whidbeyben3
Level 1 (1 points)

Q: Security Update 2015-007 and 2015-008 break printing in 10.9.5

Security Updates 2015-007 and 2015-008 both break printing on Mavericks (10.9.5) from multiple applications including view PDF in Preview, Word (Office 2011) and Pages on my Mid 2012 MacBook Pro and 21.5-inch Mid 2011 iMac.  Both functioned perfectly until installing these security updates which cause an odd font substitution (irregularly shaped rectangles instead of characters) in both print previews and in printed output to multiple different printers from different manufacturers.  I first encountered this with Security Update 2015-007, and was able to fix it by reinstalling Mavericks and installing all updates EXCEPT the Security Update 2015-007.  I was hopeful that the Security Update 2015-008 would patch this, but I get the exact same problem with printing.  Again, the fix is to reinstall Mavericks and NOT install the Security Update.  In the details about both these fixes, there is something about a change in font authentication to prevent execution of malicious code.  This appears to be breaking font handing in Mavericks.  While updating to Yosemite or El Capitan might be a work around, an absolutely essential piece of software I use (Dragon Dictate Medical for Mac v3.x) will only run on Mavericks and not later  (SHAME ON NUANCE for not updating their software to run on versions of MacOS until 3 years and more after release and SHAME on them for charging over $500 just to be able to run on Yosemite, and not El Capitan!). 

 

This is not a problem inherent to Office 2011 as a clean wipe and reinstall does not fix the problem.  It also effects printing in multiple Apple native aps including Preview and Pages. Only doing a clean reinstall of Mavericks without the Security Updates fixes the problem.

 

Apple really needs to identify the bug and patch it for the next Security Update, and specifically test it in 10.9.5 with Office 2011.  Other applications that are on both of these computers include Dropbox and Transporter Desktop that run on a system wide level, but neither of these applications has anything to do with font handling or rendering.

MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9.5)

Posted on Dec 11, 2015 11:35 AM

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whidbeyben3

Q: Security Update 2015-007 and 2015-008 break printing in 10.9.5

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Eric Root,Helpful

    Eric Root Eric Root Dec 12, 2015 1:28 PM in response to whidbeyben3
    Level 9 (70,250 points)
    iTunes
    Dec 12, 2015 1:28 PM in response to whidbeyben3

    Send Apple feedback. They won't answer, but at least will know there is a problem. If enough people send feedback, it may get the problem solved sooner.

     

    Feedback

     

    Or you can use your Apple ID to register with this site and go the Apple BugReporter. Supposedly you will get an answer if you submit feedback.

     

    Feedback via Apple Developer


    If you haven't done so already, try resetting the printing system.

    OS X Mavericks: Reset the printing system  also Yosemite

  • by steve626,

    steve626 steve626 Dec 12, 2015 9:12 PM in response to whidbeyben3
    Level 4 (1,551 points)
    Dec 12, 2015 9:12 PM in response to whidbeyben3

    I suggest that you investigate your own setup more thoroughly. We had thousands of Macs running 10.9.5 where I work before they were updated to Yosemite and then El Capitan, and they were (and still are) printing fine to a variety of printers, such as HP, Xerox, etc.

     

    I have a Macbook Air at home still on 10.9.5 (fully updated) and routinely print to Epson and Canon printers in the house and to HP printers at other locations.

     

    For your situation, what printer(s) are you using? Are you using the latest versions of the drivers?

     

    I don't think the Mavericks update has "broken" font handling but the update might be inconsistent with some fonts or extensions that you have installed. It can be quite challenging to identify these extensions when this happens! You could test this by simply installing a clean Mavericks on an external drive and NOT migrate your users and settings over. Then create a new user there and I will bet printing works fine. You could try creating a new user on your existing setup to see what happens there but if you have installed something systemwide that conflicts, that won't be a good controlled experiment.

  • by whidbeyben3,

    whidbeyben3 whidbeyben3 Dec 13, 2015 11:38 AM in response to steve626
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Dec 13, 2015 11:38 AM in response to steve626

    Your thousands of Macs running 10.9.5 were updated to Yosemite and were never running 10.9.5 with security update 2015-007.  While I only have 5 computers in my business, it is mission critical that they be able to print and this problem has been reproducible with Brother and HP drivers that come with 10.9.5 and the latest HP driver updates.  It is not a printer driver problem because rendering of fonts is corrupted even in the finder previews and Open in PDF.  There must be something different about the configuration of your Macbook Air that is working and that is fortunate for you.  The only system-wide non-Apple extensions I have installed on both of these computers is Dropbox and Transporter desktop. 

     

    While this bug may not universally corrupt font rendering in all possible configurations of 10.9.5, it certainly effects my machines.  I hoped it would be fixed with Security Update 2015-008, but it wasn't.  The fix is to reinstall Mavericks without the Security Update. I'd like to update to El Capitan, but it'll be another year or 2 before Nuance updates Dragon Dictate Medical for Mac to run on El Capitan.  I know that Dragon Dictate Medical for Mac is not implicated in this font handling problem because it is not installed on the iMac that has exhibited the font rendering problem associated with the latest Security Updates.

     

    Apple's engineers need to be aware of this problem and look into what "extension" conflicts may be causing it.  I'd happily send them my system profiles.  I have a business to run and have identified a clearly reproducible bug in my real world computers, as well as a fix.  I've sent feedback via the link that Eric Root provided.  I hope that I can install the next Security Update and have this bug squashed for good.

  • by steve626,

    steve626 steve626 Dec 13, 2015 8:48 PM in response to whidbeyben3
    Level 4 (1,551 points)
    Dec 13, 2015 8:48 PM in response to whidbeyben3

    Actually, I should clarify, where I work, our Mac laptops are "replenished" (replaced) every 3-5 years, and the ones delivered with Mavericks are mostly still running Mavericks (a small number were upgraded to Yosemite or El Capitan at special user request, but most are left with the latest updated version of the original version of the OS they were delivered with). Hence people with Mavericks "replenish" now to El Capitan when they get a new computer, but folks on their original Mavericks laptop are almost all still on Mavericks, our IT people leave them on the original OS until they get a new Mac (every 3-5 years), unless someone makes a special request, which most do not. So we have several hundred who are still running the latest Mavericks with the latest security updates and so forth. As am I with my home computer (no printing problems there either). I would be hearing about any printing glitches with the latest Mavericks updates at work because scores of those folks report to me.

     

    I am not doubting the reality of your issue, but this is not widespread so it becomes a bit of a detective hunt to track down the issue in a specific user's case. I see posts only from you about this issue in this forum.

  • by mechant-minou,

    mechant-minou mechant-minou Dec 14, 2015 12:36 PM in response to whidbeyben3
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 14, 2015 12:36 PM in response to whidbeyben3

    I also have this problem. Saving a Word document as pdf does not work on either Word itself (Office 2011) or when the document is opened in Pages.

     

    Workaround: open the document in Preview, then export as pdf.

     

    But clearly, this is a bug introduced with Security update 2015-008, and should be fixed by Apple.