Resolved Blank System Prefs Window in 10.5?

[Huntn]

I'm assuming this is a software problem, but it could be a hardware issue. Recently I moved my G5 to a new location, hooked up a different monitor (flat screen) that I've used on other computers and started it up. Everything thing seems normal except when I pull up my System Prefs, I get a blank white window. Other finder windows and and applications appear to be normal. A quick search online pointed to this CNET link which pointed possibly to a RAM issue, but when I checked the Profiler it indicates the right amount of RAM installed.

Anyone heard of this? Any troubleshooting tips? Can some kind or repair be done with the OSX install disk? Apple Discussions is being updated this morning so no help there. Thanks!
-Dave

 

[Huntn]

Of interest (at least to me ) I found this Apple Discussions archived thread that involved having two monitors. Where it was said the problem arose when a two monitors G5 had one monitor disconnected (I assume with two video cards, not sure), but I do have two monitors and two cards in my G5, and when I reassembled the G5 I only connected one of the monitors. Later today when I have time I'm going to connect a second monitor and cross my fingers. If that is the fix, hopefully I can return the Systems Prefs settings to a single monitor setup and then disconnect the second monitor because I now have less space to play with.

https://discussions.apple.com/message/8403036?messageID=8403036

So far I have:
1. Ran DiskWarrior and built new directory- No Help.
2. Disk Utility- Repaired Permissions- no help
3. Home>Library>Preferences> Removed com.apple.systempreferences.plist- no help.

 

[MacForScience]

Of interest (at least to me ) I found this Apple Discussions archived thread that involved having two monitors. Where it was said the problem arose when a two monitors G5 had one monitor disconnected (I assume with two video cards, not sure), but I do have two monitors and two cards in my G5, and when I reassembled the G5 I only connected one of the monitors. Later today when I have time I'm going to connect a second monitor and cross my fingers. If that is the fix, hopefully I can return the Systems Prefs settings to a single monitor setup and then disconnect the second monitor because I now have less space to play with.

https://discussions.apple.com/message/8403036?messageID=8403036

So far I have:
1. Ran DiskWarrior and built new directory- No Help.
2. Disk Utility- Repaired Permissions- no help
3. Home>Library>Preferences> Removed com.apple.systempreferences.plist- no help.

Zap your PRAM.

Cheers

 

[Huntn]

Zap your PRAM.

Cheers

Thank you. I performed this no help.

The Solution: This is a hardware issue. If two video cards are installed on your Mac and you are using one monitor, try swapping it to the other card.

After reading about a dual monitor issue in an archived Apple Discussions thread, where the individual had two monitors, but then hooked up just one monitor to get the blank SysPref Window. His solution was to hook up the second monitor to resolve the issue. For right now I'm running a single monitor, I have two graphic cards installed on my G5 and apparently my Mac hardware cares which one is the primary card. When I switched my single monitor to the other card I regained my Systems Pref Window! I did not intentionally hook my monitor to my secondary card. Honestly I could not remember which one was the primary/secondary card.