I have come across a number of clients who get this message if they open Network Preferences:
“Your network settings have been changed by another application”
They click the OK button and it just keeps coming back immediately, effectively locking them out of the preference pane. It has cropped up for a lot of people, as is evidenced by threads like this one: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1715241&tstart=30 and there were a host of workarounds to try when I last tried to fix this issue. However, the most effective solution then was to do an “archive and install” of the whole OS X operating system because you can only play detective so long on someone else’s time and money.
However, when it works, the best solution I have come across is a one-click fix:
Go to the Security preference pane, and check the check-box next to “Require password to unlock each System Preferences pane”. That’s it.
I suspect it stops whatever is taking over using that extra layer of security. Which would be ironic as the consensus seems to be that it is an Apple Security Update that causes the issue.
If this works for you, please let me know!
I didn’t even realize I had this problem, until you pointed it out. In any case, your quick fix worked like a charm. Thanks!!!
Crumbs. I’ve never been that clever before. Trouble with this gotcha is that you don’t know you’ve got the problem until you need to change your network settings in order to connect.
It worked a treat. Thank you for a simple fix and one much less daunting than the other solutions to a very frustrating problem. Bolly
Thanks so much, quick and simple
Wow! It worked! Amazing! Thank you!
How in the world did you figure this one out. problem solved! thanks
The answer is buried deep in the thread referenced in the post. Part of the purpose of this blog is for me to note gotchas and solutions so I don’t have to trawl through threads on a client’s time.
I work at a ITS HelpDesk at my univeristy. My boss was at lunch and the mac guy was out of the office today. I needed to get the mac address to register a woman’s laptop and I was pulling my hair out until I found this thread! Worked like a charm!
Yes, thank you. It worked.
Its been driving me nuts. Thanks for the solution, only how you figured out it worked – heaven knows.. Thanks!
thank you, thank you, thank you!
it worked for me…thx
THANKS! It worked on a laptop one of my clients brought in for me to check out. It was on System 10.4.11
I checked my own desktop machine and I had the same problem and didn’t realize it! I had no reason to change my settings so I hadn’t noticed. Your solution was quick and made me look like a Genius. Speculation from our Mac guy here thought it was a virus and left me holding the bag because he had to go somewhere.
Really appreciate you sharing the solution.
Works perfectly, thanks! I thought I’d been attacked by the Boingo client, even though I’d uninstalled it a while back, until I found this…
Oh man this was driving me NUTS. Thanks for this extremely effective and simple fix!
Ditto! it worked. Strange because this problem suddenly came out of nowhere. Thanks for the fix.
Worked great. Thanks very much.
Hi Now it seems to have migrated to my address book. Says you do not have read and write permissions for this application. Not sure if its related. Wont let me change preferences or where it does access is denied to address book. May be missing something.
it worked.a genious simple solution! thanks.
Hey thanks for that! Got me out of a scrape – This problem suddenly appeared after I installed the latest huge Windows-like software update/patch on my mac.
Just to say thank you for the tip on the system preferences bug, it’s a huge relief not to see that popup anymore….
thanks for that – i have been going insane!!!!
I had this issue with my pbg4 12inch 10.4.11 for a while now. Thank you for the tip. Your web post should of been in the top three for “your network settings have been changed by another application” solutions! I ways look at first three then bottom three in google search!!!
OMG! After surfing numerous threads and trying numerous quick-fixes, yours actually WORKED!
Genius!
IT worked!
THANKS!
Thanks very much!
it worked….
It worked! thanks!
Thanks it worked.
Worked like a treat. Thanks!
Thanks so much. It worked for me too!
And it worked for me as well. Thank goodness someone knows what they’re talking about. Cheers!
Thank you very much – it worked! It’s been driving me crazy.
Hi All,
I had this same problem recently and just found a way to fix it so I thought I’d post it here.
Go to Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration and delete the following (suggest make copies to the desktop first if in doubt):
com.apple.airport.preferences.plist
NetworkInterfaces.plist
preferences.plist
com.apple.nat.plist
All these files will regenerate as necessary when the associated system features are accessed. If you’re using Airport or Internet Sharing you’ll have to reestablish the appropriate settings, because these will have been lost when the preferences files are removed. Small price to pay, however for a permanent, and very simple solution to this irritating problem.
Found this too:
Open “System Preferences” and go to “Security”.
Tick off “Require password to unlock each secure system preference”.
Now click “show all” at the top. I had to quit “System Preferences” to make the change take effect.
Open “System Preferences” again and choose “Network”. (You will probably get the annoying pop up once, but this time when you click “OK” it shouldn’t loop).
Notice that the padlock in the bottom left corner is now locked. Click it to unlock, and enter your password (assuming you are the administrator).
Now click back on the show all button. The Mac will think you made a change and ask if you want to ” Apply configuration changes” click “Apply”.
Once it saves the changes your problem should be fixed. You can go back to the “Security” pane and untick the option you enabled earlier.
Just to say I haven’t had the chance to test the more involved fix in the comment above… Please only use if you are happy to edit your system files, and make sure you know what your wifi/network and internet settings are before attempting it.
Thanks SO much for that!…it worked!…it’s been driving me crazy for ages and no one knew how to fix it!
Thanks again!
alan picton
It workds, brilliant!