Reverting back to Safari 4.0.5

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autigers1970 Author

Level 1

38 points

Reverting back to Safari 4.0.5

It seems like I should be able to do this with Time Machine if Safari 5 breaks anything (such as my wife's coupon printing software that works with Safari), but I'm not clear on how I'd do it since Safari is so tied into the system. How would I do this in the event I have trouble?

iMac 21.5", 4GB RAM, 500GB HD, Mac OS X (10.6.3)

Posted on Jun 7, 2010 8:03 PM

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Answer 1

Jun 7, 2010 8:23 PM in response to autigers1970

Yep, not so cut/dry with a revert to Safari via Time Machine, as it's intricately tied to the OS via WebKit.

Do you have a separate clone backup of the computer HD? If you do, update the clone, then install Safari. If you have compatibility issues, reverting is as simple as booting from the clone, then reinstalling it to the HD via the Clone Software program (eg SuperDuper or CarbonCopyCloner).

The other option would be a reinstall of the OS.

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Answer 2

autigers1970 Author

Level 1

38 points

Jun 7, 2010 8:31 PM in response to Hawaiian_Starman

Hmm. The Super Duper clone thing sounds like the ticket. Though I don't currently have a clone backup, just Time Machine. I'm getting a new larger external HD for Father's Day and could do one then. I'll hold off installing Safari 5 for now.

Apple really should consider including an uninstaller with their new releases of Safari. There always seems to be some bugs that need to be ironed out for various people.

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Answer 3

andyBall_uk

Level 7

20,516 points

Jun 7, 2010 8:31 PM in response to autigers1970

You'd boot from the 10.6 install disk, then from the installer menu - choose Utilities - 'restore system from backup'

the restore assistant should scan your connected TM drives for any suitable backups, and allow you to choose from them, before carrying out the process.

This assuming you haven't excluded any system files from the TM backups.

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Answer 4

Jun 7, 2010 8:55 PM in response to andyBall_uk

If you happen to have backed up the previous version of Safari, then you could just replace 5 with 4.0.5, but I assume you don't, so you're out of luck!

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Answer 5

Jun 7, 2010 8:58 PM in response to Arhsmacdude

If you happen to have backed up the previous version of Safari, then you could just replace 5 with 4.0.5, but I assume you don't, so you're out of luck!

I don't think it's that simple. A number of System files would have been altered in the Safari 5 installation. Reverting as you suggest quite possibly would create bigger problems than imagined.

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Answer 6

Jun 7, 2010 9:00 PM in response to Arhsmacdude

No, that won't work as you would be running Safari 5 core under Safari 4.0.5. Your Mail.app will still render using safari 5 and any other app that uses webkit. Once you change the core app you either need to recover from an image backup or reinstall OS from disc (Archive and Install). Dropping the app won't work, that's partly why you have to restart your Mac after installation as opposed to just installing webkit nightly's to run "on top" of the core kit.

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Answer 7

andyBall_uk

Level 7

20,516 points

Jun 7, 2010 9:01 PM in response to Arhsmacdude

Arhsmacdude wrote:
If you happen to have backed up the previous version of Safari, then you could just replace 5 with 4.0.5, but I assume you don't, so you're out of luck!

but what about the webkit, webcore & javascriptglue frameworks? not to mention the Safari framework, the syndication UI framework, javascriptcore, pubsub etc ?

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Answer 8

Jun 7, 2010 9:02 PM in response to andyBall_uk

Hi Andy

You'd boot from the 10.6 install disk, then from the installer menu - choose Utilities - 'restore system from backup'

Good to know. My usual restores from Time Machine are of the more simple nature. For that, I use Back In Time.

I recall when Safari 4 was introduced, a number of posters looked to revert to Safari 3 via Time Machine. In Leopard, the process proved somewhat convoluted. From what you post, seems Snow Leopard has sorted it out. Have you successfully tried a reinstall of an earlier version of Safari via Time Machine (within Snow Leopard or Leopard)?

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