Here we go again....10.6.7 doesn't kill anything

I don't blame you for not "updating", a brody:
It really can be a pain. I don't know what to call my install; 10.6.FrankenStein might be a good
name.

Of course, for starters, it has my "Nuke the App Store" package installed. 10.6.6/7 are much
more responsive and stable it seams without the App Store. One thing I treasure about my
using my computer is the ability to pretty much get away from all the mass media
commercialism.

I substituted audio kexts from 10.6.2, because the 10.6.7 ones makes my music sound
like garbage. I have my computer audio line out routed through professional stereo amps and
speakers. I'm particular about my music, and every since 10.6.5, the audio drivers make the
music sound like it is being run through some kind a reverberator or something.

10.6.5 - 10.6.6 had DNS problems at times. 10.6.6 wasn't as bad as 10.6.5, but I still was
experiencing intermittent connection problems with some of my web host provider's servers
even with 10.6.7, so I just installed my mDNSresponder fix kit, (that contains mDNSresponder
binaries from 10.6.4), on to 10.6.7. Now I can connect nicely again to those servers without
having to clear the DNS Cache to straighten out problems

10.6.2 was the update I had the least problems with actually. The 10.6.2 Finder bug was a bit
irritating though. That was the one where Finder would fail copying files from Mac drives to msdos
drives properly, particularly when the files were large and/or copying directories. Of course, if
you had no msdos drives, you had no copy problems. I got around the bug by using the command
line to copy the files.

The java updates were troublesome too, breaking java programs that I use regularly, so I quit
installing them altogether after Java update #2.

I long ago revoked software update's automatic update privileges.

"What do you want to update today?"

FWIW, I have applied each of the Snow Leopard updates promptly to every Mac that I own that is capable of running that OS. I have never seen any of the issues you mention. If anything, my Macs run better after applying the updates than before.

I believe a large part of the reason for this is I studiously avoid doing anything that even hints at creating an unsupported, hacked OS. This includes in particular mixing system components from different OS versions (which creates an OS truly worthy of the "Frankenstein" label) & installing third party products that alter OS behavior through the use of undocumented entry points into system-level API's, especially those that Apple reserves for its private use. (This includes a surprising number of popular system "enhancers," many of which regularly appear on editor's "top pick" lists & receive glowing reviews.)

Since these hacks result in an installed OS that is materially different from the one Apple provides & supports, & the installed OS is what applies OS updates +to itself+ (a process so exacting it is sometimes compared to rebuilding an airplane while it is in flight), it should not be too surprising that applying an OS update to these hacked versions often adversely affects system stability or creates other problems, or that the problems not infrequently multiply or get worse with each successive update.

The same logic applies to systems with file system damage affecting the installed files of the OS: it is no longer the Apple-provided & supported version so similar problems almost invariably occur if it is allowed to attempt to update itself. For this reason, it is good practice to run Disk Utility's "Verify Disk" step on any volume immediately prior to applying an OS update to it. Running it afterwards is usually ineffective if file-system related problems have occurred because the OS has most likely already sustained enough file damage that it can only be fully corrected by reinstalling it from an undamaged source like an installer DVD once the target file system has been repaired.

a brody wrote:
If I had any Mac customers. I haven't had any in four years. Just do this on my spare time.

You might have some Mac customers if you had up to date experience with the software and hardware. Not too impressive when your pages you provide links to talk about OS x 10.2

I got married! Otherwise I would probably be all over it!

Congratulations! Now you never need to upgrade your computer.

😉 cornelius

Hi KJK,

If you have a very customized rig and you have it running well and don't want to touch it, that's fine. Although, you may miss some important security updates.

My point is that if you give advice on the boards about an update, you should be running that version on some disk or volume, so you can test.



-mj

+*Well the last update ate my Mac, my cat and a school bus!*+

Considering how much trouble cats tend to do to OS X with their random key-presses, I guess the OS decided to fight back!

a brody wrote:
That argument hasn't held water since before 10.6.2's release as I did keep myself updated.

Not SL 10.6.2. Your latest link to one of your pages deals with OS X 10.2 Jaguar.

macjack wrote:
My point is that if you give advice on the boards about an update, you should be running that version on some disk or volume, so you can test.

FWIW, the Submissions section of the Discussions Terms of Use makes the same point somewhat more bluntly:

"5. Test your answer. When possible, make sure your Submission works on your own computer before you post it."

Generally speaking, if you're not successfully running any change (update) on your system, you are not qualified to vouch for it's stability or lack thereof.
If you find that to be incorrect, please explain.

a brody wrote:
I have not heard of any significant changes that would make my answers flawed. I do read the update revisions as Apple states them. Assuming the documentation is correct, I'm still on fairly solid footing.

Sorry, that is no substitution for testing on one's system.
I realize after using and supporting Macs since 1985 that every update is claimed to ruin lives, kill pets, and break up marriages, but you can't claim there's no issues if YOU aren't using the update.
If all Apple and others had to do is run a package on ONE Mac, nothing would work right.

a brody wrote:

Generally speaking, if you're not successfully running any change (update) on your system, you are not qualified to vouch for it's stability or lack thereof.

I read the forums each update and see plenty of people who have no trouble whatsoever. The fact there are at least some who say this on the forums, says the error lies somewhere else, and not with the update. If any update had any real stability issues, it would appear for everyone. Since the update is not a common denominator, it can not logically be the cause people are searching for.