Powerbook G4 (OS X 10.4.11) won't boot up after latest security update

Holding down C at startup should allow you to boot from the CD/DVD, regardless of what is on your Hard drive. Another way to accomplish booting from the CD/DVD is to hold down Option at startup (for AGP graphics and later models) to invoke the Startup Manager:

HT1310- Startup Manager: How to select a startup volume

Grant

Thanks for your timely response.

I tried both methods without success. When doing the "c" boot, the OSX disc ejects when the apple logo appears; when doing the "option" boot, the disc ejects after the startup image appears (with the HD name below it). Closing the disc drawer and then scanning for new volumes had the same effect - the disc was ejected.

Any other suggestions?

Dave

It sound like your CD/DVD is unreadable, or has a really bad spot on it. Did you check for fingerprints? (At least that way you will know who did it.)

I checked the disc and it appears to be clean. I also successfully booted up using the disc in both "c" and "option" modes in my G3 iBook (osx10.4.11), the computer I am using now.

Looks like we are running out of options.

Dave

Steve:

I think your issue of the Finder quitting and relaunching may be different and has to do with the QuickTime update that was on the same update list as the latest security update. I got my solution from these items about the Stuffit AVR software, check it out:

*(1) (from Mac Fix-It)*
*Finder constantly quitting and relaunching*.
A few users have reported an issue in which the Finder constantly relaunches after the
QuickTime 7.6 update.
If you are experiencing this issue and you have StuffIt installed, launch
System Preferences and then open the Stuffit AVR pane, click the Stuffit
AVR tab, then click the "stop" button.

*(2) (Apple support discussion) -*
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1873700&tstart=0

*(3) (Apple support discussion) -*
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1921115&tstart=0

BILL

Grant

The computer is now working. I perused another apple thread and got the "German" solution. It involves:

1. downloaded .dmg of "sec update PPC" to my working (ibook) computer
2. connected firewire between "damaged" G4 and ibook
3. loaded "damaged" G4 computer as firewire target disk
4. ran sec update on the "damaged" G4 volume
5. ejected it
6. turned off "damaged" G4
7. unplugged firewire from G4
8. restarted

Thanks for your input and advice.

Dave

Awesome!! Thanks!! I was getting ready to do a reinstall.

One additional thing:
I had to format my USB drive in Mac OS Extended format for terminal to recognize it.

I don't think that was mentioned.

Thanks again.

Jimboj,

I am having a very hard time with #13, The name of the Hard drive is Draper's HD and would you be so kind to point out where the spaces reside

Thanks in Advance

Drapes

FireWire Target Disk mode is a ROM-resident feature (on computers that have that feature) so it does not depend on the Hard Drive being Bootable, just intact enough to be Mounted as a data drive. The update would require the corrupted drive to be recognized as having Mac OS X installed, so it cannot be a total mess.

That sounds like a great solution! It seems like would not even require using Terminal at all. Is that right?

I've had similar problems since the recent update. Powerbook just shuts down for no reason and won't re-boot. The only way I could start it has been by re-setting the PMU. But now that only works occasionally.

I'm trying to follow your procedure, Jimboj, having downloaded the SecUpd2009 to a USB memory stick. I had to do this using a PC, but it seems to be OK. However, once in Terminal, and following your step 11, I find that the USB stick does not figure in the list. So I can go no further.

As I can intermittently fire up the computer, is there no way to Uninstall the Update? Presumably just putting the file from Library - Receipts into the Trash is no use.

Is Apple aware of the chaos they have caused?

I would appreciate any suggestions. The thread has been very useful so far!

Bill,

Thanks for the info. I'll try it. I have learned my lesson NOT to do multiple software upgrades at the same time. You should do one at a time, reboot the computer and watch it for awhile for any anomalies. Takes more time, but probably safer.

I agree that the security update was not the problem, because I remounted the disk with the update (per instructions elsewhere) and the problem wasn't fixed. Could very well be the QuickTime 7.6 update.

Am anxious to try the solution described above, but have run into a hitch:

I have a G3 "Pismo" FireWire PowerBook, which was running 10.4.11 quite happily until this !@#$%^&* Security Update. Now it will seem to startup, but when the progress bar reaches the end, it just sits there, still strobing, but no desktop ever loads.

Our other two Macs are both Intel machines, each running the latest Leopard. I went to <http://support.apple.com/downloads/#2009-001%20security%20update> and selected Security Update 2009-001 (Tiger PPC), which downloaded SecUpd2009-001PPC.dmg. I then connected the PowerBook to my MacPro in Target Disk mode, but when I try to run the update I just get an alert error saying "Security Update 2009-001 (PowerPC) cannot be installed on this computer", and my only option is to click Close.

But if I then download and try using the "Security Update 2009-001 (Tiger Intel)" choice (SecUpd2009-001Intel.dmg), the installer puts a red exclamation mark on the PowerBook volume and tells me: "You cannot install Security Update 2009-001 (Intel) on this volume. This volume does not meet the requirements for this update."

So I've got one updater which (in theory) will work on my Tiger/PPC PowerBook but can't be run from my Leopard/Intel MacPro, and another which will run from my Leopard/Intel MacPro but can't be applied to my Tiger/PPC PowerBook!

Is there any way out of this craziness???

Should I just put my Tiger install DVD into the PowerBook and do an Archive & Install, avoiding the 2009 Security Update when updating back up to 10.4.11?

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

John Bertram
Toronto

John,

That's what I did: I put my Tiger DVD into my PowerBook G4, did an Archive & Install, updated by downloading from Apple to 10.4.11 and my machine is working fine. Archive & Install does "dump" some settings in various applications, which you'll have to re-input. But I've had no problems.

My problem turned out to be (I'm supposing) the QuickTime 7.6 update, which I software-updated in the same package with the 2009 security update. I don't know for sure, because I'm now working off a "fresh" Archive & Install, and all those earlier problems are now in the past...

Thanks Steve for the quick reply -- and for confirming what I'd figured would have to be my next step. I'm running the A&I as I write this.

One question, for when I get to the Software Update stage:

Did you end up doing a "up-to-the-minute update", including both QT 7.6 and the 2009 Security Update, or did you decide to just avoid those two for the time being?

And do you have an opinion on the question of downloading a combo updater file first, and then applying the update "manually", vs. letting Software Update handle the procedure on its own?

Thanks,

jb

First, I got Tiger to OSX 10.4.11. I did use the combo updater from Software Update in Systems Preferences. (It took awhile, and I made sure the computer was AC powered and no other applications running in the background).

I downloaded from Apple's website the 2009 Security Update. I executed that by itself. I then ran the computer for awhile, started it up, shut down several times. Once I was satisfied everything was A-OK, I then used the computer's software Update to show me all what additionally had to be updated. I then did each one separately, and started up/shut down several times to test each new update. This took awhile (several days) since I wanted to be ultra-sure everything would be nice and stable.

I learned my lesson, and now will handle every new update this way. There are too many variable that could go south on you if one isn't careful. Doing multiple updates bang-bang-bang is not a good idea...