Troubleshooting Safari 3.1: Crashes, won't load pages, utilities broken
Third-party utilities can cause significant issues.
[Tuesday, March 18th]
Try standalone download If you've installed Safari 3.1 via Software Update and are experiencing problems, try using the standalone download to reinstall the package before pursuing other troubleshooting procedures.
Crashes Some users are experiencing repeated crashes with Safari 3.1, or crashes that occur on startup. If you are experiencing a similar issue, the first thing you should do is remove any third-party add-ons that could be causing problems.
Input managers might be culpable (PithHelmet, one Input Manager, is broken with this update -- see below). Check the following directories:
- /Library/Application Support/SIMBL/Plugins/
- Library/InputManagers
- ~/Library/InputManagers
and remove potentially problematic items. In fact, we recommend that users delete or temporarily remove all Input Managers before attempting to install and use Safari 3.1.
Also, check the plug-ins directories:
- ~/Library/Internet Plug-Ins
- /Library/Internet Plug-Ins
for potentially incompatible items that could be causing various problems with Safari 3.1. Quit Safari and temporarily move them to a different location, then launch Safari and check for persistence of the problem. You can then move items back in batches or one by one (repeating the quit and relaunch process each time) to isolate the problematic plug-in.
One reader writes:
"Says its because of the flash player plug. I reinstalled flash and it's still crashing.
Problems restarting Some users are having issues starting up after installing Safari 3.1. MacFixIt reader Rick writes:
"First restart immediately after installation, the process went fine until the desktop came up. The finder did not start though I had my desktop background."
Another reader writes:
"I have just downloaded and installed the update to Safari 3.1. After it told me to reboot my Macbook pro just does not start through anymore. I see the grey Apple icon, it disappears and that's where my screen just stays blank."
If you are experiencing this issue, restart into Safe mode, by holding down the Shift key from the moment you hear the startup tone to the moment the "spinning gear" appears. Expect this startup to take longer than usual. Don't be alarmed if the fans whir loudly during the "spinning gear" display. Eventually you will be presented with the Safe Boot login screen. Log in as the administrator.
You can now try simply restarting normally. Certain cache files and other potential causes of issues are eliminated by simply performing a safe boot.
If you still experience issues, start in safe mode again and follow the procedures in this tutorial.
Java problems Several users have reported problems loading specific Java applets -- like the one on this page -- under Safari 3.1.
Will not load some pages Safari is also failing to render some pages it previously handled. The same pages, in many cases, render perfectly in the latest edition of Firefox for Mac OS X.
1Passwd broken 1Passwd is one of the input managers broken by Safari 3.1.
One reader writes:
"Cannot get the 1Password icon to show in Safari's Toolbar. It works fine with all other browsers: Firefox, Omniweb, Camino, etc. Other than that, Safari 3.1 seems to work great."
PithHelmet broken This input manager is also broken by Safari 3.1.
Saved site passwords missing Unfortunately, some users are reporting that all of their stored site passwords were eliminated after updating -- a problem compounded by the lack of 1Passwd functionality. One reader writes:
"After updating to Safari 3.1 this morning, all my saved site passwords are gone. I use 1Password and it also no longer is available on the menubar of Safari. This is the worst trying to rebuild a complex keychain, and I hate when this happens."
Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.
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