com.apple.systempreferences.plist missing

Hey y'all, I could really use some help here. New the forums, not sure where to post -- hope this is okay.

I've been having some serious System Preferences issues, probably due to something that I did on accident. A couple of the panes give the message

"To use the _____ preferences pane, System Preferences must quit and reopen."

I've done lots and lots of searching, and apparently one of the best solutions is to delete the preferences .plist file and restart the computer. Only problem is, that file just isn't there! Any ideas on where it could be?

JediMeister said:

First, that message generally appears when you try to access an older, non-Apple, 32-bit preference pane. Until the 3rd party updates the preference pane to be 64-bit, nothing will prevent that message from appearing. Second, where are you looking for the preference list? In the system (/Library/Preferences) or user library (~/Library/Preferences) preferences?

Click to expand...

Hey JediMeister -- thanks for the response.

I've tried opening Preferences in both 32-bit and 64-bit mode with no luck. I've checked in both system (/Library/Preferences) and user library (~/Library/Preferences). The .plist file just isn't there. Restarting doesn't bring it back either. I'm just about at my wit's end here -- unfortunately I cannot find the DVDs to do a fresh OS install either, so that's out of the question.

Pretty lengthy, but here goes:

Last login: Thu Jan 17 06:18:37 on console
Alexandria-Krausss-MacBook-Pro:~ colinweaver$ ls -l ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.*.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 131 Nov 16 03:52 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.ATS.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 881 Jan 14 03:59 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.ActivityMonitor.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 128 Jan 17 03:44 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.AddressBook.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 139 Nov 16 03:00 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.BezelServices.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 119 Jan 17 06:18 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.CalendarAgent.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 1565 Dec 14 01:50 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Chess.SandboxedPersistentURLs.LSSharedFileList.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 1095 Jan 2 22:09 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Console.LSSharedFileList.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 388 Jan 2 22:14 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Console.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 104 Nov 16 03:00 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.CoreGraphics.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 115 Jan 16 02:21 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.DirectoryUtility.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 185 Jan 8 01:57 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.DiskUtility.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 337 Nov 16 03:00 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.FontRegistry.user.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 1089 Jan 16 21:06 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.LaunchServices.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 119 Jan 14 05:58 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.MassStorageCamera.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 298 Jan 14 23:53 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.PhotoBooth.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 13688 Jan 15 01:38 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Preview.LSSharedFileList.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 2357 Jan 15 01:39 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Preview.SandboxedPersistentURLs.LSSharedFileList.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 153 Dec 10 20:30 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.ProblemReporter.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 73 Nov 16 03:03 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.PubSubAgent.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 12529 Jan 13 21:17 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.QuickTimePlayerX.LSSharedFileList.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 118 Jan 9 02:24 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.QuickTimePlayerX.SandboxedPersistentURLs.LSSharedFileList.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 2493 Jan 11 16:42 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Safari.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 10763 Jan 17 06:20 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.ServicesMenu.Services.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 107 Nov 16 03:00 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.SetupAssistant.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 173 Jan 16 20:59 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.SystemProfiler.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 15436 Jan 16 21:04 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Terminal.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 14806 Jan 16 21:02 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.TextEdit.LSSharedFileList.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 118 Jan 16 21:02 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.TextEdit.SandboxedPersistentURLs.LSSharedFileList.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 200 Jan 16 00:07 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.appstore.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 182 Jan 16 21:00 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.archiveutility.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 186 Dec 14 01:53 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.conference.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 112 Nov 20 13:01 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.dashboard.client.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 1239 Jan 1 16:56 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.desktop.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 4789 Jan 17 06:18 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.dock.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 287 Nov 16 03:00 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.driver.AppleBluetoothMultitouch.mouse.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 781 Dec 17 01:32 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.driver.AppleBluetoothMultitouch.trackpad.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 199 Nov 16 03:00 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.driver.AppleHIDMouse.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 5819 Jan 17 06:18 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.facetime.bag.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 19272 Jan 17 06:18 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 244 Jan 16 04:01 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.frameworks.diskimages.diuiagent.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 250 Dec 14 01:58 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.gamed.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 14258 Jan 13 19:45 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.garageband.LSSharedFileList.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 114325 Jan 13 19:44 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.garageband.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 638 Jan 11 03:00 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.help.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 80 Nov 16 04:02 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.helpd.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 954 Jan 14 23:51 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iApps.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 766 Jan 17 06:15 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iChat.AIM.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 96 Nov 21 23:50 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iChat.Jabber.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 118 Nov 21 23:48 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iChat.LSSharedFileList.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 190 Nov 21 23:47 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iChat.StatusMessages.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 96 Nov 21 23:50 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iChat.Yahoo.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 22130 Jan 17 06:14 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iChat.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 4845 Dec 4 23:59 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iMovieApp.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 118 Nov 18 21:23 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iPhoto.LSSharedFileList.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 10048 Jan 15 04:13 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iPhoto.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 475 Jan 8 18:40 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iPod.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 14702 Nov 21 21:39 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iTunes.eq.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 126343 Jan 17 06:16 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iTunes.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 139 Jan 3 23:53 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.imagent.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 985 Nov 21 23:51 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.imessage.bag.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 96 Nov 21 23:50 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.imservice.FaceTime.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 185 Nov 21 23:52 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.imservice.iMessage.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 465 Dec 3 01:28 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.internetconfigpriv.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 25219 Jan 17 06:14 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.logic.pro.LSSharedFileList.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 162287 Jan 17 06:14 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.logic.pro.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 764 Jan 11 16:44 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginitems.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 165 Jan 17 06:16 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 138 Jan 10 15:26 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.quicklookconfig.plist
-rw-r--r--@ 1 colinweaver staff 13753 Nov 16 03:03 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.quicktime.plugin.preferences.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 23118 Jan 17 06:19 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.recentitems.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 326 Nov 16 02:42 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.scheduler.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 225 Jan 15 04:13 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.security.pboxd.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 7575 Nov 16 03:52 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.sidebarlists.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 421 Jan 17 06:19 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.spaces.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 162 Nov 16 15:52 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.speech.recognition.AppleSpeechRecognition.prefs.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 191 Nov 16 15:51 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.speech.recognition.feedback.prefs.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 163 Jan 16 00:07 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.storeagent.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 282 Nov 16 03:00 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.symbolichotkeys.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 42 Jan 8 18:40 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.syncserver.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 828 Jan 17 06:19 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 146 Dec 10 02:55 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systemuiserver.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 358 Nov 16 14:33 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.ubd.plist
-rw------- 1 colinweaver staff 422 Jan 17 06:18 /Users/colinweaver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.universalaccess.plist

I can see it there. But for whatever reason, it's not showing up in the folder.