Problem: different languages are being used throughout OS X

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Level 1

10 points

Problem: different languages are being used throughout OS X

I just used Migration Assistant to move a G5 (10.4) to a Mac Pro (10.6.1). Everything looked like it worked until I started using the Mac Pro. There are different languages throughout the system, and they are changing on their own. Examples:

_ Random columns in a Finder window (list view) will have languages other than English. They will change languages on their own, for the same item
_ I will type in English into Spotlight, but some of the results will be in different languages. Running the same query again will return them in even different languages
_ Sometimes an app will have the correct English name, other times it will be in a different language.

Other notes: it's not just one language other than English that I'm seeing.

In the Language system preferences, I removed all languages from the list, and left only English. This fixed some of the issues, but not all.

Any ideas of what I should do besides a clean install without any extra languages? Thanks!

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.1)

Posted on Oct 16, 2009 7:52 AM

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Answer 1

a brody

Level 10

82,959 points

Oct 16, 2009 8:03 AM in response to timmerk

just used Migration Assistant to move a G5 (10.4) to a Mac Pro (10.6.1).

That was your first mistake. The platforms are different enough to cause issues like you are observing. Try the migration again, only this time, follow the tips in this user tip:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=435350&tstart=10

Mac OS X doesn't have a clean install per se. See this user tip:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=607614

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Answer 2

timmerk Author

Level 1

10 points

Oct 16, 2009 8:33 AM in response to a brody

I have to disagree that it was a mistake, because the language problems I'm having are occurring in 10.6 apps: Finder, Spotlight, not old PPC apps. In addition, using Spotlight to search for a 10.6 app, Activity Monitor, shows it in Japanese. This test shows that I was using only 10.6 apps and still am getting the problem.

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Answer 3

a brody

Level 10

82,959 points

Oct 16, 2009 8:41 AM in response to timmerk

If any PowerPC preferences from the old Finder get transferred over they could confuse the machine. Same with Spotlight. Both are PowerPC based.

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Answer 4

timmerk Author

Level 1

10 points

Oct 16, 2009 8:49 AM in response to a brody

I stand corrected! I forgot about the endianness issues on the prefs because I thought they were text, but I think 10.4 was the first version to allow binary plists. I will try when I get home.

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