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General discussion

Crash after software updates

Sep 9, 2005 1:05AM PDT

I have a MacMini with the latest version of Tiger. Each time I use the "Software Updates" menu item to install updates that require a restart, the computer locks up after the restart at the "spinning thingy" (does this have a name?). I also don't get a startup chime.

To get things going again, I have to boot off the install CD and repair the disk. It then will give me the startup chime, and will eventually start up after a few minutes' delay.

This happened twice recently--once last week with the Safari update and once yesterday when installing the QuickTime update. I didn't have to restart after the iTunes update, so no problems there.

Any ideas on what to do, or how to alter my installation procedure? If I chose to not restart but just shut down completely and then do a cold boot, would that mess up anything?

I don't want to have to go through this each time I update software. Help!

Thanks : )

Discussion is locked

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Warranty
Sep 9, 2005 5:19AM PDT

If this mini is still under warranty, get on to Apple with the problem. The earlier you do this, the better.
In the meantime, before any update, repair the permissions. This as a weekly routine would not go amiss.
Obviously the machine should not be doing this.

P

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Thanks
Sep 9, 2005 11:45PM PDT

Thanks for the quick reply. Following your advice for someone else : ) I do repair permissions before and after updating. I used Software Update to install this morning's iTunes update and everything went fine. Before installing, I quit SMARTReporter (hard disk checker) and ClamXav (virus checker) and that seemed to do the trick.

Not sure which one may have been the culprit (I'm betting on SMARTReporter since it has to do with the disk?) but in any case I have a methodology for successful updates, and I'm sticking to it.

I have AppleCare and called them after the first incident, so they have a record of what happened. If I find out anything else, I'll update here.

Thanks for your time : )

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(NT) (NT) You're Welcome
Sep 10, 2005 2:06AM PDT
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FYI
Sep 18, 2005 12:49AM PDT

I specifically narrrowed this problem down to SMARTReporter. When it was loaded, the hard disk would not mount after a restart. I disabled it, and the problem went away.

Thanks again for the assistance.