/lsregister \
-kill -r -domain local -domain system -domain user
this works,
anyway you did a great job,
if you ever need a bussiness card, let me know (for free)
I'm a well known designer in belgium
+ 32 495 13 25 03 or mario.debaene@telet.be
it works but you made a little mistake,
/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/LaunchServices.framework/Versions/A/Support/lsregister -kill -r -domain local -domain system -domain user
should be
/System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/\
Frameworks/LaunchServices.framework/Support/lsregister \
-kill -r -domain local -domain system -domain user
this works,
anyway you did a great job,
if you ever need a bussiness card, let me know (for free)
I'm a well known designer in belgium
+ 32 495 13 25 03 or mario.debaene@telet.be
Cheryl - Jan 21, 2008 - 7:50 pm
Marrio,
Figures, I got it from Apple's web site. Good thing you caught that and I am glad that got things working correctly. I will close this ticket since your problem is solved.
Cheryl
P.S. I am a 4th grade teacher by day, so I really don't have a use for business cards.
Figures, I got it from Apple's web site. Good thing you caught that and I am glad that got things working correctly. I will close this ticket since your problem is solved.
Cheryl
P.S. I am a 4th grade teacher by day, so I really don't have a use for business cards.
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