10.5.6 hangs on installation

Same problem as many here. After first downloading from the updater, the installation hung too long and I forced a shut-down and restarted at least twice. ANNOYING! Fortunately, no harm done.

Then downloaded the smaller of the 2 files (372 MB) from Apple's download site and the update installed quickly--no hang-up.

*It's not necessary to download the larger file containing all updates if you're currently running !0.5.5--just download what you need.*

Alexandre wrote:
nb: just installed 10.5.6 on my 4 year old macbook (following the "good housekeeping guide" 🙂 ):

Where on earth did you get a 4 year old Macbook? Didn't they come out in early 2006? I have a first Gen MacBook and I bought it in July of 06 so it is barely passed 2 years old...

The Good housekeeping guide is not necessarily going to prevent this problem. There are people that did this and still had the problem. The combo or delta download update should probably help...

I noticed my d/l in the updates folder was only 67MB. I dumped it and am getting the combo

I'm having problems also. Hanging at the configuring stage x 2. Software downloaded through Software Update. Will try manually downloading it.

I am experiencing the same problem with:

24" iMac
17" Powerbook
12" MacBook
Mac mini

The combo installer does work however.

😟

Excellent Fizz. This is exactly the problem. The package is incomplete and needs to be removed. Your suggestion worked for me.

This would also explain why people have success downloading the file as a standalone.

I had the same problem ever since 10.5.5 combo download. Solved by downloading the package at apple's download page.
I am halfway downloading the 10.5.6 so I am not too sure if that will fail as the previous download. I'll keep my fingers cross.

Politeness would go a long way. My suggestions are not useless but are proven. Please direct your obvious frustration with the update to apple, not to me.

It does work and if it doesn't, there may be some third party software in your machine that causes problems. Incidentally, the architecture of Leopard is quite different from previous OS'.

Thank you.

I had the same problem.

Fixed it by going into Library/updates (from Macintosh HD) and there is directory called something like Mac OSX . Deleted the contents of this (you will see its the 190mb update with todays time stamp that you downloaded earlier). Then rerun Software Update and it should work fine. I think the file just got corrupted somehow.

Hope that helps

Jim chill out his post was very relevant. Yea I don't want to have to think about the crap he suggested either, and it bugs me that his worked and mine didn't but the fact that it DOES work for someone and even better a time frame in which it worked is 100% relevant. Now I know that 20 minutes was plenty long for me to wait before giving up.

And yes I am experiencing the same issue. For what it's worth, it seems safe to reboot it...

Thank you for your support, Malachi, much appreciated 🙂
I am sorry to hear you also got problems with 10.5.6.

The biggest issue I expect is that users can modify the OS quite drastically (I am running a paid for[!] version of of candy bar, for instance and it is running fine, however, every so often, I actually launch it and let it update itself; it's things like that, that could cause instabilities simply because the programmers cannot cater for each and every modification.

Have a good xmas and enjoy 😉

After 4 attempts. I followed your instructions and they worked. Thanks

Seven Macs all failing is a good clue, when other people get success.
This strongly suggests one of the following:
(1) If you are using the same download for all seven then it is possibly corrupt.
(2) If you have third party software on the machines it may be possible to identify what has enough overlap that is causing the hang (maybe there are a couple of third party apps involved which are not the same on all machines).

Software update problems are subject to the normal rules of troubleshooting even though they seem to prompt a near-hysterical response from so many people. It would be really helpful to share information and not just share frustration. How about a list of the third party apps that load into the "System Preferences" pane? That way we might see a pattern if there is one.

The really impatient reply to the early poster who suggested the good housekeeping tips, sort of sets the tone for this thread. Troubleshooting needs a calm and rational approach, the laws of cause and effect still apply, and more details of what is gong wrong and the exact sequence (e.g. did you repair permissions before upgrading) will help locate the problem more quickly than details of how many years you have used Macs.

Thank you.

Update worked on black MacBook, early MacBook Air, White iMac, and a few MacPros. Yet it hung on my (late 2008) MacBook Pro. Attempting with a few MacMinis, more MacPros, and previous generation MacBook Pros later today. Attempting the combo update on (late 2008) MacBook Pro now.

Combo update worked correctly...

Great, why wouldn't it work via software update is the only remaining question.