system preference problem

I just purchased a Mac Book Air recently and tried to open system preferences. Nothing seems to happen. I tried from the dock as well as the top of the page under the apple.

I tried to reboot, but it won't let me reboot because system preferences is running. It does show system preferences at the top of the page, but everything under it it greyed out including 'close'.

I've googled, but can't find much. What do I do. I'm a PC person and am still learning MAC.

Thanks for any help.

ETA: I can't even drag it off the dock, or quit the application.

Is this a new MacBook Air or did you buy it used? Also, if System Preferences is running you can force quit it by pressing command, option, and escape all at the same time. If that doesn't work, post back.

Thanks. It's a brand new MacBook.

I did a forced close, removed system preferences from the dock and that seemed to to the trick. Thanks for your help.

gnpa said:

I did a forced close, removed system preferences from the dock and that seemed to to the trick.

Click to expand...

Was that towards the left side of the Dock? If so, that's just a shortcut to the application. Just because it appears there doesn't mean SP is running.