Ticket Options
Question Details
TICKET ARCHIVE -> System Preferences
hkmac - Apr 8, 2005 - 12:08 pm
I have a 17in Powerbook running Mac OS X 10.3.8.
I cannot access my System Preferences, I tried following the fix on the Apple Support Website (even though my build number is different than the one they reference, and my maching is an English Language machine).
Any ideas what I can do to get into my sys preferences?
Thanks
I cannot access my System Preferences, I tried following the fix on the Apple Support Website (even though my build number is different than the one they reference, and my maching is an English Language machine).
Any ideas what I can do to get into my sys preferences?
Thanks
bobw - Apr 8, 2005 - 12:19 pm
Hi Hans
I don't know what fix you did following Apple's web pages, but try trashing this file and restarting;
com.apple.systempreferences.plist
It's located here;
user>library>preferences
--------
Bobw - MacOSX.com Tech Support
bobw@macosx.com
I don't know what fix you did following Apple's web pages, but try trashing this file and restarting;
com.apple.systempreferences.plist
It's located here;
user>library>preferences
--------
Bobw - MacOSX.com Tech Support
bobw@macosx.com
bobw - Apr 8, 2005 - 12:20 pm
also;
/Users/yourusername/Library/Caches.
Delete the file com.apple.preferencepanes.cache
--------
Bobw - MacOSX.com Tech Support
bobw@macosx.com
hkmac - Apr 8, 2005 - 12:41 pm
Thanks Bob, did both and still no access to Sys Pref when I drop down the Blue Apple.
Any other ideas?
Thanks.
Any other ideas?
Thanks.
bobw - Apr 8, 2005 - 12:58 pm
Hans
drag this folder to your Desktop and restart;
ByHost - located here;
user>library>preferences
If this doesn't help, create a new user and log into that account and see if the System Preferences work and let me know.
--------
Bobw - MacOSX.com Tech Support
bobw@macosx.com
drag this folder to your Desktop and restart;
ByHost - located here;
user>library>preferences
If this doesn't help, create a new user and log into that account and see if the System Preferences work and let me know.
--------
Bobw - MacOSX.com Tech Support
bobw@macosx.com
hkmac - Apr 8, 2005 - 2:05 pm
Okay, that did not work.
How do I create a new user without the preferences?
Still new to Mac...
How do I create a new user without the preferences?
Still new to Mac...
bobw - Apr 8, 2005 - 2:23 pm
Hans
Got me there, my head was in a cloud
Let's see if repair the permissions and disk will help first.
Open Disk utility in your Utility folder. Use that to Repair permissions.
Once done, boot off the OS CD by holding the C key down. After it's booted and you have the installer window, go UP to the Installer Menu to Disk Utility and Repair Disk with that. Boot normally when done and try System preferences.
If thsi doesn't correct, you can create a new user using the Terminal application in your Utility folder following this;
======================================================
First you need to know the current users, and their user IDs. Open the terminal and type: (copy/paste all one line)
nireport / /users name uid | grep "5[0123456789][0123456789]"
This should report all users that are in the 500+ range for the user ID. User accounts generally start at 501, and work up, so look at the list returned, and pick the next available number to assign to the new user you are creating. You will use it in place of the uid 555 below.
You will only have one or two users listed.
The first line here will create the user, but then you need to assign it some properties. The user I am creating here has a shortname of "ftpuser". Feel free to substitute the shortname of your choice. Remember you can't reuse a shortname, so if there is already a user called "ftpuser", you need to pick something else. The home directory can really be anywhere, but we are using the standard location in this example. By assigning the /dev/null shell, we are preventing the user from logging in via SSH. The Mac OS X default shell is /bin/tcsh. There are other properties you can assign a user, but these are the basic ones that you should use.
sudo niutil -create / /users/ftpuser
sudo niutil -createprop / /users/ftpuser uid 555
sudo niutil -createprop / /users/ftpuser realname "FTP User"
sudo niutil -createprop / /users/ftpuser home "/Users/ftpuser"
sudo niutil -createprop / /users/ftpuser shell "/dev/null"
sudo niutil -createprop / /users/ftpuser gid 20
sudo niutil -createprop / /users/ftpuser passwd "*"
sudo passwd ftpuser
Then you will be prompted to enter the password you want to create for the new user.
The last step is to create the user's home directory. You could simply create the directory and give the user ownership of it, or use the lines below to copy the standard Mac OS X user template. This will create the standard set of directories and files for the new user.
sudo cp -R /System/Library/User\ Template/English.lproj /Users/ftpuser
sudo chown -R ftpuser:staff /Users/ftpuser
This is basically what happens when you use the Accounts Preference Pane to create an account.
After each copy/paste into Terminal, hit the Return key if necessary.
--------
Bobw - MacOSX.com Tech Support
bobw@macosx.com
Got me there, my head was in a cloud
Let's see if repair the permissions and disk will help first.
Open Disk utility in your Utility folder. Use that to Repair permissions.
Once done, boot off the OS CD by holding the C key down. After it's booted and you have the installer window, go UP to the Installer Menu to Disk Utility and Repair Disk with that. Boot normally when done and try System preferences.
If thsi doesn't correct, you can create a new user using the Terminal application in your Utility folder following this;
======================================================
First you need to know the current users, and their user IDs. Open the terminal and type: (copy/paste all one line)
nireport / /users name uid | grep "5[0123456789][0123456789]"
This should report all users that are in the 500+ range for the user ID. User accounts generally start at 501, and work up, so look at the list returned, and pick the next available number to assign to the new user you are creating. You will use it in place of the uid 555 below.
You will only have one or two users listed.
The first line here will create the user, but then you need to assign it some properties. The user I am creating here has a shortname of "ftpuser". Feel free to substitute the shortname of your choice. Remember you can't reuse a shortname, so if there is already a user called "ftpuser", you need to pick something else. The home directory can really be anywhere, but we are using the standard location in this example. By assigning the /dev/null shell, we are preventing the user from logging in via SSH. The Mac OS X default shell is /bin/tcsh. There are other properties you can assign a user, but these are the basic ones that you should use.
sudo niutil -create / /users/ftpuser
sudo niutil -createprop / /users/ftpuser uid 555
sudo niutil -createprop / /users/ftpuser realname "FTP User"
sudo niutil -createprop / /users/ftpuser home "/Users/ftpuser"
sudo niutil -createprop / /users/ftpuser shell "/dev/null"
sudo niutil -createprop / /users/ftpuser gid 20
sudo niutil -createprop / /users/ftpuser passwd "*"
sudo passwd ftpuser
Then you will be prompted to enter the password you want to create for the new user.
The last step is to create the user's home directory. You could simply create the directory and give the user ownership of it, or use the lines below to copy the standard Mac OS X user template. This will create the standard set of directories and files for the new user.
sudo cp -R /System/Library/User\ Template/English.lproj /Users/ftpuser
sudo chown -R ftpuser:staff /Users/ftpuser
This is basically what happens when you use the Accounts Preference Pane to create an account.
After each copy/paste into Terminal, hit the Return key if necessary.
--------
Bobw - MacOSX.com Tech Support
bobw@macosx.com
hkmac - Apr 8, 2005 - 8:04 pm
Well. I actually did an archive/install and it worked.
HOWEVER, I now have an issue with Safari...
It opens but does nothing. can't open a web site, can't type to even enter one. Weird, cause my bookmarks are there. My mail works.
Thoughts on this one?
Thanks in advance.
HOWEVER, I now have an issue with Safari...
It opens but does nothing. can't open a web site, can't type to even enter one. Weird, cause my bookmarks are there. My mail works.
Thoughts on this one?
Thanks in advance.
bobw - Apr 9, 2005 - 8:08 am
Hans
Trash the Safari preference;
com.apple.safari.plist
Here - user>library>preferences
Then get Yasu (free) and use that to clear System Cache, User cache, Browser cache, Download cache, Browser History.
You can download Yasu here;
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/21674
--------
Bobw - MacOSX.com Tech Support
bobw@macosx.com
Trash the Safari preference;
com.apple.safari.plist
Here - user>library>preferences
Then get Yasu (free) and use that to clear System Cache, User cache, Browser cache, Download cache, Browser History.
You can download Yasu here;
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/21674
--------
Bobw - MacOSX.com Tech Support
bobw@macosx.com
hkmac - Apr 9, 2005 - 11:14 am
Thanks Bob, I am all good now!
bobw - Apr 9, 2005 - 11:19 am
IF THIS IS YOUR QUESTION AND YOU WISH TO RESPOND, LOGIN HERE FIRST.
