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Update problems...

I seem to be up and running again, but I'm just curious - has Apple issued some kind of statement about all of these update problems?

MacBook Pro, 17", Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Feb 19, 2009 5:22 AM

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6 replies

Feb 19, 2009 9:00 AM in response to dickie001x

I'm not sure if your question is meant humorously (Marty Feldman in Young Frankenstein comes to mind - "Hump? What hump?"), but for the sake of completeness: reading through posts from the past weeks reveals that many people running OSX with different versions of 10.4 and 10.5 that have used Software Update (for Security updates, Quicktime player updates etc.) have encountered the same problems that I encountered: a system-wide crash essentially requiring re-installation of OSX. As the Software Update is a product and function of Apple, I'm surprised I haven't received anything in my .Mac/.Me Inbox addressing this issue. If this were Hewlett-Packard I wouldn't be surprised, but as Apple is priced more like a luxury product, I expect more. Or a rebate.

I realize that this post is not asking for a solution to a technical problem, but still...

Feb 19, 2009 9:58 AM in response to ernieshaus

You should keep in mind that these are technical support forums. Generally, the only people posting here are those with problems. The thousands/millions without problems don't ever come here.



I've NEVER had a problem w/any of Apple's updates.


*A few updating tips:*
+1) Firstly its is always a very good idea to repair permissions (using Disk Utility) and to "repair disk" (either by using Disk Utility from the "utilities" menu in the menubar while booted from the iMac or Tiger DVD, or by starting up in "Safe" mode - see http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107393 ) before installing ANY OS update. This can greatly reduce the possibility of problems occuring.+

+2) When updating remove ALL non Apple USB and Firewire peripherals while undertaking the update.+

+3) Use the "Combo" versions of the appropriate updater, rather than the one provided by Software Update or the "delta" version on the download site. The "Combo" updater will be much larger than the "softwareUpdate" or "Delta" versions, but it replaces many additional files which may have become corrupted or suffer from other problems.


+4), if your computer is having significant operating problems be wary about trying to use an OS update to "fix" them. Things like regular "spinning beachballs" on a computer with adequate RAM, for example, are likely to be caused by directory corruption, or hardware problems, or other such issues. Installing an update "over the top" of these problems can actually make things much worse. Updates usually involve a very large amount of disk activity, with thousands of files being written and deleted. If the directories are troubled aready, then they are likely to be fried completely by the time the install is completed. Better to sort out the problems first, before updating.+

+5) Do not attempt to update if you have limited HD space available. You should ALWAYS aim to have AT LEAST several gigabytes free on your HD. Installing OS updates causes a large amount of free space fragmentation. On a disk with limited available free space this can be disasterous.+

+6) Do not do run other software , surf the net, check your email or design your new house on the computer while the computer's OS is being updated. You can download it in the background if you like, but, it is ALWAYS a good idea to restart before actually installing the update, and to do nothing else with the computer until it has completed the installation and been rebooted again.+

+7) If problems DO emerge after the update, its worth repeating Step one to 3 above. Its also a good idea to add your peripherals one at a time and test them. Sometimes updated drivers may be needed for some devices, or they may simply be incompatible with the new version of the OS. ("Wake from sleep" problems are often associated with this). If you have already updated and are having issues, repeat the process, repairing permissions and the disk, downloading the Combo updater, disconnecting all "non-Apple" peripherals, and running the Combo installer.+

+Older third party "background" software on occasion produces problems too, so if you have virus checkers or other third party items enabled in your System/Preferences /Accounts / LogIn items tab then disabling them can be a good idea while trying to resolve the issue.+

+Usually these things go without a hitch for most people without any problems at all, using the steps outlined above) , but a bit of preparation is a good idea for everyone. It is usually much easier to avoid the problems in the first place rather than to resolve them afterwards.+

_The above authored by Rod Hagen(L4)_














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Feb 21, 2009 10:52 AM in response to ernieshaus

ernieshaus,

I'm hardly an expert in Apple updates, but a quick perusal of the "viewed" counts on the last 20 pages of topics is interesting. On most discussion boards, people experiencing a given problem are more likely to view an existing thread than to create a new one. There are a few items on this board that stand out...with say 3,000 views vs. the normal 100. I suspect the helpdesk will have received 20x as many calls on a topic as you would see posted on self-help boards.

I wouldn't expect Apple - or any other software company, for that matter - to respond to problems that affect a subset of their user population, be it "people with less than xGB of drive space", "people who have never heard of 'repairing permissions'", or "people who still believe in 'it just works.'"

My hope is that the folks in the update scripting department are hearing about the problems so we can go back to clicking "Install 2 Items" without fearing the Gray Apple of Death.

Message was edited by: nleoncavallo (corrected --formating--)

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