Troubleshooting Security Update 2004-01-26: Deleting caches for VNC problems; Stuck at login screen

Deleting caches for VNC problems Yesterday we reported a problem after installing Security Update 2004-01-26 on a "headless" server, connecting to it via VNC consistently results in a freeze at the login screen.

Now David Mackler (who submitted the original reported) notes that he was able to work around the problem by deleting his system caches manually:

"My access through VNC now works again. Using SSH, I deleted all of the cache files in /System/Library/Caches, /Library/Caches, and ~/Library/ Caches, and rebooted a couple of times."

You can also use a shareware utility such as Cache Out to delete the Mac OS X 10.2.x and 10.3.x the aforementioned system cache files.

Stuck at login screen Aalok Shah has a currently uncorroborated report of inability to move past the Mac OS X login screen after applying Security Update 2004-01-26.

"I have a PowerBook G4 17", which I've had for 4 months and have 10.3 installed. After installing this Security Update through Software Update, I rebooted the computer and have been stuck trying to get to the login screen. The computer will chime, go through the gray screen, get to the blue screen, show the mouse and then won't continue in the bootup process. The services do not start, but I can move the mouse around freely.

"I fixed the permissions on my drive (mainly HP's printing drivers) using the Panther Install CD. I've tried Clearing the PRAM and Booting into Single User Mode. Running fsck -f (journalled file system) showed no problems and clearing out the /Library/Caches, /System/Library/Caches, and ~/Library/Caches has had no effect. I've let this blue screen go on for an hour and it doesn't look like it is updating anything."

Experiencing a similar problem? Please drop us line at late-breakers@macfixit.com.

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