I was installing an update this morning (a security update I think, but not 100% sure) which failed partway through. After this, Camino also stopped working, so I tried to reboot. However after the start up tone, the screen now stays on the grey screen with the Apple logo and the loading circle. I've tried starting up in safe mode (still gets stuck on loading screen), resetting PRAM (no changes) and repairing disk permissions (no changes). Can someone please help me out here? I'm getting pretty frustrated.
[Mac OS X: Starting up in Safe Mode|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107393]
[What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode? (Mac OS X)|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107392]
[Safe Boot takes longer than normal startup|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107394]
Safe boot mode runs a directory check command similar to that used by Disk Utility's repair. In Tiger it ignores some stored information (cache) that is normally read that speeds up the boot process, and it moves some other caches to the trash. It also uses only System fonts and disables all startup items and any Login Items.
If it stopped midway then it probably left you with a damaged System. You could try a re-install following the lines of the ones in [this post|http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8634535#8634535] by echere.
You can also try repairing your drive and repair permissions as outlined here:
[Resolve startup issues and perform disk maintenance with Disk Utility and fsck|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214]
[Using Disk Utility in Mac OS X 10.4.3 or later|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=302672]
[Disk Utility's Repair Disk Permissions|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=25751]
From BDaqua (couldn't have said it better):
"Try Disk Utility
1. Insert the Mac OS X Install disc that came with your computer, then restart the computer while holding the C key.
2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first.)
Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Disk Utility.
3. Click the First Aid tab.
4. Click the disclosure triangle to the left of the hard drive icon to display the names of your hard disk volumes and partitions.
5. Select your Mac OS X volume.
6. Click Repair. Disk Utility checks and repairs the disk.
Then Safe Boot, (holding Shift key down at bootup), run Disk Utility in Applications>Utilities, then highlight your drive, click on Repair Permissions, reboot when it completes."
If those measures don't work then I feel it probably does mean you have a damaged system that might be most easily solved by an Archive and Install. this will keep your files and preferences as long as you make sure those options are chosen.
[Mac OS X: About the Archive and Install feature|http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1710?viewlocale=en_US]
[X-Lab Archive and install|http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/archiveinstall.html]
After that you will need to update your system again with the combo updater as well as security updates. There's been recent discussions as to what steps are truly necessary in doing a minimal problem update.
I think #1 to which all agree is to make sure you have a backup of your computer in case you do need to back out of it again.
Some like to boot from their installer discs or an external backup and verify (and if necessary repair) their internal drives as well as drive permissions. This is done with Disk Utility.
You can also go to the step of booting into safe mode to do the install.
I like to download the update onto my computer and install it from there rather than let Software Update do it. I know a few people who had problems with doing the update via software updater found a manual install to work.
Repair permissions again afterward.
It also helps to only install one update at a time and to run the computer for a while to make sure it is behaving well.
Almost all of the above steps (except backup) have been questioned as to necessity because probably many people have done successful updates without doing them. I say they can't hurt, they can very likely do good (especially if your computer isn't regularly maintained), so why not do them to be safe.
Security updates, by the way, are not identical to operating system updates such as the one that took you to 10.4.11. The OS updates improve the overall functionality of the system whereas the security ones, as they say, address security issues.
The 10.4.11 combo update links for [PowerPC-based Macs|http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/macosx10411comboupdateppc.html] and [Intel Macs|http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/macosx10411comboupdateintel.html].
[Mac OS X: Starting up in Safe Mode|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107393]
[What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode? (Mac OS X)|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107392]
[Safe Boot takes longer than normal startup|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107394]
Safe boot mode runs a directory check command similar to that used by Disk Utility's repair. In Tiger it ignores some stored information (cache) that is normally read that speeds up the boot process, and it moves some other caches to the trash. It also uses only System fonts and disables all startup items and any Login Items.
If it stopped midway then it probably left you with a damaged System. You could try a re-install following the lines of the ones in [this post|http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8634535#8634535] by echere.
You can also try repairing your drive and repair permissions as outlined here:
[Resolve startup issues and perform disk maintenance with Disk Utility and fsck|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214]
[Using Disk Utility in Mac OS X 10.4.3 or later|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=302672]
[Disk Utility's Repair Disk Permissions|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=25751]
From BDaqua (couldn't have said it better):
"Try Disk Utility
1. Insert the Mac OS X Install disc that came with your computer, then restart the computer while holding the C key.
2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first.)
Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Disk Utility.
3. Click the First Aid tab.
4. Click the disclosure triangle to the left of the hard drive icon to display the names of your hard disk volumes and partitions.
5. Select your Mac OS X volume.
6. Click Repair. Disk Utility checks and repairs the disk.
Then Safe Boot, (holding Shift key down at bootup), run Disk Utility in Applications>Utilities, then highlight your drive, click on Repair Permissions, reboot when it completes."
If those measures don't work then I feel it probably does mean you have a damaged system that might be most easily solved by an Archive and Install. this will keep your files and preferences as long as you make sure those options are chosen.
[Mac OS X: About the Archive and Install feature|http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1710?viewlocale=en_US]
[X-Lab Archive and install|http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/archiveinstall.html]
After that you will need to update your system again with the combo updater as well as security updates. There's been recent discussions as to what steps are truly necessary in doing a minimal problem update.
I think #1 to which all agree is to make sure you have a backup of your computer in case you do need to back out of it again.
Some like to boot from their installer discs or an external backup and verify (and if necessary repair) their internal drives as well as drive permissions. This is done with Disk Utility.
You can also go to the step of booting into safe mode to do the install.
I like to download the update onto my computer and install it from there rather than let Software Update do it. I know a few people who had problems with doing the update via software updater found a manual install to work.
Repair permissions again afterward.
It also helps to only install one update at a time and to run the computer for a while to make sure it is behaving well.
Almost all of the above steps (except backup) have been questioned as to necessity because probably many people have done successful updates without doing them. I say they can't hurt, they can very likely do good (especially if your computer isn't regularly maintained), so why not do them to be safe.
Security updates, by the way, are not identical to operating system updates such as the one that took you to 10.4.11. The OS updates improve the overall functionality of the system whereas the security ones, as they say, address security issues.
The 10.4.11 combo update links for [PowerPC-based Macs|http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/macosx10411comboupdateppc.html] and [Intel Macs|http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/macosx10411comboupdateintel.html].
