To check your User (Home) Preferences:
sudo plutil ~/Library/Preferences/*.plist

(sudo plutil -s ~/Library/Preferences/*.plist to suppress 'okay' messages)


To check your Root Preferences:
sudo plutil /Library/Preferences/*.plist

To check your User (Home) Preferences:
sudo plutil ~/Library/preferences/*.plist


To check your Root Preferences:
sudo plutil /Library/preferences/*.plist

Check for what?

For syntax, mainly. There are sometimes corrupt .plist files in your Preferences folder. I've changed the original post of the HOWTO for one syntax error (that wasn't irony on Satcomers part, I guess? ;)) and added the -s option line.

You shouldn't need to run as root to check your own prefs, should you? (i.e. no need for 'sudo' in the first case).

Cool tip though - there's always stuff I didn't know about turning up in this crazy little OS. Anyone heard of the 'sips' command? Cool stuff, like a lightweight imagemagick, and the syntax doesn't even make you want to barf (unlike imagemagick in that respect)

There's freeware apps that basically do the same thing. I'm at work, and I can't remember the name of the one I use. Nice and simple-to-use app for those who don't care to use Terminal.

.....does that. http://www.macosxcocktail.com/index.html