damaged system pref. file

[mrderisory]

Ok so i was attempting to change the icon of my system pref. the way I have in past OS. This was the first time I had attempted to do it in Snow Lep.

Well my method is make a copy duplicate of the system pref application change the icon delete the original remove the word copy from the new one and viola it works perfect.

However this time it did not work and now my system pref application will not open at all it says "it is damaged or incomplete"

How do i fix this? Without reformatting?

 

[-aggie-]

- Go to ~/Library/Preferences/
- Look for a ".plist" file named "com.apple.systempreferences.plist"
- Drag it to the desktop
- Try accessing your preferences again. Any better?

If it works, just trash the file you moved to the desktop.

Since that probably won’t work, make sure you have the same file name for system preferences as what was in Applications before.

Your final avenue to fix this is get Pacifist and reload system preferences from the Install DVD.

 

[mrderisory]

Aggie I was getting very upset, I wasn't sure I was going to be able to get this fixed.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! Unfortunately the first couple of methods did not produce a functioning System Preference, I had to resort to the final suggestion and it worked like a charm. You saved the day big time! I had no knowledge of a app called Pacifist or that it was even possible to extract individual files off the install disc. However, I followed your advice and now I have a working fully functioning System Preference app.

1000's internets to you my friend.