Address Book goes bye bye!
 

Having had no problems with my Address Book, I never got to know it well. All I knew was that the icon in the dock launched my Address Book when I needed to add or delete an address. Then all of a sudden, the magic was gone. A click on the dock icon no longer opened my address book. The little triangle showed up on the dock icon, but nothing showed on the screen. It required a Force Quit to get rid of the triangle.

In Mail however, clicking on the Address Book elicited a normal response, all my addresses were there — no problem, but the trouble is I can't add or delete names from Mail.

How do I teach this Panther G3 iBook who's boss around here?

Access the Address Book under /Applicaitions. Does that open up correctly? If so, then drag the app to your Dock.

Unhappily no, I tried that up front.

1) You should try the standard troubleshooting suggestions:
http://www.apple.com/support/mac101/ (see the "My Mac needs help" section)
http://www.macosxhints.com/article.p...04011205473937
http://forums.osxfaq.com/viewtopic.php?t=7269
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/faqs.html

In particular, be sure to try logging in as a different user to see if the problem exists there. (Create a new user via the Accounts preference panel if you only have the one user account so far.)

2) Launch the "Console" application (under /Applications/Utilities) and look for relevant error messages. Note that messages are labeled with the date & time so you can use that to locate the part of the log to look at. Copy & paste the relevant messages back here so we can see them.
Be sure to look at system.log as well as console.log (Use the "Logs" button (top-left) to see the various logs available - note that you will probably need to be an "admin" user to see the system.log)

Holy good cow, I can't even read your suggestions let alone implement them. I think my best bet would be to buy another computer. Tomorrow, with a good night's rest, I'll try to understand what you mean. The idea that I can sign up as another user and then read my personal files as someone else, shakes me up. I thought my personal stuff was sacred!

I found the Utilities you mentioned, in Applications — but I didn't find "Console." This all sounds so formidable. I will checkout the four links you provided in hopes I'll see something I can understand. Meanwhile, think of me as a person with only half a brain, maybe there's another way you can explain what I need to do (aside from getting another half a brain).

Which half?
 

There are two halfs, one half is analytical, the other is creative. Which have are you? From the sounds of the conversation, it's the creative half.

thx
RLC

Well, first off, any user with "administrator privileges" (see the Accounts preferences panel) has complete control over the computer. An "admin" user can read anyone's files (with a little bit of finagling). The user account that you created when you first got the computer is an administrator account. When you create new user accounts you have the choice of making them administrators or not.

But I wasn't talking about being able to look at your user's files when logged in as another user. I was merely recommending that you should try logging in as another user to see if the problem applies to all users or just to your user account. In other words, it wasn't a measure intended for solving your problem - it was intended just as an aid in diagnosing what the problem is.

Utilities is a folder. In that folder there are a large number of applications and possibly some sub-folders. One of the applications in the Utilities folder should be called "Console".

By the way, what version of OS X do you have? (See the "About this Mac" from the Apple menu if you aren't sure.)
And how much free disk space do you have? (Usually shown on the bottom of Finder windows, otherwise click on the hard disk icon and do File / Get Info)

It isn't that bad. Just take a deep breath and read the instructions and follow them one step at a time. Ask specific questions here if there is something that you don't understand. Be sure to tell us in detail exactly what you have done (on the level of "I clicked on ... and then ....") and what you saw (including the exact text of any error messages etc).

I'm running OS X 10.3.9 on a G3 iBook. I checked for "free disk space" as you instructed and learned I have enough space for another computer: namely, 12.89 GB.

As for "Console," I found it in HD>Library>Logs>(my short name)>Console with 11 documents in it. I clicked on a couple and received the following unjoyous type message: There is no default application specified to open the document "console.log." It feels almost indecent to be this far into the bowels of my machine. But already it looks like Console is in the wrong pew?

Before I try anything else, does my Console needs to be taught some geography first?

The most important thing is to slow down and read instructions carefully. If you don't understand them, read them again. And if they still aren't clear, ask for help, stating exactly what part of the instructions you don't understand.

I had said above:
You had earlier said that you had found the Utilities folder under /Applications. You should use Finder to go into the Utilities folder and look for the application named "Console". (If you have configured your system to show all file extensions, then it will be called "Console.app")
Double-click on the "Console" icon and it should run the Console application.
Then you should be able to follow the instructions of post #4

If there is no application named "Console" in the /Applications/Utilities folder, that must mean that you have deleted it or moved it somewhere else. Does that seem likely?

My system is configured to show all file extensions. I've confirmed that by Finder>Preferences>Advanced>Show all file extensions: checked. I searched for Console.app in Finder>File>Find where I found "0 items."

The chances that I moved Console "somewhere else" are nil. The chances that I deleted it (by some moronic ineptitude) are not so nil, but I can't imagine what I'd be doing within a mile of Console.

Would moving Console from HD>Library to the Utilities Folder remedy this problem?

Can I just say to H... with this migraine by installing appropriate Address Book shareware? I'm sensing I have a large sized boil here. Incidentally, I read about repairing permissions in Disk Utility in one of your citations, I did that and got an unintelligible report — apparently everything was okay.

Instead of searching for it, it would be better just to look in the place where it is supposed to be. You didn't say whether you looked in the Utilities folder for it, but I'll assume you did.

In that same Utilities folder, there should be an application called "Terminal". Please launch the "Terminal" application (by double-clicking it) and copy & paste the following commands, press Return, then copy & paste the results back here so we can see:

id
ls -l /Applications/Utilities
echo "done"

No. The file you are referring to in your Library/Logs folder is "console.log" which is a text file with the error messages etc. It isn't an application. We're looking for the application "Console" (or "Console.app").

Possibly, but it won't likely integrate with Mail.app etc as well as the Apple-supplied Address Book.

And more importantly, your Address Book problem might be just the tip of some more fundamental problem that you don't want to ignore.

It would be a good idea for you to do a repair of the filesystem. I.e. you should do "Repair Disk" (different from "Repair Disk Permissions"!) in Disk Utility when booted from the Install CD/DVD. I.e. you restart from the Install CD/DVD, then run the version of Disk Utility that is available from one of the menus there.
See this Apple doc:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214

Thank god Terminal didn't open, I was scared to death to mess with it. It's acting exactly like Address Book — unresponsive to my best clicks. If it had opened, would it have been obvious to me where those commands were to be pasted?

Nevertheless, your post was the proximate reason I discovered how I got into this damned mess to start with. I clicked on the link you provided at the bottom and right away stumbled over the following: "In some situations, file system errors may prevent your computer from starting up. This can occur after an improper shutdown, forced restart, or power interruption. If your computer shows any of the following symptoms on startup, use a disk repair utility"

I had the mother of "improper shutdowns" and "forced restarts" more than a week ago — I never knew anything was wrong until I tried to use my Address Book several days later. The article states, as you did, I'll have to "use a disk repair utility."

But then it suggested: "Try a Safe Boot." Allegedly this does some of the repair work of Disk Utility. I read from another live link farther down in the article about how to do a Safe Boot (for OS X 10,3.9).

Should I do it? I can't believe I can get out of this calamity that easy? I have my original installation CDs if needed. I'm on tenter hooks with all this stuff which is twelve miles over my head.

You could try doing a Safe Boot first to see if that helps.
You don't need the Install CD for that. You just restart and hold down the Shift key after you hear the chime.
After doing a Safe Boot, restart the Mac again (without holding down the Shift key).

See if things work better after that.

But I'd still recommend doing the "Repair Disk" (not "Repair Disk Permissions") from Disk Utility after restarting from the Install CD. (Insert CD, restart, and hold down the C key after you hear the chime.)
Doing it from the Install CD gives you more feedback about what is happening. If it finds something that needs repair you should repeat the "Repair Disk" immediately and keep repeating until it says the disk seems okay.

What a terrifying experience, I almost ended up really screwing up. I inserted my Mac OS X Install disk, held down the C key, and it ran away with me. I never saw Disk Utility. I got the the whole song and dance: Introduction, Read Me, Licenses, Select Destination, and around that time a window emerged warning me that a newer version is already installed and that it does not allow older versions to be installed on top of newer versions. I almost got diarrhea when I read that. One more centimeter and I thought everything on my computer was in the toilet bowl.

What in the world am I doing wrong. Thank god there was a Cancel button, I jumped on it.

As I said above, you need to go slowly and read the instructions carefully and follow step by step.
The Apple document referred to above (http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214) says:
I think the part you missed was that "Important" warning and the fact that you need to go to the "Installer" menu to get to Disk Utility - it doesn't appear automatically.

I'm almost too embarrassed to reveal what a nitwit I am. I was using the Mac OS X install CD that came with my iBook. Since then, I've installed Panther. I should be doing all this with the Panther Install CD, right?

BY the way, you were right to be dubious about Safe Boot, it was apparently too safe — nothing happened. Further, you were right about the Installer Menu (I never went there) — I was freaking out at the time.

I don't see how I can make things worse, I'm going apply all your instructions to the Panther #1 Install CD, what's the worst thing that can happen? (With me, it could be erasing my HD) Will advise results.

It doesn't matter all that much. It should work with the CD that came with your iBook. But it is better to do it with the Panther CD just because the version of Disk Utility that comes on that CD will be more recent (and hence better).

I am so heartbroken. After such a laborious odyssey, would you believe Address Book and Terminal still wont open?

Amazingly, all went so well — the procedure unfolded perfectly like a fan. All of a sudden Disk Utility appeared on my screen, as you said it would, with First Aid already selected. I clicked Repair Disc with a triumphant flourish and waited for the clatter to stop. Finally a report appeared stating that: the HD appears to be okay (or words to that effect).

Below under another heading, I read (in green ink): HFS volume repaired. I took that to mean something good happened. Alas, it turned out that whatever was repaired, wasn't the cause of my migraine headache.

I may try to fix this with a hammer.

It's hard to guess what could be wrong with your system without more information.
Since the Terminal application doesn't work (according to post #12), we can't use that to get more info.
Maybe you could show us a screen capture of the Utilities folder in Finder?
Here's how:

In Finder, navigate to the Utilities folder (/Applications/Utilities).
In the "View" menu, change it to "as List"
Make the Finder window big enough to show all the files if possible.
Hold down the Command (Apple) key and the Shift key and then press the 4 key. The mouse cursor should change to a cross-hairs. Sweep out the are of the screen that you wish to capture by pressing the mouse button and moving the mouse and then releasing.
The screen capture image file will have been created on your Desktop. The first one will be called "Picture 1", the next one "Picture 2", etc.
Attach this image file to your next forums post using the "Manage Attachments" button (at the bottom when you reply).
If the forums software says that the image file is too big (the limit is 100 KB I think), then make two (or more) separate screen captures showing top & bottom parts of the Finder window, etc.

I can't believe the stuff I'm doing. I hope these images get through. The first one was rejected because it was 203 KB. I'll faint if you need these with the triangles pointed down.

As an alternative way of doing Hayne's suggestion, highlight the text in the code box below, and press shift-command-8.
A file should be generated on your desktop called D57DD981-FDE6-4C20-9AAA-EB8299D0B09A.txt. Attach that file to a post here. You may need to edit the file name before posting. The file will list the contents of the /Applications/Utilities folder.

The funny filename avoids possible conflict with a file of the same name on your machine.

[EDIT - Hayne has pointed out to me that keyboard equivalent command above doesn't work on his machine.

Highlighting the above code text and navigating through the Services Menu > Script Editor to 'Get Result of Applescript' should execute the above code correctly. On my system, a keyboard equivalent of cmd-* is shown for this menu option. cmd-* is shift-cmd-8 on a UK keyboard - other keyboards may use a different key.

Also should your browser use the same keyboard combo for something else then this action will fire, and not the one described above.

The above was suggested only as a way of getting around the problem of the malfunctioning Terminal.app and the self-stated level of the original poster's experience.]

Glad to hear that you're enjoying this
:)

They show up fine.
And they confirm that you don't have a Console application in the Utilities folder (like you said). I don't know what could have happened to it.

We could keep on debugging this problem but if you are getting tired of all of this, maybe the best (easiest) thing to do would be to reinstall OS X from your Panther CD. Let us know if you would prefer to keep on debugging this instead of just reinstalling (after reading the instructions below) and we can guide you through some more diagnostic procedures.

There are various options for the reinstall. You want to do an "archive and install" and be sure to select the option to preserve users. This will keep all your user files and just replace the OS X system files and applications.
You can read a bit more about this option in the paper booklet that came with tour Panther CD. If you can't find that booklet, here's a PDF version: http://download.info.apple.com/Apple...tall_Setup.pdf
After the reinstall, you should run Software Update afterwards to get your system up to date again.

Even though the "archive & install" with the preserve users option should keep all of your files intact, it would be best if you did a backup of your user files first - just in case something goes wrong.
You can make a backup onto CDs or DVDs (if you have a DVD writer), or onto an external disk.

After install come back and tell us how things are. Do you still have a problem?