Software Update Failed

Hi, I just had the same problem. I cannot update the following Apple software "Keynote, Pages, Numbers and iWeb".
In the error list I find the following entry

03.02.08 19:20:34 Software Update[228] arguments=(null)

I am using an iMac Dual Core with OS X 10.5.1.
Thanks for any help.
With regards, Rolf

I've also experienced problems with Software Update, but only on my Macbook.

Software Update begins to check for updates, and the progress indicator disappears. The main window says "New software is available for your computer". However, in the Software Update preference pane, the result is:

"Last attempt: Failed. Error occurred while checking."

Nothing was showing up in the install.log, so I thought I'd fiddle around a bit. I attempted to check from the command line (as root), and this is what I got:

sh-3.2# softwareupdate -l
Software Update Tool
Copyright 2002-2007 Apple

Software Update found the following new or updated software:
* Keynote402-4.0.2
Keynote Update (4.0.2), 33200K [recommended]
* Pages302-3.0.2
Pages Update (3.0.2), 29880K [recommended]
* Numbers102-1.0.2
Numbers Update (1.0.2), 28050K [recommended]
* iWeb203-2.0.3
iWeb Update (2.0.3), 18860K [recommended]
sh-3.2#

This is in direct conflict with the Software Update.log file, which indicates that I'd already installed all those updates:

2008-02-03 21:30:24 -0500: Installed "Keynote Update" (4.0.2)
2008-02-03 21:30:36 -0500: Installed "Pages Update" (3.0.2)
2008-02-03 21:30:43 -0500: Installed "Numbers Update" (1.0.2)
2008-02-03 21:30:51 -0500: Installed "iWeb Update" (2.0.3)

I figure there's something causing issues with the GUI version of the installer. I can't explain why it works on my iMac but not on my Macbook. So, I decided to install from the command line:

sh-3.2# softwareupdate -i -a
Software Update Tool
Copyright 2002-2007 Apple


Downloading Keynote Update 0..20..40..60..80..100
Verifying Keynote Update
waiting Keynote Update
Downloading Pages Update 0..20..40..60..80..100
Verifying Pages Update
waiting Pages Update
Downloading Numbers Update 0..20..40..60..80..100
Verifying Numbers Update
waiting Numbers Update
Downloading iWeb Update 0..20..40..60..80..100
Verifying iWeb Update
waiting iWeb Update
Installing Keynote Update 0..20..40..60..80..100
Done Keynote Update
Installing Pages Update 0..20..40..60..80..100
Done Pages Update
Installing Numbers Update 0..20..40..60..80..100
Done Numbers Update
Installing iWeb Update 0..20..40..60..80..100
Done iWeb Update
Done.
sh-3.2#

After installing the updates, my GUI Software Update still does not work. Checking the install.log, I've only found the following errors:

Feb 3 21:39:10 portia Software Update[1552]: Package Authoring Error: installation-check results requires a message
Feb 3 21:39:10: --- last message repeated 4 times ---
Feb 3 21:39:15 portia Software Update[1552]: JavaScript error "Undefined value" while running " _choice_suvisible"
Feb 3 21:39:15 portia Software Update[1552]: _choice_suvisible returned error: Undefined value

Now, the updates prior to Feb 02 that I installed contained only one update that was specific to the Macbook:

2008-01-19 17:00:33 -0500: Installed "MacBook MacBook Pro Software Update" (1.1)

I ran 'pkgutil --files com.apple.pkg.MacBookMacBookProKbdSU' to see what it updates, and I don't see anything that might impact the Software Update application. Also, used pkgutil to verify the OS-specific updates (non-app updates):

sh-3.2# pkgutil --verify com.apple.pkg.update.os.10.5.1
Verifying files from package 'com.apple.pkg.update.os.10.5.1' on '/'.
Missing file "System/InstallAtStartup/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/DiskImages.framework/ Versions/A/Resources/version.plist".
Finished verifying files from package 'com.apple.pkg.update.os.10.5.1' on '/'.
sh-3.2#
sh-3.2# pkgutil --verify com.apple.pkg.update.security.2007.009
Verifying files from package 'com.apple.pkg.update.security.2007.009' on '/'.
ACL found but not expected on 'Applications'.
ACL found but not expected on 'Library'.
Finished verifying files from package 'com.apple.pkg.update.security.2007.009' on '/'.
sh-3.2#


Interestingly enough, on the iMac, the verify on the 10.5.1 shows all manners of missing files (including parts of Software Update and the framework). Could that be part of the problem?

Just thought I'd share my investigations. At least I can still install updates from the command line, it seems.

Macbook 2.2GHz, 120G, 1G.
iMac 2.0GHz, 250G, 4G.

Thanks for the hint. The Software Updater still fails today updating iPhoto and iPro (10.5.1).
The only way to update seams the terminal using:

sudo softwareupdate -i -a

I really hope those bugs will be gone with the next upgrade. I really find the OX 10.5.1 annoying because most ofd the files I write to the hard drive have "system" priviledges and I need to change them in the finder in order to have write access.
Regards, Rolf

This is ridiculous! I've been having these problems since NOVEMBER. Apple should get on this considering they've now had two separate Leopard upgrades and the Software Update still is not working properly for everyone.

Hi!

I'm experiencing the exact same problem as described here.

In my main account, after launching Software Update, the progress bar disappears after a while and the main window displays a "New software is available for your computer." (although I know there is not, since I've run the Software Update from another admin account and it says it's up to date) and the part of the window that should display the list of updates is empty and the "Install" button at the bottom right is greyed out.

If I go to "Preferences…", I can see, below the "Check Now" button, the following text : "Last attempt: Failed. Error occurred while checking."

I've, of course tried the procedure that worked for "curlz813" (see this thread : http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=6727973) several times, without any luck.

The same behaviour continues.

The strange thing is that on my wife's account (also an admin account), the Software Update goes on well and says it's up to date.

What can I do ?

Thanks in advance for any help.

This problem suddenly started to day on my MacBook, all my other Macs are fine, the MacBook is in fact fine in other accounts than my main one... tried deleting the relevant plists (both of them - in Library/Preferences and in ~/Library Preferences to no avail

Tried bringing back both an earlier System Prefs and Software Update (in Core Services) but no change... if I run the Terminal Command it works

I opened the Software Update package and ran the "software update" exectutable in there and it returns this...

Last login: Sun May 11 23:18:12 on ttys000
/System/Library/CoreServices/Software\ Update.app/Contents/Resources/SoftwareUpdateCheck ; exit;
Nigel-MacBook:~ nigelmansell$ /System/Library/CoreServices/Software\ Update.app/Contents/Resources/SoftwareUpdateCheck ; exit;
2008-05-11 23:20:58.079 SoftwareUpdateCheck[466:10b] Checking for updates
2008-05-11 23:20:59.190 SoftwareUpdateCheck[466:10b] XML parser error:
Encountered unexpected EOF
Old-style plist parser error:
Malformed data byte group at line 1; invalid hex
logout

[Process completed]

Now that doesn't mean much to me - but maybe someone will know what it means and be able to point at a fix

How or why this suddenly happened I can't say - nothing unusual has occurred here that I am aware of.

OK it isn't really a critical problem - but it bugs me when stuff stops "just working" and I can't figure out why or how to fix it

hello everyone,

I had the same problem as described. Repaired permissions, deleted lots of plists, didn't work for me.

This is what I did to troubleshoot further:
sudo softwareupdate -a -i <-- this one works!
sudo open /System/Library/CoreServices/Software\ Update.app/ <-- doesn't work, same problem
sudo /System/Library/CoreServices/Software\ Update.app/Contents/MacOS/Software\ Update <- works!!! (huh???)

Finally, switched to another user account and tried the Software Update (from the apple menu) and it worked just fine...

So I figured it's a problem specific to a file in the user directory, and that led me to check which files are being touched by the Software Update application. I used sudo lsof -p <process id> to check.

This showed me that the file ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate/Cache.db was open.

LONG STORY SHORT, delete all the files in /Users/<yourusername>/Library/Caches/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate/ and then retry Software Update and it should work!

(so, why does this problem occur in the first place? two possibilities. 1. I encountered this after a recent upgrade to Leopard, so there was lots of junk in that old Cache.db and com.apple.SoftwareUpdate folder dating back to when I was on Jaguar. It ain't pretty. Something in there could have caused the Software Update to get confused and crash. 2. When you have multiple users accounts on the same mac, if you run Software Update on another account, it may cause the Software Update to get confused and lock the settings and other files.)

hope this helps! all I can say is, it worked for me!

YOU ROCK! Your solution worked for me and I JUST this week started having this problem after months of working just fine and using Leopard. THANK YOU!!!

Thanks from me too! I finally updated my Mac Mini to 10.5.4 from 10.4.11, as I no longer needed to use some possibly Leopard incompatible software, but after finding odd things had happened with some fonts, decided to do an archive and install, after which Software Update just hung and hung. Used this solution and, bingo, it's working again OK. I supposed it might be something to do with me having already run it and done updates before I decided to do an archive and install.

Nicely done. Works as advertised.

letoutpuissant wrote:
This is ridiculous! I've been having these problems since NOVEMBER. Apple should get on this considering they've now had two separate Leopard upgrades and the Software Update still is not working properly for everyone.

Have you filed a bug report? Posting here without giving any technical aspects of your issue will not help anyone.
File the report here:
https://bugreport.apple.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/RadarWeb.woa/wa/signIn

I would add that no software will be perfect for everyone. If 99% of the user base has no major issues, that's about all anyone can expect.
Everyone here assisting others obviously is running Leopard with no issues to speak of.
Are you saying that you cannot install 10.5.2?
Not even the full manual install?