System Preferences, the application for Mac OS X that allows you to modify various system settings. The application is organized into different preference panes.
2
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1answer
3k views
Mountain Lion, System Preferences and App Store crash, Clean Install doesn't help
Background - Mid-2010 MBP 13", upgraded to 8 GB memory. Came with Snow Leopard, Upgraded to Lion without clean install. Worked perfectly. Have CleanMyMac installed on it.
Problem - After upgrade to ...
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2answers
23 views
Why doesn't the screen saver delay that I set persist after restarting my Mac?
I have a problem with a screen saver, I set it to 20 minutes and when I lock the computer and unlock it, the settings are unchanged. However, when I restart my mac, then the screen saver is set to ...
0
votes
1answer
92 views
What Is Graphic Switching & Are There Reasons to Turn It Off?
I was tinkering about in the System Preferences of my Macbook Pro yesterday, when I came across "Automatic Graphic Switching" within the Energy Saver pane as exemplied below:
What exactly is ...
0
votes
1answer
94 views
Notification Centre “Tweet sent” bird whistle plays through iMac internal speakers instead of selected output device
Tweeting through Notification Centre share buttons plays "Tweet sent" bird whistle through my iMac's internal speakers. This only happened when I re-enabled the option to select internal speakers ...
0
votes
1answer
351 views
Unable to link Apple ID with User Account in Lion 10.7.3
I'm desperately trying to link my user account with my Apple ID. After entering my ID and password a yellow warning sign appears in System Preferences beside the Set Apple ID button and the console ...
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6answers
10k views
Is there a keyboard shortcut for launching Activity Monitor?
I can't seem to find a shortcut for launching the activity monitor. Does it have one?
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2answers
315 views
Applescript to change Wacom Driver settings
Can an Applescript change the primary monitor option within the Wacom Driver, and do it near instantly?
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0answers
80 views
iCloud can't find my MacBook
When I sign into icloud.com and click on the Find My iPhone icon, my MacBook does NOT show up in the located devices. I have already made sure that my location services are turned ON in System ...
0
votes
1answer
321 views
Toggle Natural scrolling from command line with reload
I'm looking to make a script that quickly toggles the Natural scrolling settings, so I need a way to do it from the command line.
I think I found the correct defaults command, but I'm not sure how to ...
2
votes
1answer
522 views
Trackpad Gestures - Three-finger swipe unresponsive until I use two-finger scroll (OS X Lion)
Sometime within the last week or so, I noticed this really weird glitch with my trackpad. I have always used the three-finger swipe to navigate forwards and backwards on web browsers, between tabs in ...
1
vote
0answers
17 views
Search Results Within System Preferences Not Highlighted
This is just a minor annoyance, but usually, when typing in the search field inside of System Preferences, the icons for matching search results receive kind of a glowing background or highlight. ...
2
votes
1answer
37 views
Spotlight Doesn't Properly Show Preference Panes
I'm having an issue where Spotlight isn't properly showing results for System Preference panels. When I search for a preference panel by name (e.g. Sharing or Network), I don't get any System ...
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0answers
57 views
How can I connect to the App Store again?
When i try to open xcode, It show me message like:you can't open the application "Xcode" because it is being updated.
When i try to update the xcode through App Store, It display the message like: ...
4
votes
1answer
144 views
Remove app from Location Services?
I've used App Cleaner which clears preference and associated files, but I can't clear it from Location Services permissions list in System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy.
Any idea how ...
1
vote
1answer
252 views
Audio Devices: Hardware Rate Converter
Audio MIDI Setup -> Audio Devices -> Built-in Input has four configurable audio parameters:
Sample Rate
Sample Size
Channel Volume
Hardware Rate Converter
The Hardware Rate Converter has three ...
2
votes
1answer
32 views
Can I exclude itunes from the Software Update feature in system preference?
I've reverted from 11 back to 10.7 three times by now because I keep forgetting to uncheck iTunes whenever it prompts me to install patches. I'd like to be able to tell the updater to skip over iTunes ...
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0answers
68 views
Desktop Background with multiple displays
I user a single external display at work with my MacBook Pro, running 10.8.2. I have the displays set up in extended desktop mode (as opposed to mirroring). I have the external monitor set as the main ...
0
votes
1answer
137 views
System Preferences lock always unlocks itself after restart
The Mac's System Preferences panels have a universal "lock" icon which, when locked, will apply to all panes, therefore preventing the user from changing any settings until they unlock the System ...
3
votes
1answer
512 views
Facebook notification sound in OSX: cannot switch off
In OSX Mountain Lion I'm getting beeps every time a facebook notification comes in. In System Preferences > Notifications > Facebook i have set my alert style to None. In the list on the left, the ...
0
votes
1answer
111 views
Remove an app from Notification Center preference pane
My girlfriend added Facebook to my Notification Center. I tried to set the alert style to none, and you can see the check mark to show items in Notification Center is deselected.
I want it ...
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0answers
235 views
iCloud Mail setting not saved in System Preferences on Mountain Lion
I'm having difficulty keeping a Mail setting in System Preferences (10.8.2) persistent.
I have an iCloud account that is the same as my AppleID - xxx@mac.com.
I don't want to use the xxx@mac.com as ...
3
votes
2answers
442 views
Why does this applescript not actually set the input volume to zero?
I have this command that builds a script to mute the input volume. The input volume is not fully muted, though. It seems to be closer to 10% than 0%.
osacompile -x -e 'tell application "System ...
8
votes
2answers
694 views
Can user accounts be managed via the command line?
Is there any way to add, remove, or modify user accounts via the command line? I'm not talking about an account for a system process or daemon, I mean is there any way to add a user account, change, ...
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vote
2answers
82 views
How can I remove remnant processes from deleted preference panes?
I discovered in Activity Monitor that I have several leftover processes running in the background that shouldn't be there anymore. I deleted these preference panes long ago with an application that ...
0
votes
0answers
109 views
How Do I Access/Change OSX System Preferences Using SSH?
I currently have SSH enabled on my 2011 Mac Mini Lion Server. I want to be able to use a VNC Viewer to connect to it as well from my Windows 7 client. I've downloaded the RealVNC VNC Viewer and ...
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vote
0answers
66 views
Can Teleport set up be automated?
I've got two macs and I only use one keyboard and mouse thanks to teleport, the problem is that I have to activate it every time I turn my computer on. Would it be possible to do it automatically?
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0answers
21 views
Get rid of little circles on Teleport
I've installed Teleport in order to use two macs with one keyboard and mouse, but when I change of screen there apper some little red circles like a trail of the mouse. Is it possible to get rid of ...
2
votes
1answer
234 views
Where does OS X store mouse preferences?
I couldn't figure out where the settings I change with the "Mouse" system preferences are stored. Neither plist ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple..plist nor /Library/Preferences/com.apple..plist changes ...
0
votes
1answer
45 views
Why are the network connections in the Network System Preference panel mislabeled?
Here is a screenshot of a problem I am having. The wireless connection is mis-labled as Ethernet and my wired connection is mis-labeled as Wi-Fi.
...
1
vote
1answer
43 views
How do I verify the integrity of my OSX installation? (Files, versions, and preferences)
I want to verify the files, and configuration settings for my OSX installation against a known good reference "base".
Assuming I have two identical Macs (hardware), with one being factory installed ...
2
votes
1answer
522 views
How to change account name and full name to one, consistent name?
I have created an administrator account on a Mac OSX 10.5.8. At first, the user name and account name were called "kaleb". However, I later changed the name (is this account or user?) via System ...
1
vote
0answers
88 views
Desktop background folder selections not persisting
Upgraded to Mountain Lion a few weeks ago, didn't have the problem. A few days ago I replaced the hard drive with a SSD and did a clean install of Mountain Lion then manually moved my background ...
5
votes
1answer
2k views
Disable screensaver password requirement from command line
I am trying to enable and disable the screensaver password requirement from the command line.
defaults read com.apple.screensaver
shows a variable askForPassword set to either 0 or 1, depending on ...
1
vote
2answers
2k views
Choosing the default application does not stay as default after reboot
When I'm opening .avi files, I want to open them with VLC Media player, when right clicking the item, I see this:
As you can see QuickTime is the default player, I want to change it to VLC, so I ...
2
votes
1answer
127 views
Unable to remove login item from Users & Groups startup list
I have an item in my "Login Items" list (System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Items) that refuses to be removed. When highlighted, the minus button grays out. The "hide" toggle is ...
2
votes
1answer
108 views
Why do some applications in System Preferences say “To use the “xxx” preferences pane, System Preferences must quit and reopen.”
When I open my MIDI driver in System Preferences I get the following message:
"To use the “YAMAHA USB-MIDI Control Panel” preferences pane, System Preferences must quit and reopen."
Then when I ...
3
votes
1answer
178 views
AppleScript/Automator Workflow to restore OS X to “mint” condition
Under Mountain Lion, I wanted to create an AppleScript that would essentially restore my OS X install to "mint" condition, if possible even to the point of showing you the ML welcome screen asking you ...
3
votes
5answers
332 views
icon for iTunes 10.7/music missing from System Preferences in Snow Leopard
My music/iTunes icon:
is present in the Dock
has gone from some panes of System Preferences.
This first screenshot is from the Spotlight pane, the icon is expected to the left of Music:
The ...
1
vote
1answer
112 views
Repair Permissions messed up network preferences
I ran repair permissions a few days ago, because other accounts on my computer couldn't open system preferences (this problem persists, but I don't care about it very much). What does bother me, ...
2
votes
1answer
333 views
Time Machine - Is it backing up system files, preferences, etc?
Problem
My iMac is one which falls under a hard disk replacement program due to a possibly faulty disk made by Seagate in 2010. Because of that I will be soon sending it off to Apple for the disk to ...
1
vote
0answers
38 views
Keyboard shortcut to change the behavior of function keys?
Is there a shortcut for toggling the behavior of the function keys between standard and the media functions printed on them?
I know I can do this in the Preferences, but it would be great to achieve ...
1
vote
1answer
19 views
can you set an application to come to the desktop you are on osx
I know that you can lock an application to a certain desktop, and if you select that application(either through the dock or command+tab), then OSX will change your desktop to the one where the ...
1
vote
1answer
58 views
Can I configure Accessbility settings using Terminal instead of Preferences Panel
I have a problem with my MacBookPro, the left click button on (any) mouse doesnt work and the trackpad doesnt respond to any clicks, so the only thing that works properly is the keyboard and Mouse ...
2
votes
3answers
3k views
Where are System Preferences settings stored? Trying to script equal brightness settings for two monitors
I was wondering if anyone know where the System Preferences settings are stored on Mac OS X Lion? I presume there's some .plist with them somewhere.
I think that they might be stored in multiple ...
1
vote
0answers
238 views
Time/Clock in menu bar is always wrong, System Preferences crashes after upgrading to 10.8
Since upgrading to 10.8 the time displayed in the menu bar is always incorrect. Sometimes by minutes, or hours, other times it just displayes the same time (eg 3:13) for several days without changing. ...
1
vote
1answer
68 views
Automatically executing actions according to the current location
I would like to have in my MacBook Pro a functionality which execute automatically some actions according to my current location. This actions could be for example
Change the default printer
Change ...
1
vote
0answers
549 views
Found bizarre signed exceptions under com.apple.alf.plist
In the never-ending quest to track down odd errors on my late 2008 MBP, running 10.6.8, I have recently noticed that I have several .plist files are created anew several times a day. The list varies, ...
2
votes
1answer
250 views
How can I find out how much toner is left in my printer, which is connected to an Airport Express via USB?
My Samsung ML-2850D printer is connected via USB to an Airport Express. I print to it from my Mac over WiFi. I want to check how much toner is left, so I know if I need to purchase a new cartridge ...
0
votes
1answer
290 views
files locked in public folder when sharing via file sharing
i share files with a friend from his macbook to my mac mini over my wireless connection.
i set my public folder as a shared folder & turned on file sharing in my system prefs.
my friend can copy ...
1
vote
3answers
865 views
Internet Sharing won't show under Share settings on OS X Server 10.6.8
I need to use the Mac Mini Server running 10.6.8 as an access point for my team at the office.
When I go under System Preferences>Sharing there's no Internet Sharing Option.
What to do?
