System Preferences won't open?

[tomkacey]

System preferences won't open

I am running an iMac with OS X 10.5.8. System preferences will not open from Finder. There is no System Preferences icon in the dock. I have no other computers connected to the iMac. Any insights re: how to get System Preferences to open would be much appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Onamsha]

System Preferences won't open

My System Preferences won't open from the dock, nor from the Apple menu. After reading some of your posts, it looked like I could quit System Preferences and relaunch. But I couldn't quit it -- I did control/click on the dock and got the drop down menu and clicked <Quit>, but it wouldn't. I tried to force-quit and it wouldn't. I put it into Spotlight which I often use to open an application, but it wouldn't open. HELP!!!! Oh, one of the times, I got the dialogue box that said "The application system preferences.app can't be opened. -600" I'm working on a MacBook Pro and have an external monitor, and now the monitor isn't working. It's on, but it's got a dark screen. Thanks for your ideas.

 

[Fishrrman]

RE post above:
[[ My System Preferences won't open from the dock, nor from the Apple menu. After reading some of your posts, it looked like I could quit System Preferences and relaunch ]]

Some thoughts....

Shut down the computer, and then reboot.
(If it won't shut down by itself, FORCE it to shutdown by holding the power button in until it does.)

When you get to the Finder, go here:
home folder/library/preferences

Locate the file:
com.apple.systempreferences.plist
... and put it in the trash.

Now, empty the trash.

Next, try to open System Preferences.

Does this change anything?

 

[Emerald!Sans]

Newb question here. I can't get system preferences to open. I can click on it but nothing happens. Anybody know what my problem is? Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

try pressing command+m (minimizing the window) then clicking the system prefences icon next to the trash.

 

[robbes]

RE post above:
[[ My System Preferences won't open from the dock, nor from the Apple menu. After reading some of your posts, it looked like I could quit System Preferences and relaunch ]]

Some thoughts....

Shut down the computer, and then reboot.
(If it won't shut down by itself, FORCE it to shutdown by holding the power button in until it does.)

When you get to the Finder, go here:
home folder/library/preferences

Locate the file:
com.apple.systempreferences.plist
... and put it in the trash.

Now, empty the trash.

Next, try to open System Preferences.

Does this change anything?

[doublepost=1543750147][/doublepost]

RE post above:
[[ My System Preferences won't open from the dock, nor from the Apple menu. After reading some of your posts, it looked like I could quit System Preferences and relaunch ]]

Some thoughts....

Shut down the computer, and then reboot.
(If it won't shut down by itself, FORCE it to shutdown by holding the power button in until it does.)

When you get to the Finder, go here:
home folder/library/preferences

Locate the file:
com.apple.systempreferences.plist
... and put it in the trash.

Now, empty the trash.

Next, try to open System Preferences.

Does this change anything?

RE post above:
[[ My System Preferences won't open from the dock, nor from the Apple menu. After reading some of your posts, it looked like I could quit System Preferences and relaunch ]]

Some thoughts....

Shut down the computer, and then reboot.
(If it won't shut down by itself, FORCE it to shutdown by holding the power button in until it does.)

When you get to the Finder, go here:
home folder/library/preferences

Locate the file:
com.apple.systempreferences.plist
... and put it in the trash.

Now, empty the trash.

Next, try to open System Preferences.

Does this change anything?

Yes it did. That did the trick. Problem solved. Good suggestion. Thank you