David Biddix
Level 1 (55 points)
Apple Music

Q: Security Update Causes Apps To Be Damaged

I installed the Security Update on my iMac at work and my MacBook Pro this morning (September 2, 2016). The MacBook Pro has had no problems, but the iMac is in trouble. It rebooted after installing the update and drops to the desktop, but it will not open applications, saying they are damaged or incomplete. The Finder is VERY slow, taking several seconds to open windows. Is there any way I can rebuild something to get my functionality back?

Posted on Sep 2, 2016 6:44 AM

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David Biddix

Q: Security Update Causes Apps To Be Damaged

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  • by David Biddix,

    David Biddix David Biddix Sep 2, 2016 6:50 AM in response to David Biddix
    Level 1 (55 points)
    Apple Music
    Sep 2, 2016 6:50 AM in response to David Biddix

    I'm scrolling through my Applications folder and ALL icons are generic now. I can't launch anything.

  • by CT,

    CT CT Sep 2, 2016 6:56 AM in response to David Biddix
    Level 6 (17,867 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 2, 2016 6:56 AM in response to David Biddix

    It could be that the system got corrupted somehow, or it could be that the disk got corrupted somehow, or it could even be that the disk is failing.  First order of business is to start in Recovery mode and verify the disk with Disk Utility.

  • by David Biddix,

    David Biddix David Biddix Sep 2, 2016 6:58 AM in response to CT
    Level 1 (55 points)
    Apple Music
    Sep 2, 2016 6:58 AM in response to CT

    The disk verifies as OK in recovery mode. There system will boot...just no apps will launch. Everything has generic icons in the Applications folder.

  • by CT,

    CT CT Sep 2, 2016 7:00 AM in response to David Biddix
    Level 6 (17,867 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 2, 2016 7:00 AM in response to David Biddix

    Does this behavior persist when starting up in Safe Mode?

  • by lvlike,

    lvlike lvlike Sep 2, 2016 8:27 AM in response to David Biddix
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 2, 2016 8:27 AM in response to David Biddix

    I've had this problem right after some updates too. And it was not possible to run the Terminal and Console.

    The only solution that helped:

    1) Startup this Mac with any external MacOS (Yosemite, El Capitan on external disk).

    2) On the problem disk (Macintosh HD in my case) Go to Folder /private/var/folders and trash ALL contents (enter admin password).

    3) Empty the trash and reboot to main MacOS.

     

    P.S. Safe boot did not help. Partially cleanup /private/var/folders did not help too.

  • by David Biddix,

    David Biddix David Biddix Sep 2, 2016 8:39 AM in response to CT
    Level 1 (55 points)
    Apple Music
    Sep 2, 2016 8:39 AM in response to CT

    OK. I started in Safe Mode. The Finder is still very sluggish (beach balls for several seconds before showing anything). The Preview app will open, as will Photoshop. But the Terminal, Mail, Safari, and other Apple programs will not.

  • by David Biddix,

    David Biddix David Biddix Sep 2, 2016 8:53 AM in response to lvlike
    Level 1 (55 points)
    Apple Music
    Sep 2, 2016 8:53 AM in response to lvlike

    I have the recovery partition on my hard drive that has access to the Terminal. Could I see the disk from here and do the repair you mention or does it have to be booted in another way?

  • by JKingsnorth,

    JKingsnorth JKingsnorth Sep 2, 2016 10:44 AM in response to lvlike
    Level 1 (20 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 2, 2016 10:44 AM in response to lvlike

    This solved my issue but I had a different problem. My Mac Mini would only boot about half way and then stop.

     

    Deleting these files allowed the system to boot completely.

  • by David Biddix,

    David Biddix David Biddix Sep 2, 2016 11:20 AM in response to lvlike
    Level 1 (55 points)
    Apple Music
    Sep 2, 2016 11:20 AM in response to lvlike

    I opened the  /private/var/folders directory and deleted the items in it from within the system while it was running. I restarted the machine and it's back to normal. I did NOT boot from another Mac OS installation to do this. It worked to bring things back to normal.

  • by havemusicwilltravel,

    havemusicwilltravel havemusicwilltravel Sep 2, 2016 11:22 AM in response to lvlike
    Level 1 (109 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 2, 2016 11:22 AM in response to lvlike

    Please excuse my ignorance here. I am trying to find these files to delete, but I am not finding the location. I can access my HD, but am finding nothing that is a VAR folder?

  • by David Biddix,

    David Biddix David Biddix Sep 2, 2016 11:25 AM in response to havemusicwilltravel
    Level 1 (55 points)
    Apple Music
    Sep 2, 2016 11:25 AM in response to havemusicwilltravel

    In the Finder, under the Go menu at the top of the screen, select Go To Folder and paste in  /private/var/folders and a window will open with the directory opened.

  • by JKingsnorth,

    JKingsnorth JKingsnorth Sep 2, 2016 11:45 AM in response to David Biddix
    Level 1 (20 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 2, 2016 11:45 AM in response to David Biddix

    For those of us whose Mac's wont boot (another issue with this wonderful Security Update) that is not an option.

  • by Paul Cohen1,

    Paul Cohen1 Paul Cohen1 Sep 2, 2016 12:26 PM in response to lvlike
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 2, 2016 12:26 PM in response to lvlike

    Mike,

    What is this folder and what are the contents which you are trashing??( private/var/folders)

    I had the same issue with my MBPro and had to reinstall ALL.

    Paul

  • by fredfx,

    fredfx fredfx Sep 2, 2016 12:49 PM in response to David Biddix
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 2, 2016 12:49 PM in response to David Biddix

    I did it this way too and it worked for me.
    Once the system "calmed down" I was able to navigate to the

     

    /private/var/folders

     

    and trash what was there.
    I restarted, and all was right with the world.

     

    This is my system profile.

     

    System Software Overview:

     

      System Version: OS X 10.11.6 (15G1004)

      Kernel Version: Darwin 15.6.0

     

    Model Name: Mac Pro

      Model Identifier: MacPro3,1

      Processor Name: Quad-Core Intel Xeon

      Processor Speed: 3.2 GHz

      Number of Processors: 2

      Total Number of Cores: 8

      L2 Cache (per Processor): 12 MB

      Memory: 32 GB

      Bus Speed: 1.6 GHz

      Boot ROM Version: MP31.006C.B05

      SMC Version (system): 1.25f4

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