how do I downgrade safari 6 to 5.1.7 in Lion?

I have the same question.

I have the pkg but it doesn't want to install because I have a 'more recent version already installed'.

Any help ?

thx

Hi there!

I find this topic via google because I got fed up with Safari 6 for these reasons:

- It's buggy

- I don't like the change in tabs

- I cant open certain links, like my favourite vacuum tube forum for example

- Sometimes I can't scroll on a page

- I use google to Google, not the address bar

Because I figured there would not be an answer on Google yet I started messing around myself, this is what I did to downgrade Safari:

I Downloaded Safari 5.1.7 from here: http://appldnld.apple.com/Safari5/041-5467.20120509.F6PPX/Safari5.1.7LionManual. dmg, http://mac.softpedia.com/dyn-postdownload.php?p=25616&t=0&i=1

I opened Terminal.app and became root:

sudo su -

I figured removing Safari would be a good start

rm -rf /Applications/Safari

The installer still complained about a newer version of Safari being installed, so I did a little find command to see if there would be more files that need to be deleted:

find / | grep Safari | grep -v Users

- I removed these directories:

#rm -rf rm -rf /System/Library/Automator/Get Current Webpage from Safari.action

#rm -rf /System/Library/SyncServices/AutoRegistration/Schemas/com.apple.Safari.syncsche ma

rm -rf /System/Library/StagedFrameworks/Safari

rm -rf /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Safari.framework

#rm -rf /System/Library/Automator/Get Feeds from Safari.action

exit

After removing these directories I was able to use the 5.1.7 installer and I am now writing this to you hapely in Safari 5.1.7 🙂

I didn't test if all these directories should be removed, I just removed these and then tried the installer again and it worked. I guess not all these directories have to be removed, the ones I assume do not have to be deleted are commented out.

This worked for me, except the Safar 5.1.7 download, which I did find available to download at SoftPedia.com

Loving being back on Safari 5!

Seriously concerned that Apple's been sucking & regressing on usability with each recent release!

Thanks for helping me restore the sensible version.

Safari 6.0 is absolute poop-poop, what are these people thinking, it's a black mark boys and girls. I mindlessly install it this morning at software updates request, and oh my God. Why did install change all my settings? Where is my search window, explain why I can't open sites that open yesterday. I'm not experienced enough to go into terminal and start rewriting the **** software! Embarrassment, thankful I have Windows 7 and Exploier running on the same machine in an emulator. Well migrate back to Firefox tomorrow. If you know anyone else in the Mac brotherhood warned them quickly! Thank you "apple" (case by design) morons (scr_w you if you think I'm politically incorect, oh you're right morons are smarter!)

Work for me, thanks.

I had to replace rm -rf /Applications/Safari by rm -rf /Applications/Safari.app

Also I did delete all the folders you mention manually

back to 5.1.7, feel good 😉

I used RSS feeds in 5.1.7 and it was a convenient way of managing my news, etc. I don't like being dumpted into mail everytime I try and open a feed. (I've got a bookmark folder full of them).

I'm going to try the suggested downgrade and will remember to stop being such an early adopter in the future. Makes me wary of Mountain Lion. Not that there are any major faults/bugs but there will be many subtle changes not to my liking. Will wait a while.

When I wrote the command :

rm -rf /Applications/Safari.app

in Terminal, not only was Safari deleted, but all my other applications began to disappear also, as I saw them being deleted one by one in my open Applications folder.

What in the world did I do wrong ?

What if I wrote an extra space after the first "/" ( rm -rf / Applications/Safari.app ) ?

Or, did this happen because my Applications folder was open ?

Absolute mystery to me !

Lucky I had a fresh Carbon Copy Cloner backup on hand. I got everything back to work in a mere 20 minutes.

Anyone has a clue ? Because I would really like to reinstall Safari 5.1.7 in my Lion partition.

YM

I used AppDelete to archive and then uninstall Safari 6. Download 5.17 from Cnet. Open the 5.17 installer with Pacifist. Highlight the directory and click install. I answered yes to all of the questions regarding overwriting duplicate files. I then repaired permissions and rebooted (not sure if the reboot was needed). All is well, I am typing this reply in Safari 5.17 on OS 10.8.

Hi Yves,

That's strange, did you copy/paste the command or did you write it over? If you did do a 'rm -rf /' then I can understand why all your applications got removed since you basicly where removing everything in your filesystem.

Please try this to remove the new Safari from your system, just selected the lines between the ###'s and copy/paste them into a terminal:

First make sure you have downloaded the old Safari (5.1.7) !!

###

sudo rm -rf /Applications/Safari.app

sudo rm -rf /System/Library/StagedFrameworks/Safari

sudo rm -rf /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Safari.framework

###

Now go and mount the Safari 5.1.7 installer dmg, install Safari and you should be back on track with Safari 5.1.7 installed on your Mac.

Regards,

Anthonie

Anthonie, THANKS !

My UPGRADING from Safari 6.0 to Safari 5.1.7 went flawless.

Now, I have :

- My separate Search bar back

- My RSS's are back to work

- My Top Sites refresh and, again, show their update Stars !

- The possibility to change fonts and appearance again.

- And what more !

AND, most important : my firm conviction that from now on, before upgrading any Apple software, one must ask oneself "What are we going to lose, this time ?" !!!

Thanks again !

YM

Happily replying from my fresh new LION Safari 5.1.7 (that, unfortunately, can't be installed in Mountain Lion). And hoping that Apple will soon upgrade their common sense brainware.

Anthonie

I'll add my thanks. Just one tip for others doing the same, copy each line between the ###s individualy and past into terminal. After the first line you'll get a password prompt (Your admin password).

I tried to paste all three lines in one go, and that didn't work. After entering my password it all worked perfectly.

To bad about deferring Mountain Lion until (if) Apple fixes Safari. But I didn't see that much, even for $20, that affects me. Maybe I'll try Crome or Firefox.

Just as an FYI, the v6 install process actually backs up v5.1.7 to be used with an uninstaller (which Apple didn't release for production v6). However, Apple did release an uninstaller for the v6 beta (safari_6_developer_preview_2_for_lion_uninstaller.dmg was the most recent one) and it appears to work just fine (tested it on mine) rolling back production v6 installs on Lion back to v5.1.7.

It requires some digging around online to find it (http://steevepatrick.com/), but would appear to be an option for those that don't want to hop into terminal.

Best of luck to everyone wanting to roll back to v5. One thing that is important for folks to keep in mind, v6 did have a bunch of security holes fixed in it that our v5 rollbacks won't have.

Worked great for me! Thanks Anthonie!

Bob