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desktop background
#39648 03/25/16 02:22 PM
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jaybass Offline OP
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OS 10.6.8 I don't know if this is the fight place for my problem. I tried to change the desktop background but the selections are no longer there. It's been a couple of years since I looked at them. How do I get them back anyone? jaybass


Last edited by jaybass; 03/25/16 02:23 PM.

OS 13.6.4 iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2017, 3.4 GHz Intel Core i5, 24 GB RAM, 2400 MHz DDR4. SuperDuper. 1 TB Lacie HD
Re: desktop background
jaybass #39650 03/25/16 03:19 PM
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Does OS X Yosemite: Desktop preferences help? AFAIK, the procedure works for Snow Leopard as well.


Jon

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Re: desktop background
jaybass #39651 03/25/16 03:43 PM
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Originally Posted By: jaybass
OS 10.6.8 ... I tried to change the desktop background but the selections are no longer there.

What exactly isn't there?!
Under System Preferences > Personal, is nothing under Desktop & Screen Saver?
Or under System Preferences > Personal > Desktop & Screen Saver, is nothing there?
Or in the latter there's nothing listed under Apple (eg, Desktop Pictures or Solid Colors) or Folders?

To save a little time: Use Spotlight or EasyFind to search for Desktop Pictures. If the folder shows up, then you've obviously got them; if not, then you've likely deleted it for some reason.

(I'm using Lion, but I think Snow Leopard should be similar if not the same.)

Re: desktop background
grelber #39652 03/25/16 04:52 PM
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There is no Desktop & Screen Saver icon in System Prefs. I wouldn't have knowingly deleted it. I do have HD>Library>Desktop Pictures and they are all there I assume (30) but how can I restore them to System Prefs...or can I? Failing that, how can I change the desktop background from the above location? Would a custom re-install be possible? jaybass


OS 13.6.4 iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2017, 3.4 GHz Intel Core i5, 24 GB RAM, 2400 MHz DDR4. SuperDuper. 1 TB Lacie HD
Re: desktop background
jaybass #39653 03/25/16 05:19 PM
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A custom reinstall might be possible if you use Pacifist to extract what you want. However, it might be simpler to use the 10.6 DVD to reinstall the system. You won't lose anything and the only downside is that you'll have to run Software Update to get anything that you might have missed from the installer. It's also possible (and probably easier) to download and install the Combo 10.6.8 updater. That might very well solve your problem.



Jon

macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
Re: desktop background
jaybass #39654 03/25/16 06:04 PM
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Aha. Somehow you deselected Desktop & Screen Saver (to be shown when you open System Preferences), but you've still got it.

Easy solution:
Open System Preferences. Then go to View and select Customize ... .
You can then select what you want to see under System Preferences. Just check the appropriate boxes (of what you want to see when you open System Preferences) and click Done.
Voilà! Back in business.

Re: desktop background
grelber #39656 03/25/16 09:50 PM
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Ah, if only your suggestion were that simple. When I open SP, there is no Customize under View. Thanks for your response. jaybass


OS 13.6.4 iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2017, 3.4 GHz Intel Core i5, 24 GB RAM, 2400 MHz DDR4. SuperDuper. 1 TB Lacie HD
Re: desktop background
jchuzi #39657 03/25/16 09:56 PM
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Jon, I have Pacifist, but I cannot find a way to drag that particular item into the window. I couldn't find such a file anywhere. That Combo 10.6.8 updater, would any of my apps be affected? Can you enlarge on that update? jaybass


OS 13.6.4 iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2017, 3.4 GHz Intel Core i5, 24 GB RAM, 2400 MHz DDR4. SuperDuper. 1 TB Lacie HD
Re: desktop background
jaybass #39658 03/25/16 10:28 PM
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If you go the Pacifist route you'll have to reinstall System Prefs in its entirety; you should be able to navigate through the Pacifist hierarchy and find it, or you can search for it. (You can't drag & drop with Pacifist, so select "Install".)

Edit: I don't think it will change any of your prefs.

The 10.6.8 Combo shouldn't affect any apps other than by re-updating pre-installed Apple apps, and reinstalling it is a standard troubleshooting technique.

Last edited by artie505; 03/25/16 11:44 PM. Reason: More

The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: desktop background
jaybass #39659 03/25/16 10:30 PM
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Originally Posted By: jaybass
Ah, if only your suggestion were that simple. When I open SP, there is no Customize under View. Thanks for your response. jaybass

Must be new...post-Snowy, which is why I was unaware of it until grelber mentioned it.


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: desktop background
jaybass #39660 03/25/16 10:45 PM
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I wonder if it's coincidental or because you're running a legacy OS...Snowy, but this thread is unusual in that we don't get a hell of a lot of "classic" troubleshooting questions around here these days.


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: desktop background
jaybass #39661 03/25/16 11:02 PM
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I have a Snow Leopard partition. There is no "customize" under View, but there is a "show all" option. But when you click on View, there should be a drop down menu showing all the available panes. If the pane is missing and you want to do a search, the actual name of the preference pane is: DesktopScreenEffectsPref.prefPane

Maybe it was accidentally dragged out of the folder somehow?


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Re: desktop background
jaybass #39663 03/25/16 11:56 PM
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Originally Posted By: jaybass
Jon, I have Pacifist, but I cannot find a way to drag that particular item into the window. I couldn't find such a file anywhere. That Combo 10.6.8 updater, would any of my apps be affected? Can you enlarge on that update? jaybass
As Artie said.


Jon

macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
Re: desktop background
jaybass #39664 03/26/16 12:01 AM
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Originally Posted By: jaybass
Ah, if only your suggestion were that simple. When I open SP, there is no Customize under View. Thanks for your response. jaybass


OK. Try this as another possibility — it works in Lion and might also be available in Snow Leopard; the Missing Manual describes it as a "super-top-secret trick":

Open System Preferences. There should be a button labeled Show All. Clicking on it should show all preferences chosen. If you hold the Show All button down, a pop-up menu appears which has the command Customize at the bottom.

Re: desktop background
jaybass #39665 03/26/16 12:02 AM
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Edit: Updated in post #39675.

Last edited by artie505; 03/26/16 06:10 AM.

The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: desktop background
artie505 #39666 03/26/16 12:05 AM
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jaybass Offline OP
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Okay, lets use pacifist and reinstall System Prefs in it's entirety...after opening Pacifist, where do I go from there? jaybass


OS 13.6.4 iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2017, 3.4 GHz Intel Core i5, 24 GB RAM, 2400 MHz DDR4. SuperDuper. 1 TB Lacie HD
Re: desktop background
grelber #39667 03/26/16 12:06 AM
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Originally Posted By: grelber
OK. Try this as another possibility — it works in Lion and might also be available in Snow Leopard; the Missing Manual describes it as a "super-top-secret trick":

Open System Preferences. There should be a button labeled Show All. Clicking on it should show all preferences chosen. If you hold the Show All button down, a pop-up menu appears which has the command Customize at the bottom.

No go... "Customize" takes you to the same pane as View > Customize.


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: desktop background
artie505 #39669 03/26/16 12:13 AM
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Originally Posted By: artie505
Originally Posted By: grelber
OK. Try this as another possibility — it works in Lion and might also be available in Snow Leopard; the Missing Manual describes it as a "super-top-secret trick":
Open System Preferences. There should be a button labeled Show All. Clicking on it should show all preferences chosen. If you hold the Show All button down, a pop-up menu appears which has the command Customize at the bottom.

No go... "Customize" takes you to the same pane as View > Customize.

Too bad. So much for the easy fix. Maybe that's why they changed those bits in Lion. Customizing System Preferences is fast and slick.

Re: desktop background
jaybass #39670 03/26/16 12:17 AM
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Originally Posted By: jaybass
Okay, lets use pacifist and reinstall System Prefs in it's entirety...after opening Pacifist, where do I go from there? jaybass

Working from memory here, but I'll dig out my install disc if necessary...

The easiest way is to search (Edit: for System Preferences.app), but you may see many options because of languages, so you've got to be certain to select the"top level" option.

Working through the hierarchy can be hit or miss, but it's easy to see where you are, because it's the same file hierarchy you see on your screen, so you can just keep hitting disclosure triangles until you get to where you're going...

System Prefs will be in either the (I think this is correct.) "Base System" or "Essentials" (Edit: section of your install disc), so just hit (Edit: top level) disclosure triangles until you see "Applications", and then hit the next triangle until you see "System Preferences".

Select it and hit the "Install" button at top left, authenticate when asked, and the rest should happen automatically.

If you run into a snag, post back and I'll dig out my disc to see who went wrong where.

Last edited by artie505; 03/26/16 08:42 AM.

The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: desktop background
grelber #39671 03/26/16 12:19 AM
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Originally Posted By: grelber
Customizing System Preferences is fast and slick.

I like the idea of being able to dispense with the many panes I don't use.

Score this one for Apple!

Thanks for the tip.


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: desktop background
jaybass #39673 03/26/16 01:43 AM
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Oops! I just realized that you probably ought to run the 10.6.8 Combo after you reinstall, because stuff may (is likely to?) have changed between the version of OS X on your install disc and 10.6.8.

Edit: Updated in post #39675.

Last edited by artie505; 03/26/16 06:09 AM.

The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: desktop background
jaybass #39674 03/26/16 02:10 AM
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Originally Posted By: jaybass
OS 10.6.8 I don't know if this is the fight place for my problem. I tried to change the desktop background but the selections are no longer there. It's been a couple of years since I looked at them. How do I get them back anyone? jaybass

And one final - I hope - thought... Have you tried control-clicking on your desktop to see if you're offered a "Change Desktop Background" option?

Last edited by artie505; 03/26/16 10:29 AM. Reason: Clarify

The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: desktop background
jaybass #39675 03/26/16 06:06 AM
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Originally Posted By: jaybass
Okay, lets use pacifist and reinstall System Prefs in it's entirety...after opening Pacifist, where do I go from there? jaybass

I wouldn't bother running the entire 10.6.8 Combo, because its effect on System Preferences is minimal.

Download the Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo v1.1 and open the .dmg in Pacifist.

I did the legwork and found that the highlighted item is the only entry in the entire package that affects System Prefs, so just select it, hit "Install", authenticate, and...voila!

Just to be sure that nothing gets overlooked, run Security Update 2013-004 (Snow Leopard) afterwards, and then Software update should offer you only the Mac App Store Update for OS X Snow Leopard if you haven't already installed it. (If it offers more, take it.)

Whew! I think that's finally it.

Last edited by artie505; 03/26/16 08:34 AM.

The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: desktop background
artie505 #39676 03/26/16 03:11 PM
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jaybass Offline OP
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After I install, I'm told that I have SP 5.2 and it is incompatible with my present OSX. Also, when I click on SP, nothing shows on my desktop. The icon in the dock has also disappeared. Which version of SP do I need? Also, after I clicked install, I didn't see "authenticate" which I guess woundn't show anyway. I backed up first so I can always restore what I had. jaybass




OS 13.6.4 iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2017, 3.4 GHz Intel Core i5, 24 GB RAM, 2400 MHz DDR4. SuperDuper. 1 TB Lacie HD
Re: desktop background
jaybass #39677 03/26/16 03:18 PM
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At this point, it may be best to bite the bullet and reinstall the entire OS from the DVD. Sometimes, the nuclear approach is faster and easier than trying to troubleshoot. At least, that's what I would do.


Jon

macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
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