operating system update heeeelp :)
 

Hey thanks for the previous advice ive also got another slight problem in my g4 - im trying a software update in system preferences & it tries to update the operating system from 10.2.1 to 10.2.8

It gets to about 3/4 of the way through then I receive this message -


"The installation has encountered a problem. None of the checked updates were successfully installed"

"To try again, choose Download Checked items in the Update menu and open from the Desktop"


Im not really a computer wizard so any help would be most appreciated !

Before you ask im using 1mg broadband.

Thanks in advance :)

You could download the updates directly to your desktop and try from there. When you're in Software Updates, at the top under "File", I believe, is the download to desktop. You can then update each one, one at a time. However, there may be a more serious problem lurking if its having a problem updating. Do you have a third-party utility you could run?

Or download it directly from Apple:

10.2.8 Combo Updater

ok im just downloading to the desktop right now, we'll see what happens.

when you say - Do you have a third-party utility you could run?

what do you mean ? could you explain a little please.

sorry im no wizard :(

thanks for the advice.

The Disk Utility that ships with Panther is great, don't get me wrong. But when something serious goes wrong, you'll need to look to a third-party utility like:

Tech Tool Pro 4
DiskWarrior 3
and Norton Utilities

I've listed them in order of my personal preference. Each one is powerful in its own right and may do something the other won't do.

hey im back again - ok i downloaded to my desktop as instructed & then double clicked to install etc, at first the installer looked all white & the normal text was all missing from there (kinda weird) so i tried again & it started to install for about 10 seconds & then i got this message -

"there were errors installing the software"

"please try installing again"

which i done twice & got the same error ! :(

my guess is it could be a prob with the installer maybe ?

what do you think ?

if i run one of these programs as suggested will it solve it ?

Tech Tool Pro 4
DiskWarrior 3
and Norton Utilities

with thanks.

oh yeah forgot to mention when i go to install & it ask you for your authentication name/password - as soon as i type in one single letter the thinking wheel pops ups.

weird :(

You should start by repairing your disk with the Disk Utility by booting off the OS X Installer CD.

Zapping the PRAM and resetting Open Firmware wouldn't hurt either.

Trevor

hi trevor could you please tell me how to do those 2 things you suggested.

with thanks.

Sure! Directions for those and other things here

Trevor

hi trevor i tried the pram thing which hasnt solved the problem, resetting Open Firmware didnt seem to work & nothing happened at all.

someone suggested - try repairing the disk with the Disk Utility by booting off the OS X Installer CD - so i might try that.

can i ask your opinion on these 3 programs someone suggested earlier -

Tech Tool Pro 4
DiskWarrior 3
and Norton Utilities

should i try these ?

ive heard norton doesnt work too well with osx, does anyone know where i can maybe download the tech tool or disk warrior for free ?

im just a poor sudent eh :(

It wouldn't be legal to get them for free. Unless your school has a site license.
They aren't cheap.

TTP: $97.98
DW: $79.95

Disk Warrior X, Fire Wire Back Up Drive and Stay away from Hacks
 

It seems as you are having problems with your sytem that require repair.



1) Disk Warrior X is the way to go. ****

2) your best defense though is not to depend SOLELY on any repair program.
You should have backups, CD and DVDs for Data...

And *** One of great ways to go is to use one or more External FW cases with a Hard Drive paritioned into several depending on the size. e.g. you could buy a FW case with 120 gig (about $125) drive and Parition into 2 or 3. Using Carbon Copy Cloner you could create Multiple daily and or Weekly Bootable Back ups of your whole system. Any spare Paritions could be used for Additional space e.g. Temp Space for Photohop, Roxio etc....

At some point you might want to buy additional enclsures or Drives so can Off Site or off systtem one or more drives.

3) Stay away from Hacks aka Coktail etc. Apple works very hard to create a good stable environment. Settings that are safe are easily accessable from Sys Prefs.
Anything else is a risk. ** This is not to say that are not fabulous share alas even hacks out there. Just remember they are a risk. You could surf around on the net sucking up tuning, fixing, and optimizng hacks until your systems totally screwed.

Two Good places to look is this forum and version tracker there are detailed comments and ratings for virtually every App. Apps are rated on 5 Star scale. Anything that is not in the 4 to 5 range is questionable. Of course read comments too.

One Area we not discuss is what all the specefics are about your system
 

Model, ram, Periprerals, Software loaded other then 10.21, etc.?
For instance if you were running any hacks. Or even somthing seemingly as innoucous as NAV9 or an earlier NAV.

Does your system exhibit any other signs of pain and suffering other then its reluctance to be upgraded?

How much free space on your hard drive?

Probably the best course of action is is back up and diskwarrior.

Diskwarrior is extremely SAFE.

And yet we would be remiss if did not council you to back up before doing any surgery.


Good Luck

Any Mac with a factory G4 can boot to Open Firmware. You restart, immediately hold down command-option-o-f (all four keys at the same time-keep holding them until you get to the OF screen), and you will get a text screen- black text on a white background. Try again, or tell us exactly what did happen.

If you have a wireless keyboard, it may not work because your keyboard driver has not yet loaded, but in that case you couldn't have zapped the PRAM with startup keys either, so I don't think that is the case for you.

Trevor

hi ya i have followed all your instructions & i do not get a 'text screen- black text on a white background'

ive tried a few options ie -

holding all keys down immediatly after hitting restart

holding all keys down immediatly a few seconds after hitting restart

waiting for the chime then doing this instruction

but i still get the same start up.

am i doing something wrong here ?

thanks for all your help tevor.

Is your keyboard plugged into the G4 or a USB hub?

its actually plugged into an extension cable cos it want reach to the tower, i'll plug it straight in to the tower.

is that want you want me to do ?

thanks.

check out www.academicsuperstore.com
cheap software for students and teachers!
Full Adobe Creative Suite for $397! (Retail for everyone else is $1200)

Academicsuperstore is great for some stuff
 

No or puny discount on others.

** A word About Holding Keys down and restarting and such.

1) It is not true that you need to stab at all the keys simultaniously for most key combos. A better method for most is to Hold down Key 1 (keep holding key one) and also then start Holding down Key 2

2) For Key combos that need to be done durring a restart, where timing is crucal you may be better off going to the Apple menu and chooseing Shut Down.

3) Then practice your key combo for a sec, Then having all the keys you can hold with one hand (say your left, holding the correct keys) with your right hit the power button on your machine, and quickly return your right hand to any missing keys from the key combo in ?.

** Obviously if you could get them all with one hand there would be no risk of missing, timing wise.

P.S. Noone on this forum can tell you where to get free software that should be paid for. We also still urge you to conern yourself with backups.
DiskWarrior X is worth its weight in Gold.

P.P.S. While it is disreeputibole for someone you know to Robin Hood Software, Robin Hood could come to you with his/her copy of DW and rescue your machine.

Good Luck