How to Find Software Conflicts?

Question

How to Find Software Conflicts?

After migrating everything from G5 Mac to new Mac Mini, the formatting functions in Mail have not worked (keyboard shortcuts for Bold, Italic, Underline). I have run all software updaters including the recent 10.6.7 combo updater to make sure I have the current versions of everything installed.

I've done several tests:
•In my regular account, reboot into "Safe Mode" (restart with S key down) and Mail works fine. Reboot back into "regular mode," problems with Mail return.

•Create a new "Test Account" and open Mail: In "regular boot mode" Mail has problems; in rebooted "Safe Mode" Mail works fine.

So in either account, Mail works fine when in "Safe Mode," doesn't work correctly in regular mode. So I am assuming there is some software conflict when I am in regular operating mode.

If Mail works fine in Safe Boot Mode, but not in regular mode, how do I go about finding what software is conflicting with Mail? In old OS 9 days, we could restart with extensions and control panels disabled and add them back one at a time to find conflicts. But since working in OSX I have never seen reference to any such process.

(I have also disabled all "Log In" apps so nothing is running when I boot the computer. With no other programs running, Mail misfires -- so I'm assuming it's conflicting with something else.)

Any help on isolating software conflicts would be much appreciated.

2011 Mac Minii, Mac OS X (10.6.7), 8 gigs RAM

Posted on Apr 2, 2011 3:11 PM

Reply

Answer 1

CMCSK

Level 6

11,452 points

Apr 2, 2011 3:21 PM in response to William Kruidenier

If Mail works fine in Safe Boot Mode, but not in regular mode, how do I go about finding what software is conflicting with Mail?

Set up a new account. Mail works the way you want it to?

Quit out Mail. Drag the com.apple.mail.plist file onto your desktop and restart your comuter. Mail works the way you want it to? Trash the plist file if it does. This file is located in - Home/Library/Preferences.

Did you repair permissions and restart your computer after you updated or migrating?

Reply

Answer 2

Apr 2, 2011 4:20 PM in response to CMCSK

Thanks for the suggestion -- I should have mentioned I've deleted the mail.plist several times, and repaired permissions several times. Nothing seems to help except rebooting in "Safe Mode" -- in that mode Mail works fine.

Reply

Answer 3

etresoft

Level 9

57,044 points

Apr 2, 2011 4:30 PM in response to William Kruidenier

Did you try a new account? You could have some old Login Items (System Preferences > Accounts) that are conflicting.

MacOS X also has extensions, but they are harder to track down and almost always involve the terminal.

Reply

Answer 4

Apr 2, 2011 4:33 PM in response to etresoft

Yes -- I mentioned in my original post that I created a new "Test Account." In regular boot-up in the new account, Mail has problems. In "Safe Mode" in new account, Mail works fine. So it's the same in my regular account as in a new account: Mail is fine in "Safe Mode," not fine in regular (extensions loaded) mode.

Reply

Answer 5

etresoft

Level 9

57,044 points

Apr 2, 2011 4:42 PM in response to William Kruidenier

Bummer.

It looks like you will have to do on a hunt. There are 6 possible locations:
$HOME/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/StartupItems
/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchDaemons
/System/Library/StartupItems
/System/Library/LaunchAgents
/System/Library/LaunchDaemons

Do you have anything in any of these directories that doesn't start with "com.apple"? If so, what are they? There are some that don't say "com.apple" that should be there. You have to separate the wheat from the chaff, so the speak.

Do you have anything in the StartupItems folders? If so, that is likely a problem. Anything in there is likely ancient software that is incompatible.

Reply

Answer 6

Apr 2, 2011 6:03 PM in response to etresoft

There was very little in those folders -- a few files related to old software. I tossed everything, restarting and testing Mail as I went -- made no difference. Only one file left in USER>LIBRARY>LAUNCHAGENTS: com.apple.CSConfigDotMacCert-williamk@me.com-SharedServices.Agent.plist

Now nothing in the other folders.

When I first started working this problem a few days ago, command-I and command-B when composing mail would not work. Now, those two commands will produce italic/bold text when composing mail, but they won't revert to plain text when using keyboard commands (command-i/b). Again, all works normally when in "Save Mode" startup.

Thanks for these suggestions -- so far, nothing has made an impact.

Reply

Answer 7

etresoft

Level 9

57,044 points

Apr 2, 2011 7:25 PM in response to William Kruidenier

William Kruidenier wrote:
There was very little in those folders -- a few files related to old software. I tossed everything,

I hope you don't mean that. I just wanted you to list what was there. Any idea on what you deleted? Oh well, I guess if the machine still boots, it wasn't too bad.

When I first started working this problem a few days ago, command-I and command-B when composing mail would not work. Now, those two commands will produce italic/bold text when composing mail, but they won't revert to plain text when using keyboard commands (command-i/b).

I don't understand. It works now, but it doesn't work????

Reply

Answer 8

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Apr 2, 2011 7:47 PM in response to etresoft

+There are 6 possible locations+

Not to mention:

/System/Library/Extensions
/Library/InputManagers
/Library/Mail/Bundles
~/Library/Mail/Bundles

Reply

Answer 9

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Apr 2, 2011 7:57 PM in response to William Kruidenier

Your best approach would be to make a fresh start. Back up your user data, erase your startup volume, reinstall all system components, and restore your data. At this point you can reinstall all plain third-party application bundles that don't start at login. If you're going to do advanced installations -- i.e., anything other than plain application bundles -- then you need a way to keep track of them and uninstall them. I suggest this:

http://macmagna.com/uninstaller/index.htm

Install a few things at a time, testing as you go along.

Reply