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Thread ID: 111312 2010-07-22 02:04:00 OSX Tiger - Unable to resize dock or add anything to it Morgenmuffel (187) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1121256 2010-07-22 02:04:00 Hi all

OX 10.4.11

After my 4th windows machine died in less than 6 months i am using an old emac.

However i am currently unable to add anything to the dock, or resize the dock, this is in an administrator account that i am using.

in system preferences - dashboard & expose, Screensaver, and Dock are all greyed out.

Can't work out why, also can't work out where i unlock these options
Morgenmuffel (187)
1121257 2010-07-22 03:34:00 From the sounds of it that is not an administrator account, are you sure it is an administrator account? nedkelly (9059)
1121258 2010-07-22 04:17:00 Nope it is definitely an administrator account Morgenmuffel (187)
1121259 2010-07-22 04:34:00 Options to freeze the dock etc are available.
Check to see if Tinker tool is installed and has those options selected..
Sue (33)
1121260 2010-07-22 04:49:00 If nothing works you can hack your way in. This method sometimes works for blocked prefs.
1. copy system preferences to desktop
2. Right click show package contents
3. Go: contents/resources/
4. Delete: NSPrefPaneGroups.xml
5. Open the copied system prefs
6. The icons should be gone
7. Type dock into the menu bar and hit enter
8. If it loads see if the prefs are unblocked

If not try this: Not I am not responsible for any loss of data using this method;

Go to: Macintosh HD/Library/PreferencePanes/
Copy dock.prefpane to your desktop
Delete dock.prefpane from from: Macintosh HD/Library/PreferencePanes/
Double click on the dock file you copied to your desktop and it should install the dock pref
icow (15313)
1121261 2010-07-22 04:52:00 Can't find anything called tinker, this is an ex school mac

I did try creating a new admin account, but it has the exact same issue
Morgenmuffel (187)
1121262 2010-07-22 05:01:00 Can't find anything called tinker, this is an ex school mac

I did try creating a new admin account, but it has the exact same issue

If it's ex-school it'll be locked down completely, try my methods if they don't work you'll need to reinstall Tiger. Schools netboot .img files on most of their computers. The images have custom versions of Tiger designed to prevent access to system prefs even on admin accounts.
icow (15313)
1121263 2010-07-22 05:02:00 Try enabling ROOT user: docs.info.apple.com icow (15313)
1121264 2010-07-22 05:10:00 Agreed with icow, either reimage or try root nedkelly (9059)
1121265 2010-07-22 05:16:00 I used your first method and was able to resize the dock, however it appears I need to keep the hacked system preference available if I ever want to resize the dock again as the normal system prefs still has those bits greyed out.

as for method 2. there is no dock.prefpane in that location
Morgenmuffel (187)
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