# System Preferences - Network   Problem



## Sulumor (Feb 25, 2009)

I have recently switched from PC's only to a MacBook Pro, and am experiencing a problem I have no idea how to resolve.

I am unable to access/change network settings as each time I click 'Network' on the system preferences tab a pop up box appears containing the error message "Your network settings have been changed by another application". Clicking OK merely brings up the same message again. If I try to shut down i have to use 'Force Quit' to close the system settings tab and if I reboot or shut down and restart the computer the message reappears as soon as I try to enter Network Settings on the system preference tab.

Any help/advice would be much appreciated

Thank you for reading what is probably a stupid question


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## gsahli (Feb 25, 2009)

This problem is caused by Security Update 2008-06.
Go to Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration and drag NetworkInterfaces.plist and preferences.plist to the desktop (& to the trash after you're sure this works).
Restart the Mac. Now try Network prefs.
You should set up a new "Location" after this.

One person reported that didn't work. He then tried this and it worked:
go to Security preferences, and enable the option "Require password to unlock each secure system preference".


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## simbalala (Feb 25, 2009)

The solution above did not work for me. What does work is creating a new user account (non admin) and making the change within that account. When you request the change you'll be prompted for an admin password to authenticate but at least you'll be rid of the stupid endless loop.

This was the idea of someone in the Apple forums. Inconvenient but it works.


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## gsahli (Feb 25, 2009)

Simbalala,
What you have done is troubleshoot your particular case to be a pref file in the [your_user_name]/Library/Preferences folder.
I'd guess the bad file will be com.apple.systempreferences.plist, but it could be some other com.apple.xxx file (like com.apple.systemuiserver.plist).

Good luck.


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## simbalala (Feb 26, 2009)

gsahli said:


> Simbalala,
> What you have done is troubleshoot your particular case to be a pref file in the [your_user_name]/Library/Preferences folder.
> I'd guess the bad file will be com.apple.systempreferences.plist, but it could be some other com.apple.xxx file (like com.apple.systemuiserver.plist).
> 
> Good luck.


There's a long thread in the Apple forums about this issue. Lots of people trashed their prefs file(s) only to have the problem return. I didn't feel like resetting all my prefs for Network and I don't use the setting very often so having the work-around suits me just fine.

Hopefully Apple will fix the problem soon with an update.


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## gsahli (Feb 26, 2009)

Looks like the fixes (3-4 different ones that mostly result in pref files being recreated) worked for everyone who tried.
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1920756&tstart=0
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1730909&tstart=0


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## simbalala (Feb 26, 2009)

gsahli said:


> Looks like the fixes (3-4 different ones that mostly result in pref files being recreated) worked for everyone who tried.
> http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1920756&tstart=0
> http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1730909&tstart=0



Well, I'll give this... You're persistent in wanting to make a point.

But... guess what? 

That solution doesn't work, the problem remains.

The first threads over there popped up months ago.

Update: Well, I decided give it another shot and get brutal with it.

sudo mv com.apple.airport.preferences.plist ~/desktop
sudo mv com.apple.nat.plist ~/desktop
sudo mv NetworkInterfaces.plist ~/desktop
sudo mv preferences.plist ~/desktop

Then I accessed the Network prefs panel a few times and its options (it worked without problem) and checked to see which prefs were restored.

_com.apple.airport.preferences.plist_ was
_preferences.plist_ was

So I then did

sudo mv ~/desktop/com.apple.nat.plist ./
sudo mv ~/desktop/NetworkInterfaces.plist ./

to move back the two which hadn't been restored.

So far, so good.


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