Top sites slows down / hangs safari

Thanks for the tip.

I wish they had made software that actually WORKS. In nearly 30 years of using Macs, I can't think of more frustrating, buggy, not-ready-for-primetime software than the new version of Safari. It used to bomb constantly. Now it's improved and it simply crashes constantly. I wish there was a way to go back to the old version, that simply used to crash occasionally. Sigh.

You can go back to version 3.x.x if you choose. With Tiger, there's nothing stopping you from doing that, but you must do it correctly or it won't work.

That would be ideal, because I followed your directions and it's still loading in (a blank page) of Top Sites on mine as well.

Would you happen to know where I would go to revert to the previous Safari? I've already wisened up and stopped updating iTunes, so that won't be a factor here 🙂.

First you need to download Pacifist, along with the version of Safari 3 that you want to install instead. You can choose either:

Safari 3.2.3 or

Safari 3.1.2

Then go to /Applications and delete Safari 4.0.3, and the Safari403Upd.pkg file in Home/Library/Receipts. Don't delete anything else with the word Safari in it.

Decompress the version of Safari you want to install, then Control-click on it and open it with Pacifist. Click on the top-level icon for the package in the Pacifist window and click Install at the top of the window. When Pacifist asks if you want to Update or Replace files that already exist, choose Replace wherever possible and check the box to apply it to all other files.

Wait for Pacifist to finish, then quit and restart your Mac, and Safari should run normally again.

installed updates I see that I updated to iTunes 8.2.1 on 08/04/09. This was my last update before iTunes 9.0.

I think I found directions for the correct way to downgrade iTunes. The problem is that when I search for iTunes 8.2.1 the only download I find at Apple is titled "iTunes 8.2.1 for G3". The release date is July 15, 2009. Why is the only version of 8.2.1 I can find labeled "for G3". I'm using a G4. Will this version work? In the description it states that if you are using a G4 or G5 you should "visit" the following link which takes you to the iTunes 9.0 download page. Here is a link to the version:

http://tinyurl.com/mrkl5q

Here are two links to the downgrading directions. Is there an easier way? Here's the first set of directions. See the second post.

http://tinyurl.com/dzrwqj

Here's the second set. It seems that the tricky part involves the fact that iTunes updates your library when you install an update.

http://tinyurl.com/cshg44

I haven't had a chance this weekend to try the Safari 4 update/disable Top Sites. If I could simply go back to my old iTunes I would be very happy. If not then I will update to Safari 4 and disable Top Sites.

Thanks for any help.

Philip

Sorry, I didn't do a complete copy and paste on my last post. The first sentence was left out. Here's the complete post:

Speaking of iTunes ... when I first updated to iTunes 9 and found that I would then have to update to Safari 4 I searched for information on how to downgrade to my previous version of iTunes. In my list of installed updates I see that I updated to iTunes 8.2.1 on 08/04/09. This was my last update before iTunes 9.0.

I think I found directions for the correct way to downgrade iTunes. The problem is that when I search for iTunes 8.2.1 the only download I find at Apple is titled "iTunes 8.2.1 for G3". The release date is July 15, 2009. Why is the only version of 8.2.1 I can find labeled "for G3". I'm using a G4. Will this version work? In the description it states that if you are using a G4 or G5 you should "visit" the following link which takes you to the iTunes 9.0 download page. Here is a link to the version:

http://tinyurl.com/mrkl5q

Here are two links to the downgrading directions. Is there an easier way? Here's the first set of directions. See the second post.

http://tinyurl.com/dzrwqj

Here's the second set. It seems that the tricky part involves the fact that iTunes updates your library when you install an update.

http://tinyurl.com/cshg44

I haven't had a chance this weekend to try the Safari 4 update/disable Top Sites. If I could simply go back to my old iTunes I would be very happy. If not then I will update to Safari 4 and disable Top Sites.

Thanks for any help.

Philip

I think the directions to downgrade iTunes will work, but I've never tested it, since I rarely use iTunes for anything, so I almost never update it. However, you can only downgrade to iTunes 7.6.2, which you can find here: iTunes 7.6.2.

As always, have a full backup of your hard drive (or at least all your purchased music) before you attempt this, just in case it doesn't work.

Golden Shoes,

Thanks for the advice. Why can I only downgrade to iTunes 7.6.2? I don't understand.

Philip

Why can I only downgrade to iTunes 7.6.2? I don't understand.

Because it's the only version for a G4 machine that you can download from the Apple web site.

I thought possibly the "for G3" label was just Apple discouraging downgrades. I downloaded "iTunes 8.2.1 for G3" to my desktop. In the "Before you install" text file it stated:

iTunes 8.2.1 requirements

Hardware:
• Mac computer with an Intel, PowerPC G5, G4, or G3 processor


Very confusing.

Philip

Yes, that is confusing; it seems almost deliberately misleading on the web site to say it's for a G3 machine but then have something completely different in the Read Me file when you download it.

Golden Shoes,

Just wanted to let you know that I decided that downgrading iTunes sounded too risky so i decided to go ahead and once again upgrade to Safari 4 so that iTunes 9 would work, and then use your technique to disable Top Sites and ... it worked like a charm!

When I click the Top Sites icon in my Bookmarks bar it no longer displays a picture icon of every web page I visit, just an empty black icon for that page if it is a Bookmark. If it's not a Bookmark then nothing is displayed. (I've since removed the Top Sites icon from the Bookmarks bar.)

When I check "Home/Library/Caches/com.apple.Safari/Web Page Previews" it is empty! It is no longer filling up with .jpg and .png files, eating up hard disk space an slowing my computer!

Safari 4 is now lightening fast, and iTunes 9 works.

Unfortunately iTunes 9 is a little slow compared to iTunes 8, probably because of all its new "features". I think Steve Jobs really wants me to buy a new Mac and he does have a point.

Thanks again for all of your help.

Philip

Safari top sites just started hanging up on me for no reason. I followed the instructions below to reset Safari and only select "remove all webpage preview" and now works fine. Thanks!!!

Thank you! This all works great with the exception of one thing.

This solution eliminated the images for the thumbs in Top Sites, but not the captions or name of the thumbnail.

For example, if you hover over the empty thumbnail place holder which still exists, a caption of the site I visited still appears. I would like to remove that as well.

I betting it's an additional file in the Library/Safari or Cache folder. Do you know which one?