Tech: MacOSX - Problems

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 11:56 PM

There many not be much NEW development for XP-Pro support after next month, but the old support and updates won't go away. And they'll tide me over for a while, until the Win7 is here and we can see if it works.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: BK Lick
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 11:20 PM

This is a pretty old model -- I think ca. 2002. What version of OSX
is installed on it and how much ram is installed? Less than 2GB of
ram might be insufficient with OSX 4.x or 5.x.

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 10:48 PM

Here ya go...Ted Landau
http://www.tedlandau.com/books/helpline/helpline.shtml
BR

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 10:36 PM

So true. I have the book, but I haven't used it much. Good backup. Thought I'd need it, since I'm a Newb.But most things I need to do just seem easy. Mac just keeps running fine. And, I don't really pretend to know what I'm doing! Thank God I chose Mac over PC, otherwise I'd be spending most of my time with repairs & viruses...BR

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 10:27 PM

Stilly doesn't realize that full support for WinXP ends in April, and after that it'll be just like running Win98.

It is interesting to see the display of Mac technology. Keep it up, until this gets fixed.

(Hero buttons waiting for distribution, but we don't have many with apples on them due to low demand.)

John

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 10:26 PM

MacFixit.com http://www.macfixit.com/
BR

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 10:17 PM

Recommend that you READ & RESEARCH before fooling around with "Applejack." Especially if you're on Tiger 10.4+...Check out Ted Landau's Mac OSX Help Line..."On the spot technical help when you need it most." ISBN 0-321-33429-9. Also see MacFixit.com. OS 9 is ancient history in the world of Mac. Good to see everybody trying to help each other though...BR

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 09:52 PM

I agree with Ted. Whatever you replace it with, if you bought it new or used from someone who said it works, then it should work.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: M.Ted
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 05:49 PM

Don't fool with it, take it back. Why should you fix something that was supposed to work when you bought it? Let your seller deal with --you've usually got 90 days or something like that.

Sounds like you've got random shutdown syndrome, though it usually affects only what used to be called laptops--replacement is the best fix for it--trust me.

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: BK Lick
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 05:14 PM

After doing the safe boot, you need to do a normal boot to restore all
the the things that were turned off by the safe boot.

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: Amos
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 03:33 PM

I'm not going to comment on that advice!!



A

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 02:52 PM

Get an HP when you take this one back to the store. But don't get Windoze VISTA, stick with XP-Pro. :)

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: curmudgeon
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 02:41 PM

Just tried. Applejack - command not found.

I assume the it did not download/install properly.

Neither exit or boot commands will work

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: curmudgeon
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 02:31 PM

"If I understand you, you can access the Internet but Firefox won't add any bookmarks" -- we had to enter each URL individually to move around the net; it eventually crashed while Linn was at Yahoo.

When I was on the offending box, I clicked on your link to applejack and hit the install command.

I will shortly proceed as you suggest and will report back - Tom

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: Amos
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 01:03 PM

If I understand you, you can access the Internet but Firefox won't add any bookmarks. Correct?

You can go get applejack from the link I provided upthread?

I would do that next, and download applejack.

Then I would run applejack by starting with CMD+S again and typing applejack at the command line.


A

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: curmudgeon
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 10:46 AM

OK, I've done the fsck -fy thing; it was having trouble recognising the modem, which I reset twice. It crashed on firefox.

I rebooted w. shift key and it worked.

However, I now am unable to bookmark any sites, so will just stay here awaiting further instructions - Tom

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 10:24 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: BK Lick
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 01:57 AM

I would try the safe boot first -- if it works it's a lot easier and does essentially the same file system checks as fsck.

Also, when fsck finishes it will display either "The volume Macintosh HD appears to be OK" or "File system was modified."
In the latter case you'll need to keep rerunning fsck until you see the former message.

—BK

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: curmudgeon
Date: 07 Mar 09 - 06:13 PM

Thanks again, Amos. I probably won't do anything before tomorrow, as I want to be fully rested before I attempt any computerishness - Tom

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: Amos
Date: 07 Mar 09 - 06:11 PM

BTW, when you can do so, go to this page and download Applejack.

A

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: Amos
Date: 07 Mar 09 - 04:43 PM

Correction: when the system is finished running the fsck check and repair program, just type "exit" and hit return. It will reboot.

This type of problem occurs most commonly because file permissions have gotten hosed up somehow. Plus there are mapping files such as catalog and lists of preference panes which are usually invisible in the system which participate in booting and operating the system.




A

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: Amos
Date: 07 Mar 09 - 04:40 PM

Yes: Hold down the CMD key and the S key during startup.

Yes, type fsck (space) -fy and hit return.

A

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: curmudgeon
Date: 07 Mar 09 - 04:22 PM

Thanks again.

Amos, when you say CMD+S, do you man command,S?

Is there supposed to be a space between fsck and -fy?

FWIW, we have not installed any programs on this computer, but is supposed to have system 9 on it also - Tom

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: BK Lick
Date: 07 Mar 09 - 04:16 PM

The command in several languages indicates a "kernel panic" -- a sort of Unix nervous breakdown.
This is almost always caused by a hardware problem. Try detaching everything non-Apple
and restoring things one at a time.

If you cannot restart, then do a "safe boot" by holding down the shift key from the startup chime
until you see "Safe Boot" on the login screen.

—BK

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: john f weldon
Date: 07 Mar 09 - 04:13 PM

There is a little hole somewhere on the CD drive that will force it to open with a paper-clip, even if the computer's frozen. Put in the disk.   Start the computer & hold down C. The door should shut & it should boot.

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: Amos
Date: 07 Mar 09 - 04:12 PM

Try the following:

1. Restart holding down CMD+S
2. This brings up single-user mode, a UNIX command line.
3. Type fsck -fy and press return.
4. The OS will run repairs on some internal permissions and catalog files.
When it is finished type boot and press return.

THEN it should boot. If so, go via Safari to VersionTracker.com and download a program called Applejack and install it.

Once it is installed you can do a wider range of repairs on the system by starting with CMD+S to enter single-user mode and typing "applejack" and return.


A

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: john f weldon
Date: 07 Mar 09 - 04:08 PM

No, you can boot from a CD without accessing the internal drive.
You can boot from an external firewire drive also.

Hold C when starting and it will ignore the internal drive.

Unless it's a hardware problem.

And...you can now download system 9 for free from the apple website.

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: Jeri
Date: 07 Mar 09 - 04:08 PM

Tom, I think you have to have the disc in there before you turn the computer on. (Put it in before shutting it down maybe.)

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: curmudgeon
Date: 07 Mar 09 - 03:53 PM

Thanks for the tips,guys. But the fact that it locks uo before I can access the disk drive rules out your ideas.

I'll be returning it to the seller for repair or replacement - Tom

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: john f weldon
Date: 07 Mar 09 - 12:25 PM

The person who sold it to you should have given you bootable system CDs. If it runs from those, it's probably not a hardware problem and you can reinstall the system.

Since it's a G4 (I think) or G5(?) it can still run system 9. You may have that on the machine already. If it works from that, again it's probably a corrupted file in system 10, which has thousands of invisible files.

Subject: RE: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: Amos
Date: 07 Mar 09 - 11:33 AM

Tom:

You need to boot from CD a copy of Disk Warrior and let it repair the HD.

A

Subject: Tech: MacOSX - Problems
From: curmudgeon
Date: 07 Mar 09 - 09:42 AM

We have just upgaded to a new(used) Mirror Door Power mac with OSX +. The first problem was erratic and sometimes frequent, crashes of Firefox; Safari as well. Then the computer would be fine for hours.

Next, the system started crashing, with a command, in several languages, to restart. Now it crashes on startup.

The only error messages we've gotten are:

unresolved kernal trap

Any ideas?

Thanks - Tom