13" MBP - System Prefs Freaking out my computer

[ddeadserious]

So I open my system preferences to change my background.

And it is beach-ball-of-death-ing obnoxiously, it's nearly impossible to change my background, and it's taking up 100%+ of my processor.

I've tried restarting, but I've seriously never had this issue on any of my Macs before.

Any ideas?

 

[ddeadserious]

The Screensavers prefpane makes it inoperable as well.

This is really strange.

 

[PolySciSurfer]

I've never had that happen before. Tell us everything you have plugged into your mac, and what programs are running?

 

[John89]

Have you tried doing all the usual shenanigans like repairing permissions etc?

 

[ddeadserious]

Nothing other than the Magsafe is plugged in. Have been up and running all day long with it.

2.26GHz, 4GB Mushkin RAM(been using it in my UMB for months), 320GB Seagate HD. No other issues at all with the way it runs.

I used Archive & Install when I put the 320 HD in(since it came from my Macbook) and all has been good.

No other prefpane causes this issue, and I was just running system preferences when I rebooted it, so there is no other program to interfere.

 

[ddeadserious]

Have you tried doing all the usual shenanigans like repairing permissions etc?

I just repaired permissions. What is the "etc"?

 

[jboyzh]

So I open my system preferences to change my background.

And it is beach-ball-of-death-ing obnoxiously, it's nearly impossible to change my background, and it's taking up 100%+ of my processor.

I've tried restarting, but I've seriously never had this issue on any of my Macs before.

Any ideas?

Works well here on the same model... I'd check preferences -> user/library/preferences/com.apple.finder -> backup and afterwards delete this file, will be rewritten new after restarting finder.
Or next go the cocktail/onyx/yasu repair route (little service apps, check macupdate.com or versiontracker.com).

 

[ddeadserious]

Right clicking an image in Firefox and hitting "Set as Desktop Background" works fine. Repairing permissions didn't help anything, although some quicktime preference pane stuff had differing permissions.

 

[bphillips]

It happens when you choose "Desktop and Screensaver" from Preferences?

 

[ddeadserious]

Works well here on the same model... Is it on the factory install? Have you transferred data from another mac with the assistant? I'd check preferences -> user/library/preferences/com.apple.finder -> backup and afterwards delete this file, will be rewritten new after restarting finder.
Or next go the cocktail/onyx/yasu repair route (little service apps, check macupdate.com or versiontracker.com).

Is something else not working as expected?

I'll try the Finder thing, but otherwise, everything else is working flawlessly. I used the factory restore disks to reinstall the OS. Didn't use migration assistant or anything since I did the archive and install.

 

[ddeadserious]

It happens when you choose "Desktop and Screensaver" from Preferences?

Yes, that or secondary clicking on the Desktop and hitting "Change Desktop Background". It all has to do with the Desktop and Screensaver prefpane. Any way I can just replace that?

 

[ddeadserious]

Wow, jboyzh, props to you.

The finder.plist thing appears to have worked, because it is all functioning as it should now.

Thanks so much!

 

[bphillips]

Go to:

Macintosh HD > System > Library > PreferencePanes

Then find the ScreenSaver.prefPane:

Click on it. It should open. If not, copy it to your desktop (or wherever).

Then, delete in from the PreferencePanes folder. Drag the copy into there.

If that STILL doesn't work, I'll upload my copy of "ScreenSaver.prefPane" to some fileshare site and you can just replace yours with mine.

 

[jboyzh]

I'll try the Finder thing, but otherwise, everything else is working flawlessly. I used the factory restore disks to reinstall the OS. Didn't use migration assistant or anything since I did the archive and install.

understood, did about the same here. Just to be sure: About this mac > More > Software shows Mac OS X 10.5.7 (9J3050) here. It's a different build than 10.5.7 from older machines.

Did you check your HD with disk utility when booting with the software restore disk before installation? Spinning wheel can occasionally occur if HD or file system has problems.

luck!

 

[jboyzh]

Wow, jboyzh, props to you.

The finder.plist thing appears to have worked, because it is all functioning as it should now.

Thanks so much!

...thanks hearing that, and you seem to really be deadserious, as your answers come in faster than I can follow the discussion

Enjoy!

 

[ddeadserious]

Alright well... The problem has resurfaced and the method used previously did not work.

My OS build is 9J3032...

Would someone mind uploading their prefpane for me? Thanks guys.


edit: Just grabbed the prefpane from my old MBP(running 10.5.7) and it didn't change anything... but I guess using one from another UMBP might work?

 

[ddeadserious]

I tried messing with the prefpane some more to no avail... Any ideas?

 

[Doebldodl]

Had the same problem after moving from my old MacBook to my new MBP. Found this post:

http://macosx.com/forums/mac-os-x-s...desktop-wallpaper-screen-saver-dont-work.html

Extracted and installed iLifeMediaBrowser from original MacBook Pro DVD using Pacifist, then ran Software Update, rebooted, problem solved.

 

[ddeadserious]

Had the same problem after moving from my old MacBook to my new MBP. Found this post:

http://macosx.com/forums/mac-os-x-s...desktop-wallpaper-screen-saver-dont-work.html

Extracted and installed iLifeMediaBrowser from original MacBook Pro DVD using Pacifist, then ran Software Update, rebooted, problem solved.

Thanks alot, I'll give that a shot when I get home

 

[ddeadserious]

Worked like a charm, thanks a lot.