Mac OS X 10.4.10 follow-up: The problems that just won't die
Along with a reminder about suggested fixes.
Yesterday we reported on some of the core residual issues resultant from Mac OS X 10.4.10 and other recent updates for which no satisfactory solution has been found. The piece drew considerable response, with many users noting other issues that have proven resistant to conventional workarounds (summarized below, with a reminder about the potential workarounds that are extant if not always effective). For what it's worth, in house the biggest problems we've had under Mac OS X 10.4.10 have been repeated crashes in Safari (both versions 2.0.4 and 3.0.x) despite the absence of any input managers or other third-party modification, and a noticeable increase in general lapses in system responsiveness (spinning beach balls).
USB issues As reported yesterday, a persistent effect negative effect of the 10.4.10 update seems to be that troubles with USB devices remain.
A report from one frustrated reader whose has been taken on a USB roller-coaster with the most recent incremental Mac OS X updates. Mike Dawson writes:
"Up until 10.4.8 I had no problems at all with any USB devices then came 10.4.9 which broke my TomTom Go 910 so it would only run via the USB 1 port on the keyboard of my Intel MacPro. Then came 10.4.10 with a cure and new problems. On the plus side my TomTom now works ok but there is new weirdness when I try to use digital cameras and a no-name flash card reader with my MacPro. I have two Canon cameras and both used to connect directly and mount the internal compact flash card on the desktop as well as auto run iPhoto and do imports. With 10.4.10 this no longer happens in so much as the flash cards do not mount on the desktop, although iPhoto still recognises the cameras and imports the photos. Using the no-name card reader on the MacPro results in nothing being recognised or mounting. Disk Utility and iPhoto ignores it."
In our Mac OS X 10.4.10 special report, we noted that reverting to 10.4.9 is a strong candidate as a solid, nearly certain fix. Don't rule it out. We published instructions on reinstalling the system earlier; use the combo updater (PPC or Intel) to arrive back at 10.4.9, and stay there.
Another possibility, if you really don't want to reinstall the system, is to install earlier versions (from the 10.4.9 combo updater package, using Pacifist) of these files:
- IOUSBFamily.kext
- IOUSBMassStorageClass.kext
- IOHIDFamily.kext
- Download the appropriate version of the Mac OS X 10.4.9 and Mac OS X 10.4.8 combo updaters for your system (more on why later) from Apple's download page, but do not install either.
- Download and install the shareware application Pacifist
- Drag the Mac OS X 10.4.9 installer package onto the Pacifist application icon.
- Click the triangle next to "System" to expand it
- Click the triangle next to "Library" to expand it
- Click the triangle next to "Extensions" to expand it
- Scroll down and find the file IOUSBMassStorageClass.kext. Click the Install button in Pacifist and enter your administrator password.
- Find the file IOHIDFamily.kext. Click the Install button in Pacifist and enter your administrator password.
- Find the file IOUSBFamily.kext. Click the Install button in Pacifist and enter your administrator password.
- Restart your Mac and check for resolution of the issues. If the problem still exists, repeat the steps, but use files from the Mac OS X 10.4.8 combo updater.
That approach is actually riskier, because you are proposing to "mix and match" kernel extensions from different systems, but it has been reported as successful. Remember to delete kernel caches and restart afterwards.
One additional suggestion has recently been mooted: you might try running USB Prober. It is located in /Developer/Applications/Utilities, provided you have installed the Xcode developer tools. (These are probably present on your Tiger installer DVD, if you have one, but the best way to obtain them, if you have a broadband Internet connection, is to go to http://developer.apple.com, join the Apple Developer Connection as a free online member, and log in to obtain the most recent Xcode tools installer as a 1GB download.) Apparently, just running USB Prober does some sort of USB reset that can "wake up" unresponsive USB ports.
Safari crashing Meanwhile, several readers have echoed our experience with repeated Safari crashes under Mac OS X 10.4.10.
One reader writes:
"I have had a problem with Safari crashing that has started with and has increased its happenings daily ever since I installed this update. I had even tried a Archive and Install thinking it was another issue, but with the install of this update on the clean system, it has reared its head again. In the error log apple.com.webcore and apple.com.appkit seem to be the two problems, com.apple.safari and hitoolbox have been deleted and the problem still occurs."
Here are a few articles that might prove useful in resolving Safari crashes, though (as aforementioned) even a vanilla Safari install can be susceptible to unexpected quits under Mac OS X 10.4.10:
- Safari 3.0.x beta issues? Try updating to latest WebKit
- Reminder: Contextual menu plug-ins can cause Safari crashes
- Safari 3.0 beta (#6): Reminder: Remove Input Managers
Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.
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