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Check here to make sure you have all the Preference Panes loaded and none are missing:
Macintosh HD/System/Library/PreferencePanes
You very likely have a corrupt or missing Preference Pane entry. And there really isn't any way to recover it except to try downloading and installing the Mojave 10.14.5 combined download from here. Hopefully that will restore/replace any missing or corrupt Preference Pane.
Macintosh HD/System/Library/PreferencePanes
You very likely have a corrupt or missing Preference Pane entry. And there really isn't any way to recover it except to try downloading and installing the Mojave 10.14.5 combined download from here. Hopefully that will restore/replace any missing or corrupt Preference Pane.
Usually with a problem where something doesn't load, the first thing to try is deleting the relevant plist file. This is the list of instructions that tells the app what to do, remembers settings etc.
When you delete the plist file, the OS makes a new one and usually that sorts out the problem.
The one you should search for is
systempreference.plist
Library is hidden by default but if you go to the Finder and then hold down the 'option' key then you'll find it will appear in the 'Go' menu.
When you delete the plist file, the OS makes a new one and usually that sorts out the problem.
The one you should search for is
systempreference.plist
Library is hidden by default but if you go to the Finder and then hold down the 'option' key then you'll find it will appear in the 'Go' menu.
Here's what I'd try:
No promises, but worth a try.
First, verify that your "Appearance" preference pane exists by checking here:
/System/Library/Preference Panes
Yes, I realize you are checking for "Appearance" instead of "General", but I believe that's what it's named in the folder specified.
Also, the "/" is "the top level" of the files on your boot drive as shown in the finder.
Assuming that "it's there" (it should be), just close this window and proceed to the next step:
Go to:
home/Library/Preferences
Locate the file named:
com.apple.preference.general.plist
... and move it to the trash, BUT...
DO NOT EMPTY THE TRASH YET.
Now -- important -- shut down (all the way off)
Wait a few seconds and press the power-on button and reboot.
Get to the finder.
NOW empty the trash.
Try going to System Preferences.
Will the "General" pref pane open now...?
Why you need to reboot:
If the "general.plist" was corrupted, we wanted to move it from the place the OS "looks for it", then create a new, "clean" plist after the reboot. Then you can get rid of the old file.
No promises, but worth a try.
First, verify that your "Appearance" preference pane exists by checking here:
/System/Library/Preference Panes
Yes, I realize you are checking for "Appearance" instead of "General", but I believe that's what it's named in the folder specified.
Also, the "/" is "the top level" of the files on your boot drive as shown in the finder.
Assuming that "it's there" (it should be), just close this window and proceed to the next step:
Go to:
home/Library/Preferences
Locate the file named:
com.apple.preference.general.plist
... and move it to the trash, BUT...
DO NOT EMPTY THE TRASH YET.
Now -- important -- shut down (all the way off)
Wait a few seconds and press the power-on button and reboot.
Get to the finder.
NOW empty the trash.
Try going to System Preferences.
Will the "General" pref pane open now...?
Why you need to reboot:
If the "general.plist" was corrupted, we wanted to move it from the place the OS "looks for it", then create a new, "clean" plist after the reboot. Then you can get rid of the old file.