# Old Mac OS 9.1 Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 18, 2008, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mac-os-9-1-question/445850 "2008-04-18T05:07:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2008, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mac-os-9-1-question/445850/1 "2008-04-18T05:07:36Z")
I’ve got a minor problem with an old Mac running OS 9.1. The “Recent Applications” and “Recent Documents” on the Apple menu don’t update. I posted about it some time ago in this thread: [Mac Question: Recent Documents Frozen](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=422235). I tried re-building the Desktop, as suggested, but that didn’t fix it. So then I tried checking the Apple Menu Options Control Panel, but I get this error message: > [@](#): > > There has been an error opening the preferences file. As a result Apple Menu Options can not launch. Does this error message help explain why I’m having a problem? any further suggestions for a fix? ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2008, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mac-os-9-1-question/445850/2 "2008-04-18T08:18:23Z")
The first thing I’d try is going into the System Folder\>Preferences and find the file “apple menu options prefs” and put it in the trash. Then restart your computer and see if you can open the control panel. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mac-os-9-1-question/445850/3 "2008-04-19T02:24:48Z")
If I do that, will it regenerate an “apple menu options prefs” file? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mac-os-9-1-question/445850/4 "2008-04-19T02:35:08Z")
Yes. If the Apple Menu Options control panel still won’t launch after you toss the prefs file, the next thing to try is to replace the control panel itself with a copy from your System CD. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mac-os-9-1-question/445850/5 "2008-04-19T05:05:23Z")
Let us know how it goes. There’s no harm in trashing a preference file. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mac-os-9-1-question/445850/6 "2008-04-19T06:10:16Z")
I vaguely recall that some applications and documents, e.g. Microsoft ones, never did show. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2008, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-mac-os-9-1-question/445850/7 "2008-04-19T17:34:57Z")
Tossing the preferences file did it! thanks for the suggestions, everyone.