Please help!! Shared Library Error/CarbonLib

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Please help!! Shared Library Error/CarbonLib

I have an iBook G4 with an OS X 10.3.9 operating system. Earlier today my screen went blank and appeared to have turned off on its own, even though it still had more than half of its battery charge. I pressed the power button, then had to press it again to restart it.

When I tried to access my Word documents, I got this message:

The application "Word" could not be launched because of a shared library error: "1<Microsoft Word><CarbonLib><CFMPriv_CarbonCore>"

I have explored all of the online advice, I have checked the Console (the error code is -2804), I have run Disk Utility for the disk permissions, I have re-installed my operating system... nothing is helping!! I still cannot open anything in Microsoft Office (2004), nor can I open AppleWorks.

I am on the verge of a mental breakdown because I have 3 major papers due this week. If I can't have access to Word on my computer I won't be able to finish them on time.

Any advice or help would be much appreciated!

Alex

iBook G4, Mac OS X (10.3.x)

Posted on Nov 19, 2007 1:13 AM

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Answer 1

roam

Level 6

13,631 points

Nov 19, 2007 1:39 AM in response to alexbgc

I have re-installed my operating system!

Egads! I hope you did and Archive and Install to preserve your previous documents.

Have you tried Starting up in Safe Mode? Doing this may correct your file structure.

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Answer 2

ali brown

Level 7

26,493 points

Nov 19, 2007 6:14 AM in response to alexbgc

Welcome To  Discussions Alex!

Do you have a system backup, or at least have your critical data backed up?

If you performed an Archive & Install, and not an Erase & Install of OS X, the information in this document Troubleshooting shared library errors, authored by Dr Smoke, may be helpful.

ali b

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Answer 3

alexbgc Author

Level 1

0 points

Nov 19, 2007 8:33 AM in response to ali brown

Hello,

I haven't lost any important data as of yet and I have all of it on a USB and a disc. Yes, I have tried restarting in safe mode, and I still couldn't open Word. And unfortunately I have no clue where my Install CD is so I don't think I can do Archive & Install. Is that the only thing that would help?

Thanks,
Alex

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Answer 4

ali brown

Level 7

26,493 points

Nov 19, 2007 8:41 AM in response to alexbgc

You're Welcome Alex!

Did you review the entire Article, that I posrted a link to?

"I have no clue where my Install CD is..."
I strongly suggest that you either locate it or purchase a new one.
Without the system discs, there are few options available to you.

ali b

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Answer 5

Nov 19, 2007 11:02 AM in response to alexbgc

Alex

Have you by any chance updated iTunes or QuickTime recently? If you updated one without the other, this could be a cause. See some of the topics below.

Error -2804 means the system can't find the named library. You may need to do an Archive & Instal to fix this, but of course you will need your Instal disc to do this.

Microsoft even have a KB article on this: You receive a "Shared library" error message when you start Office for Mac programs, but it isn't limited to Office applications.

Here are some older Discussions topics on the problem. You'll see what I mean about QuickTime and iTunes:
Shared Library Error
Shared Library Error (different)
shared library error in OS 10.2.8
CarbonLib Borked...?
Shared Library Error (QT update fixed this)

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Answer 6

alexbgc Author

Level 1

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Nov 19, 2007 7:10 PM in response to Michael Conniff

Hi Michael,

Thank you for your suggestions. Yes, I think a few days ago I updated to QuickTime 7.3 (or 7.2 I can't remember) and iTunes 7.5.

I clicked on all of the discussions, and I have tried all of the suggestions I understood. So I deleted QuickTime 7.2 and restarted, it still didn't help. I tried downloading the programme Onyx, but now I can't 'expand' it using StuffIt and I get the same Carbon Lib/Shared Library error but just with some different numbers. Then I tried opening it with Pacifist and the "programme unexpectedly quit" twice when I clicked on it.

Should I try sending iTunes to the trash? This Archive and Install business, do I have to have the exact same CD I got with the computer? Because I think I can get my hands on the OS X 10.4 one.

Thanks for your help. I thought I was okay at computers before people started talking about Shared Libraries.

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Answer 7

ali brown

Level 7

26,493 points

Nov 20, 2007 6:14 AM in response to alexbgc

Hello Again Alex!

"...do I have to have the exact same CD I got with the computer? Because I think I can get my hands on the OS X 10.4 one."

If the iBook G4 meets the Tiger System Requirements, and you use the Full Retail Version, of the Tiger Install DVD, you could certainly upgrade to the newer version.

The discs should look exactly like the images in the above links, and not say Upgrade, CPU Drop-in DVD, or "This software is part of a hardware bundle purchase - not to be sold seperately." on them.

Additional info in these links.
Using OS X Install CDs/DVDs On Multiple Macs
What's A Computer Specific Mac OS X Release
Software Update, Upgrade: What's The Difference?

But, it is not advisable, to do an Archive & Install, preserving User Preferences & Network Settings, on an already corrupt system.
Doing so, may only compound the issue.

It would be better to create a backup of the system, or at least backup your critical data, and perform an Erase & Install, for a fresh trouble-free system.

ali b

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Answer 8

alexbgc Author

Level 1

0 points

Nov 21, 2007 2:58 PM in response to ali brown

Hello Ali,

Thank you for the advice. Unfortunately it will be quite some time before I can get the CD. And now more programs are giving me the "shared library error" message.

I've had the computer for almost 4 years. Is that the expected lifetime of an iBook? I almost feel it would be worth it to just buy a new MacBook so I don't have to keep on running into these problems.

But thank you anyway!

Alex

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Answer 9

Nov 21, 2007 3:31 PM in response to alexbgc

alexbgc wrote:
I've had the computer for almost 4 years. Is that the expected lifetime of an iBook?

My iBook is five and a half years old, and is still going strong. Unfortunately it won't run Leopard, which is why I bought a MacBook. It's 3 times as fast, but I can't type any faster, and the Internet doesn't go any faster, so …

I would think your G4 iBook has some life left in it yet 😉

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Answer 10

ali brown

Level 7

26,493 points

Dec 24, 2007 7:59 AM in response to alexbgc

Merry Christmas Alex!

Have you made any progress?

ali b

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Answer 11

Dec 27, 2007 3:00 AM in response to alexbgc

I think I have an easy answer. I have cloned my startup disk to a bigger disk and afterwards AppleWorks and some other applications didn't start any more and produced this Carbonlib-error.
So I was looking around on my disk for a file called Carbonlib. I knew there had one been in system-extensions-folder in the days of Mac OS 9. But Spotlight found several files that included "Carbon" or "lib" but not just "Carbonlib".
Only after pretty much trial and error I found out that Spotlight didn't search the System-folder on my hard disk - I didn't exclude it so I don't know why it wasn't searched (Spotlight is a bit odd and not as helpful as they always promise).
But when I looked in the System > Library > CFMSupport I found that there indeed is a file "CarbonLib". I replaced it with the one from my mirrored backup-disk – and everything worked fine again.

So: Why did nobody in all the many threads tell us that there simply is a file on our disks called CarbonLib that could be corrupted? I tried so many things like repair the permissions and so on. And after all it was so easy!

I know this thread was started a month ago. But maybe this answer is helpful still.

Reinhard

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