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Safari preferences will not open even in safe mode

Running safari 11.0.1 and High Sierra 10.13.6


I can open preferences on all accounts except my main (admin) one. I opened a new admin account and can run preferences from there. I can't run it from main profile even in safe mode. I've deleted everything I can figure from the library regarding safari (plist etc). I'm leaning towards just rebuilding my admin account to a different profile....


I've tried everything I can come up with, including most of the info here: https://appletoolbox.com/safari-problems-after-upgrade-how-to-fix/


and here:


https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203538



Any help???

Posted on Oct 19, 2019 3:37 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Nov 3, 2019 6:48 AM

Solved!


In going back to where I had overlooked the obvious, I used finder to search for Safari hoping to find wayward files. It turns out that the safari app had been duplicated outside the applications folder and that the safari dock link in the admin account pointed to the duplicated safari rather than the one in the app folder.


All of the other accounts had the dock link point back to the original application folder safari. Once I deleted the duplicate safari in the admin account and removed it from the dock, then restarted safari from the applications folder and added that back to the dock everything is working again.....


It was around the time of an update to either the OS or safari that this started, so that must have been the trigger for the problem.... The application had been duplicated long before that though (for reasons that I don't understand or remember...)


Thanks so much for all of the work helping me to figure this out, definitely not something that I think anyone else could have anticipated.....



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9 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Nov 3, 2019 6:48 AM in response to els70

Solved!


In going back to where I had overlooked the obvious, I used finder to search for Safari hoping to find wayward files. It turns out that the safari app had been duplicated outside the applications folder and that the safari dock link in the admin account pointed to the duplicated safari rather than the one in the app folder.


All of the other accounts had the dock link point back to the original application folder safari. Once I deleted the duplicate safari in the admin account and removed it from the dock, then restarted safari from the applications folder and added that back to the dock everything is working again.....


It was around the time of an update to either the OS or safari that this started, so that must have been the trigger for the problem.... The application had been duplicated long before that though (for reasons that I don't understand or remember...)


Thanks so much for all of the work helping me to figure this out, definitely not something that I think anyone else could have anticipated.....



Oct 19, 2019 6:51 PM in response to els70

Try running this program in your normal user account, then copy and paste the output in a reply. The program was created by etresoft, a frequent contributor.  Please use copy and paste as screen shots can be hard to read. Click “Share Report” button in the toolbar, select “Copy Report” and then paste into a reply. This will show what is running on your computer. No personal information is shown. If the log won’t post, try posting it in Pastebin and provide a link in a reply        Pastebin


Etrecheck – System Information    10.10 and later

Nov 2, 2019 5:53 PM in response to Eric Root

Sorry that I left you hanging on this, especially with the prompt and very helpful replies. I had initial hope as there were 3 programs loading, iTunes helper, fitbit connect, and the i-drive program that I had previously deleted. Unfortunately this didn't work either. I'm frustrated as I'm usually fairly savvy and your advice (Eric Root) has been great. I'll chalk it up to a computer ghost and rebuild the admin account unless you (or anyone!) has any better advice. Thanks!

Safari preferences will not open even in safe mode

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