Can't search within System Preferences

[topboost]

I'm not sure how this happened, but I discovered I can no longer search within System Preferences. Typically, I can search for "screen saver" and it would highlight the Desktop and Screensaver group for me, but now nothing shows up. Spotlight results show preference items, but nothing within the System Preferences menu.

On the guest account, everything works as it should, which leads me to believe it's a messed up plist file or something.

Do any of you know what may have caused this and how I can correct it?

 

[mad jew]

In the Spotlight pane of System Preferences, is System Preferences checked?

 

[topboost]

Yes, the System Preferences box is checked. Under the normal spotlight menu system preferences results appear.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

Yes, the System Preferences box is checked. Under the normal spotlight menu system preferences results appear.

That's your problem, then. System Preferences is excluded from search results. Uncheck that box.

 

[topboost]

That's your problem, then. System Preferences is excluded from search results. Uncheck that box.

It's my impression the checked box means System Preferences results are included. When I use spotlight anyways, they show up fine. They just don't work within the Systems Preferences application.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

It's my impression the checked box means System Preferences results are included. When I use spotlight anyways, they show up fine. They just don't work within the Systems Preferences application.

Oh, I thought you meant the exclusion dialog for Spotlight. Check there.

 

[dsgn]

I have the exact same problem. Just noticed it 2-3 days after being working with my new Macbook.

The System Prefs results do appear on the Spotlight search, so no problem with the excludes. It's just the search, directly into the System Prefs window, that doesn't work.

Thanks!

 

[bosmacs]

Had the same problem; resolved by removing my user's preference pane cache via the following terminal command:

rm ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.preferencepanes.*

It might suffice to just delete the .cache file, and you can of course navigate to the ~/Library/Caches folder with the Finder and delete them from there as well.