10.3.9 apps won't open, computer won't shutdown!

stumpedshannon · 07-21-2005, 04:35 AM

Please excuse if this is somewhere else, but I've spent days searching the web for help. This is the first time I've ever posted to something like this!

My G4 iMac at work running 10.3.9 (with 512 mb of RAM which I've been assured is first-rate, and it's been in there for months) has decided not to open certain applications and utilites. Print Setup Utility, Safari, Help, and any actual preference panes in in System Preferences all give me nothing but the spinning beachball of death. Quark Xpress opens OK. I can eventually get them to open by logging out and logging in again, but it's taking more and more tries. Restarting has no effect, and now the computer will not shut down - it immediately restarts!

Yesterday I booted from the installer cd and used Disk Utillity numerous times to verify and repair the hard drive. It said all was OK, but still the apps won't open and it won't shutdown.

By the way, I forgot to say it hasn't let me make another account to see if it's just mine.

We recently had trouble with our older G4 running system 9.2.2, and we've just changed the hard drive to fix its problems. I'm wondering now if we've had a weird power surge that's caused problems, although our 4 PCs seem OK. I turn them both off at night and they're plugged into a surge protector.

Anyway, I'm freaking out as I've got to train my replacement here at work in 2 days, and nothing is working right! Any ideas would be GREATLY appreciated!

trevor · 07-21-2005, 09:47 AM

Since you only have two days to fix the problem, I'm going to assume you don't want to have a long drawn out troubleshooting process--you would rather just do one thing to fix the issue.

So let's cut to the chase.

There are two things that might be wrong: Software or Hardware.

If the problem is hardware, you can either troubleshoot those hardware items that are user-replaceable such as memory, or else send the computer to Apple for repair.

If the problem is software, then a one-step solution (to most issues) is to boot to your OS X Install CD, select Custom Install, and select "Erase and Install". This will completely erase the hard drive, so make sure that you've got a very reliable backup of any data that needs to be preserved. Heck, make sure you've got two very reliable backups of any important data.

Once you've completed the Erase and Install, you will also need to reinstall any applications that are needed on the computer from their original disks. And you may want to update OS X to 10.3.9 and the applications to the newest versions available.

If Erase and Install seems too difficult, a lesser option that may work is an "Archive and Install". This replaces the entire operating system, but preserves user information and installed applications. If the problem you are seeing is part of the operating system and not part of your user, this will fix the problem. If the problem is part of your user, there are ways to allow you to create a new user, but this will increase your troubleshooting time as we explain all of this to you.

Trevor

stumpedshannon · 07-21-2005, 10:40 AM

Thank you Trevor. I was finally able to log out and log in again and have everything work, including it letting me make another User account. I haven't logged back out though, as I need to get some work done and I'm afraid it will play up again!

I will try your suggestions tomorrow morning, when I'm sure it will give me trouble again. Sigh...

Thanks again!
Shannon

stumpedshannon · 07-22-2005, 06:48 AM

Well, my iMac was fine this morning and the only thing I've done differently is last night I trashed some fonts I had transferred over from my System 9 Mac. Now I know fonts can mess things up in the old operating system, but could that really have kept my OSX computer from shutting down? (please say yes, please say yes...).

I would've thought the bad font would mess more with Quark than things like Printer Setup Utility, but obviously I'm hoping that's what it was.

trevor · 07-22-2005, 10:32 AM

Quote:


	Now I know fonts can mess things up in the old operating system, but could that really have kept my OSX computer from shutting down? (please say yes, please say yes...).

I'm not sure, but it is plausible, especially if some of the added fonts were replacements for required System fonts.

Trevor

stumpedshannon · 07-23-2005, 01:49 AM

Hmmm, no, they were just some 'expert' sans serif ones with fractions that I use sometimes. Oh well. The computer shut down fine on Friday, too.

I'll update Monday on whether all is still well or if the new girl's first day is spent troubleshooting.

Thanks!

giskard22 · 07-23-2005, 10:58 AM

Yes, bad fonts can have horrifying effects on 10.3 (10.4 supposedly does font checks before it tries to load them so the problems are avoided). I've seen a bad font prevent a user from even logging in; their desktop background would appear and the machine would freeze. So I think your diagnosis is likely correct.

stumpedshannon · 07-25-2005, 07:59 AM

Hi Again! Well, it is now Monday, and all seems well with the iMac. Thanks giskard22, I would never have thought a font would do that to the system! I use OS 10.3.9 at home I've not had any trouble with it, but then I'm not loading old fonts on to it. Using it here at work I'm learning that there's a lot I didn't know about this system.

Keep up the good work!

07-21-2005, 04:35 AM	#1
stumpedshannon Prospect Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 5	10.3.9 apps won't open, computer won't shutdown! Please excuse if this is somewhere else, but I've spent days searching the web for help. This is the first time I've ever posted to something like this! My G4 iMac at work running 10.3.9 (with 512 mb of RAM which I've been assured is first-rate, and it's been in there for months) has decided not to open certain applications and utilites. Print Setup Utility, Safari, Help, and any actual preference panes in in System Preferences all give me nothing but the spinning beachball of death. Quark Xpress opens OK. I can eventually get them to open by logging out and logging in again, but it's taking more and more tries. Restarting has no effect, and now the computer will not shut down - it immediately restarts! Yesterday I booted from the installer cd and used Disk Utillity numerous times to verify and repair the hard drive. It said all was OK, but still the apps won't open and it won't shutdown. By the way, I forgot to say it hasn't let me make another account to see if it's just mine. We recently had trouble with our older G4 running system 9.2.2, and we've just changed the hard drive to fix its problems. I'm wondering now if we've had a weird power surge that's caused problems, although our 4 PCs seem OK. I turn them both off at night and they're plugged into a surge protector. Anyway, I'm freaking out as I've got to train my replacement here at work in 2 days, and nothing is working right! Any ideas would be GREATLY appreciated! Last edited by stumpedshannon; 07-21-2005 at 09:13 AM.

07-21-2005, 09:47 AM	#2
trevor Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Boulder, CO USA Posts: 19,549	Since you only have two days to fix the problem, I'm going to assume you don't want to have a long drawn out troubleshooting process--you would rather just do one thing to fix the issue. So let's cut to the chase. There are two things that might be wrong: Software or Hardware. If the problem is hardware, you can either troubleshoot those hardware items that are user-replaceable such as memory, or else send the computer to Apple for repair. If the problem is software, then a one-step solution (to most issues) is to boot to your OS X Install CD, select Custom Install, and select "Erase and Install". This will completely erase the hard drive, so make sure that you've got a very reliable backup of any data that needs to be preserved. Heck, make sure you've got two very reliable backups of any important data. Once you've completed the Erase and Install, you will also need to reinstall any applications that are needed on the computer from their original disks. And you may want to update OS X to 10.3.9 and the applications to the newest versions available. If Erase and Install seems too difficult, a lesser option that may work is an "Archive and Install". This replaces the entire operating system, but preserves user information and installed applications. If the problem you are seeing is part of the operating system and not part of your user, this will fix the problem. If the problem is part of your user, there are ways to allow you to create a new user, but this will increase your troubleshooting time as we explain all of this to you. Trevor __________________ How to ask questions the smart way

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07-21-2005, 10:40 AM	#3
stumpedshannon Prospect Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 5	Thank you Trevor. I was finally able to log out and log in again and have everything work, including it letting me make another User account. I haven't logged back out though, as I need to get some work done and I'm afraid it will play up again! I will try your suggestions tomorrow morning, when I'm sure it will give me trouble again. Sigh... Thanks again! Shannon

07-22-2005, 06:48 AM	#4
stumpedshannon Prospect Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 5	Well, my iMac was fine this morning and the only thing I've done differently is last night I trashed some fonts I had transferred over from my System 9 Mac. Now I know fonts can mess things up in the old operating system, but could that really have kept my OSX computer from shutting down? (please say yes, please say yes...). I would've thought the bad font would mess more with Quark than things like Printer Setup Utility, but obviously I'm hoping that's what it was.

07-23-2005, 01:49 AM	#6
stumpedshannon Prospect Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 5	Hmmm, no, they were just some 'expert' sans serif ones with fractions that I use sometimes. Oh well. The computer shut down fine on Friday, too. I'll update Monday on whether all is still well or if the new girl's first day is spent troubleshooting. Thanks!

07-23-2005, 10:58 AM	#7
giskard22 Moderator Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 4,272	Yes, bad fonts can have horrifying effects on 10.3 (10.4 supposedly does font checks before it tries to load them so the problems are avoided). I've seen a bad font prevent a user from even logging in; their desktop background would appear and the machine would freeze. So I think your diagnosis is likely correct.

07-25-2005, 07:59 AM	#8
stumpedshannon Prospect Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 5	Hi Again! Well, it is now Monday, and all seems well with the iMac. Thanks giskard22, I would never have thought a font would do that to the system! I use OS 10.3.9 at home I've not had any trouble with it, but then I'm not loading old fonts on to it. Using it here at work I'm learning that there's a lot I didn't know about this system. Keep up the good work!