Where and how are system preferences stored?

[macmesser]

A recent app demo seems to have messed with my system preferences. Output options have changed and apparently a standard system component that was previously recognized no longer appears as a selectable option in the relevant preferences. Does system preferences use a hardware profile to determine what can be configured? If so, can it be regenerated?

 

[KALLT]

Can you tell us what is missing?

Sytem Preferences stores settings in multiple ways and not everything can be restored easily. Some things are stored in [~]/Library/Preferences, others in configuration files or databases.

 

[macmesser]

Thanks for reply. Sound preferences lost "internal speakers" output option. I thought some system file must have been uninstalled with the app. After restart the option appears again. Seems to be OK now.

 

[KALLT]

Did you have any sound drivers installed? Kernel extensions can cause such things.

 

[macmesser]

Logmein remote sound driver, and I think Boom 2 had one.