Security Update 2004-02-23 experiences

Yesterday we noted that most users seem to have had a good experiences with Security Update 2004-02-23, as we've only received a few sporadic reports of issues, most of which have been sufficiently varied that we suspect other issues. However, over the past few days we've seen a number of reports of startup issues since applying the update, characterized by a stall at the gray Apple screen or a blank/black screen. MacFixIt reader Jim Latta reports the latter:

"Immediately after applying the latest Security Update (2004-02-23) from Apple I returned to my computer to find the fans going full blast and the screen black. The system was totally unresponsive. I rebuilt the directory with DiskWarrior and before that repaired permissions. That got the system going again. But now about every second time I try to boot, the system will hang after the chime and just not go anywhere. The screen is still blank. Also every time I have to restart after a software install, the system just hangs without even a chime. The screen is black and nothing is spinning up ( no hard drive noise). (My system is a Dual G5 1.8 GHz with 512 MB of memory running OSX 10.3.2.)"

David Lazarowych also reports issues with freezes during startup: "After installing the 2004-02-23 Update, my 533 dual (1.5 gig ram, OS 10.2.8) refused to boot past the start up screen. A black box with some colored bars appears on the screen at the moment the computer stalls. I cannot get the computer into safe mode or single user mode to attempt an fsck repair. Disk Warrior rebuilt the directory to no avail. BTW this machine has been rock solid until this update."

Yesterday we also covered a couple reports of an inability to actually install the update. Reader Matt Widener experienced the same issue:

"I tried installing this update on my 1.25 GHz iMac 17" this AM. The first time I downloaded the package prior to installing and it hung with a 'waiting for local disks' message. I had been using Safari and Mail at the time, so I quit both apps after Force quitting the installer and tried again. Software Update correctly showed the update as downloaded, ready to install. However, when I clicked install, it re-downloaded the update and attempted to install, whereupon it hung with the same 'waiting for local disks' message. I had no disks other than the primary boot device available the whole time."

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