Software update unavailable

Manually download and install it.

Hellstan wrote:
Trying to update Leopard to 10.5.4 by clicking on "Software Udpdate".
Since Two days, I have the progress bar stuck "To Checking for newx software" indefinitely. ???

As noted by baltwo, download and install it manually from here:
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/macosx_updates/macosx1054comboupdate .html
But bear in mind that your system is broken and this update may not fix it.
Do these tasks first:
Run DU and repair HD and permissions.
Boot into the safe mode once (hold down Shift key on boot) and when you get to the login screen, press reboot and let the system boot normally. This forces an fdisk on your HD.
Now see if the auto software update works.
Even if it now works, I suggest using the manual install. It's always less problematic.

Message was edited by: nerowolfe

Hellstan wrote:
Thanx Nerowolfe.
In fact, I restarted once, repaired permissions, and Software Update, this time, downloaded perfectly.
Instead, I downloaded Office 2008 update, and upon install process, it tells me no volume could be found where a correct version of the Office were.
It's strange, because I have 12.1.0 installed and I wish now to install 12.1.1
Is that another Microsoft funny way ?
Or does that mean that I should Safe mode all the same ?

I think that's an MS kind of thing.

As I noted, the Safe mode forces a major check/repair on the unmounted HD which is "stronger" than what DU can do. I don't think it has anything to do with your MS update issue.
I thought there was a separate forum for Office for Mac, but I don't see one.
You might check this one out:
http://www.macfixitforums.com/ubbthreads.php/ubb/postlist/Board/44/page/1
I use OpenOffice and NeoOffice myself. I always considedred MS Office for Mac a hybrid kind of SW.
You might look into these products - they are opensource and free and very very MS Office compatible, with no Leopard compatibility issues at all.

Hellstan wrote:
Thx again.
I tried Safe mode. First time, it happened nothing : just the Apple icon.
Second time, it just told me (in red above the accounts icon) : Reboot without extensions. It never displayed "Safe mode".

Now I retried to update Office : same mess.

On some machines the timing of pressing the Shift key may be important.

Here are the official instructions:

To start up in safe mode:
Shut down your computer and wait 30 seconds.
Press the power button.
Immediately after you hear the startup tone, hold down the Shift key.
You should press the Shift key as soon as possible after your hear the startup tone, but not before.
Release the Shift key when you see the gray Apple logo and progress indicator (spinning gear).


That "but not before" may be very important.

Hellstan wrote:
I'll try again.
I have curious behaviour now : I cannot unmount or eject anymore my 4 external disks. It tells me the disks are in use, and they are not. 😟

Message was edited by: Hellstan

I would download and reinstall the full combo update. Sometimes the auto update results in odd behavior - I don't know why, but that's why, for large and/or major updates to the OS, most of us prefer the full manual download.
The link is on one of my previous posts.
Try the 80 MB download first, and if you still have issues, then go for the really big one, 500+ MB

Hellstan wrote:
Before downloading the combo, should I come back to the prior system using Time Machine ? Or will the combo erase/replace the 80 Gb (which I already performed) ?

No, the OS updates (with one odd exception) are made so that they can be reapplied without any issues. You can always reinstall/reapply the latest OS update without undoing anything.

Message was edited by: nerowolfe

Hellstan wrote:
Right.
Meanwhile, I installed NeoOffice, and tere was no issue at all with recognizing the volume. It's definitely another M$oft issue.

As I noted, I consider MS on a Mac an odd sort of hybrid.
You would be better off, if you really need MS Office, to install BootCamp and run Office natively, but I think you will find NeoOffice an excellent solution.

I believe it was Gates who said, "Nobody will ever need more than 640 KB of RAM." This messed up Intel processor architecture for years. Gates may also have been the one who said that nobody will even need more than 7 hardware interrupts.
Of course, to be fair, Apple for years said that nobody wanted a mouse with more than one button.
When the predecessor of both the PC and the Mac was invented by PARC, Xerox, the NY suits shut them down saying that nobody wants printers that talk to each other.
Were it not for that fortunate visit by both Gates and Jobs, we might still be using tin cans and strings.
Nobody is perfect. .... and sometimes I even wonder about nobody 🙂