[heyumac]

OK,

Running 10.3.9 on a Tangerine iBook (clamshell). Running standard installed software, but installed NortonAV, Outlook Express under OS9 and Netscape. Shortly after doing a recent "security" update all but 2 Preference panels (aside from Nortons' 2 panels) disappeared. The only 2 panes available are Users and Appearance.

The iBook was purchased from a University and upgraded by them to 10.3.9, so, no discs or documentation is available. It was also set up with 1 account (besides root) and auto login.

When I try to access the System Preference Panels from an application or Help I get the following error after System Preferences launches.

[You cannot install "<<insert name>>" preference pane because it already exists. The "<<insert name>>" preference pane is included with OSX and cannot be replace]

Any suggestion will be appreciated. Tanks!

[Cadaver]

Try creating a new user (if you can) and see if the problem persists.

Oh, and dump Norton. That's half the problem right there.

[msuper69]

First off, the university should have provided you with the disks for 10.3. Without them, you are going to be hard pressed if your problem ends up requiring an OS reinstall, which I think it might.

Who knows what kind of condition that Mac is in considering where you bought it? The previous owner might have been a complete dolt and the OS could be so FUBAR an install from scratch might be the way to go. That way you'd know what kind of software installation you'd be dealing with.

You should get Tiger and wipe the disk and start over. (Back up anything that you want to save first!) I don't think troubleshooting a university Mac (or PC God forbid!) is worth the time or effort.

[I was David B.]

Sounds like a bug.

I had this problem too. Last week the Universal Access pane disappeared. It could not be started manually, permissions of the file were alright. Without reboot, one day later, it was back. No Norton and no software that had not been there for months.

Also 10.3.9.

[Mr. Blur]

when this happens try deleting the file com.apple.preferencepanes.cache from your home/library/caches folder - that usually fixes the problem.

[heyumac]

Thanks so far.

Cadaver - tried the new user and no luck as the Appearance and Account Panes are still the only ones. I uninstalled Norton AV before you replied.

msuper69 - I agree, as big as the university is, they should have all the docs and original discs filed away. I guess I should have stated that the 10.3 install was done after it was purchased (got 10.4 to install and after several calls to Apple discovered that there are only 2 models of the iBook it won't install on and this is one of them).

I was... - Thanks for the insight, it may come in handy later.

Mr. Blur - Thanks, prompted me to do some further investigation.

Update:
- booted into single user ran fsck -fy and found the following: Checking Catalog file. Invalid catalog record type.
- ls'd System/Library/PreferencePanes only the two panes are listed.

[Big Mac]

[...]

[Big Mac]

You need to reinstall 10.3 if you want the system functional. I would in fact start all over with an erase and install so that at least you know you're starting fresh. How much did you pay for a tangerine iBook anyway? (I hope you didn't spend much.)

[heyumac]

Actually, paid a decent price for it. About $240. Upgraded memory and had to get a new battery. It was purchased used thru a university.

Anyway, I was hoping to not have to do an install.