Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Run that command again to delete the plist, then reboot, then start Safari.

Starting with Yosemite there is a feature that will replace deleted plists with a backup copy unless you reboot, so I suspect that plist just got replaced by the backup version since you did not reboot.

Yes. My bad. I amended the previous instructions.
 
Yes. My bad. I amended the previous instructions.
I think it may have even been in Mavericks. From what I understand it keeps a cached version of the plist in memory, so even if you delete the plist from the drive, the cached version will replace it unless you reboot. There is a Terminal command also that will flush the cached plists from memory, but I can't remember what the heck it is. :)

Edit: Found it here.
 
I re-entered the line in Terminal, closed Safari, and restarted the machine. Opened Safari, still gray space for URL and none of the sites auto logged in, had to install Flash Player, and extra tabs for Ghostery and Adblock appeared - have taken no other actions.

edit - just noticed there are several "Failed to open webpage" tabs - I did not have any others opened before shutting down.
 
Last edited:
There is a Terminal command also that will flush the cached plists from memory, but I can't remember what the heck it is. :)

Edit: Found it here.

Thanks man. Very interesting :)
[doublepost=1464022584][/doublepost]
I re-entered the line in Terminal, closed Safari, and restarted the machine. Opened Safari, still gray space for URL and none of the sites auto logged in, had to install Flash Player, and extra tabs for Ghostery and Adblock appeared - have taken no other actions.

edit - just noticed there are several "Failed to open webpage" tabs - I did not have any others opened before shutting down.

I am stumped :(

I turned on/set private browsing as an experiment. Ran that command. Got to the new Safari welcome screen, and the private browsing was turned off and set back to the default.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Weaselboy
Yes - 10.11.5. Do you have a time machine back-up by chance?
[doublepost=1464023143][/doublepost]Maybe remove the plugins and see. I don't have them - so I am only speculating.
 
.....
edit - is there a way to post screenshots?
Upload option.png
 
Now when I open a new tab, I get a reading list (that I want to delete, but don't know how) and a list of 'favorites' that are old. I had it set to show Top Sites, but that has now changed - perhaps due to your line entered via Terminal?
 
Yes. The preferences were reset. Is the black/grey bar still there?

Now when I open a new tab, I get a reading list (that I want to delete, but don't know how)

You can go to the Safari Preferences and change those back to the way you like.
 
For example: If you choose 'New Tab opens with Favourites' and then open a new tab you will see the Favourites.
Up on the right hand side next to the star is the top-sites button.
If you press that you will see the top-sites.
If you go back to the Safari preferences you will now see Top- sites as an option.
Weird stuff to me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 997440
Well - I am truly out of ideas now!

Did the option

Safari => Preferences => Safari opens with

appear at all?
 
The fact that you are opening in Private Browsing is the reason that your passwords are not populating automatically.
At least we have got that much out of it.

I have no idea how you are missing the Safari opens with option.
Here is what I am on about:
Screen Shot 2016-05-23 at 18.48.03.png
Could be one of the Safari Extensions you have installed - i don't know.

Check the plugins also:
Screen Shot 2016-05-23 at 18.52.28.png

Maybe download the entire El Capitan from the Appstore and install it. It will (hopefully) rectify your issue.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.