Why does my system preferences section keep locking up?

[freaky]

Whenever I go to my system preferences section on my PowerBook it locks up after selecting an option. For example, if I click on User Accounts the pinwheel just loads and loads and never stops. I've tried restarting, disabled the airport, repaired disk permissions and nothing helped.

Does anybody have any ideas how to get this fixed??

EDIT: It just locks up when going to the Accounts icon.

 

[bobw]

Try removing the Preference plist;

com.apple.systempreferences.plist

drag to the desktop and restart and try.

 

[freaky]

Thanks for your reply. I tried what you suggested then restarted but unfortunately it's still locked up!!

 

[bobw]

Boot from the OS CD and try Repair Disk.

I would also log in as a different user if you have another account setup. Always a good idea to have one. If you can do this, and it doesn't freeze, then you have a damaged Preference file.

 

[freaky]

Can you tell me what i need to press to boot to a CD? I can't remember which key it is.

 

[bobw]

C key

 

[freaky]

I just tried repairing the disk then trying it out but it still didn't work. I then tried deleting the plist file again but still now working. I tried logging in as a different user and wasn't able to access the Accounts section there either.

 

[bobw]

If it happens logging in to a different user account, I would restore the system.

 

[freaky]

If I do that will I lose all my settings such as my email, wallpaper, dock custizations, etc.?

 

[bobw]

Use the Archive method and all your settings will be there.
Take a look at this Apple page for info on this;

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107120

 

[chevy]

This will help you when you Archive before Install http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107297

When performing an Archive and Install, you can select the Preserve Users and Network Settings option. If you do, this automatically preserves the users on the computer and keeps their home directories properly associated with them.

 

[freaky]

Thanks, the archive method did the trick!

 

[chevy]

Good to read that !