Problem with System Preferences.

[Jim1940]

Hi,

I'm having a problem with my late 2011 15" MacBook Pro running on 10.10.2 which I haven't been able to resolve. I've been a Mac user since 1992, but even with some experience, I cannot solve this problem which is detailed below. If I select System Preferences from the dock, it works fine, but if I elect it from the Apple Menu I get the attached screen shot. I have removed all languages from my Mac except English, and I've deleted the System Preferences plist but no joy. It only started
happening about two weeks ago, and I've not installed any new software except App updates and Security updates.

Has anyone any idea what could be wrong. I've used TechTool Pro 8 and run a full battery of tests but all files show no problems. Also Norton AntiVirus (part of Norton Internet Security for Mac v5) but again no problems are shown. If I boot from an external HD on 10.9.5 it's fine, but if I boot from an external HD to 10.10.2 the problem reoccurs. I don't use Time Machine, I use Carbon Copy Cloner to clone back-ups because they are bootable. Obviously, I've made two clones of my
MBP without realising the fault with System Preferences.

Addendum :Sorry couldn't attach a screen shot as it was too big, so changed my desktop to a plain colour.

Thanks in anticipation,

So

Jim
England,UK.

 

[Cory Cooper]

Since it is only happening in a single application, then it is probably a corrupted preference file.

Try deleting the following:

1, Hold Option key and select Go > Library from the menu bar
2. Delete any files starting with com.apple.systempreferences in the following folders within Library:

Preferences
Preferences > ByHost

3. Restart and see if the issue is resolved.
4. If not, try creating another user and see if the issue persists.

-How did you remove the other languages - manually or with an app like Monolingual?

C

 

[Jim1940]

Since it is only happening in a single application, then it is probably a corrupted preference file.

Try deleting the following:

1, Hold Option key and select Go > Library from the menu bar
2. Delete any files starting with com.apple.systempreferences in the following folders within Library:

Preferences
Preferences > ByHost

3. Restart and see if the issue is resolved.
4. If not, try creating another user and see if the issue persists.

-How did you remove the other languages - manually or with an app like Monolingual?

C

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. I've tried deleting all the files starting with com.apple.systempreferences but no change. I removed all the language files manually.

However, I'm pleased to say I've resolved the issue by using an external HD with a cloned copy made with Carbon Copy Cloner 4. I've been using CCC since it was a free app.

Luckily, I clone my 15" MacBook Pro at least weekly to two separate external HD's, one is USB 3, the other a Firewire 800. I booted from the Firewire external HD and cloned it to my MBP's internal HD and luckily for me the cloned copy was made before the offending file(s) became corrupt. I've been running it for three or four hours now and all seems back to normal.

Thanks again for your prompt reply, most grateful.

Kind regards,

Jim
England,UK.