Mac OS X system updates: preventing and resolving problems

   As with every previous minor update to Mac OS X system software,
Apple's latest update, to Mac OS X 10.3.9, may also cause problems
for a minority of users.

   You can reduce the risk of encountering problems when installing
Mac OS X System Updates by following MacFixIt's best practices advice
<http://www.macfixit.com/article.php?story=20050415162734383>:

>As usual, we recommend the following procedure when applying a system update:
>
> * Make sure your hard drive is in good shape: Boot from the OS X
>Install CD and run Disk Utility's Repair Disk function (or use a
>third-party drive utility such as DiskWarrior or TechTool Pro [which
>typically come on bootable CDs - Aron]).
> * When booted from the volume containing Mac OS X, run Disk
>Utility's Repair Disk Permissions function.
> * [Another option is to instead run a multifunction utility
>application, not only to repair permissions but also to perform
>other maintenance tasks, such as running scheduled maintenance
>scripts and deleting user and system cache files. I currently use
>Cocktail's <http://www.macosxcocktail.com/> "Pilot" interface for
>this purpose, but there are at least several other free and
>shareware utilities with similar capabilities. - Aron]
> * Install the update. [Some users have reported that manually
>downloading and installing Apple's Mac OS X Combined (or "Combo")
>Update packages from Apple's Downloads page
><http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/> - as distinguished from
>the smaller "delta" updaters typically offered via OS X's System
>Update - can prevent or correct some update-related problems. - Aron]
> * After rebooting, again run Repair Disk Permissions.

   If you or someone you support are experiencing problems after
updating, some websites offering troubleshooting suggestions include:

http://discussions.info.apple.com/
http://www.macintouch.com/
http://www.macfixit.com/
http://www.macosxhints.com/

   A caveat: suggestions offered by various posters to sites such as
these vary widely in their quality and applicability to your specific
problems, and some could actually be counterproductive.

   Finally, two excellent general troubleshooting guides for Mac OS X
from Randy B. Singer may also be helpful:

   http://www.macattorney.com/panther.html (for Mac OS X 10.3 "Panther")
   http://www.macattorney.com/tutorial.html (for Mac OS X 10.2 "Jaguar")

Aron Roberts
Workstation Software Support Group

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Received on Tue Apr 19 10:37:39 2005