Mac OS X 10.4.1: Release Notes, difference between Software Update/download versions

CNET staff

Sept. 2, 2009 11:34 a.m. PT

7 min read

On May 17th, Mac OS X 10.4.1, the first major update to Tiger. The release is available through Software Update, or as a standalone download [37 MB].

The new release includes the following enhancements, resolving some of the issues noted in our Mac OS X 10.4.x Special Report -- and addresses the Widget auto-installation (potential vulnerability) issue by adding Widgets to the items that Safari prompts for before a download is complete.

As noted by MacFixIt reader Dave Schroeder, you will now receive a notice: "(name of file) is an application. Are you sure you want to download the application (name of file)?"

This occurs even when Safari is in its default state, i.e., "Open 'safe' files after downloading" is enabled. As such, no Widget can be downloaded or installed without the user's express knowledge and permission.

Mail and Address Book

When typing immediately after clicking Reply in a Mail message, all characters typed before the Reply window appeared should now appear in the window.
In Mail, opening an attached Pages document could lead to an unexpected "Name of document may contain an application" alert?this update addresses the issue.
Sometimes Address Book subgroups (groups within groups) might not sync correctly during .Mac syncing?this update addresses the issue.
Addresses an issue in which Mail might unexpectedly quit after pasting a large graphic into a message and then typing text just before the graphic.
When deleting text in a Mail message window, sometimes some of the undeleted text could unexpectedly move to the beginning of the message?this update resolves the issue.
This update prevents a second unnecessary horizontal scroll bar from appearing in a Mail message.
Addresses an issue in Mail in which an entire line of text could be inadvertently deleted when deleting a link at the end of the line.
Resolves a potential issue in which Mail could unexpectedly quit, stop responding, or fail to import your previous emails if third-party software were installed in a ~/Library/Mail/Bundles or /Library/Mail/Bundles?this update prevents previously-installed plug-ins from loading. (Click here for more information.)
Updates Mail to handle IMAP prefix paths that start with "/" better.

Dashboard widgets

Improves Dashboard widget compatibility with third-party mice with scroll wheels, and also for PowerBook G4 computers that feature trackpad scrolling.
You can choose from three font sizes in the Dictionary widget after installing this update (regular, large, and extra-large)?click the "i" button to access the Font size pop-up menu.

.Mac, iSync, and syncing

Addresses an issue for .Mac syncing in which the alert "cannot login to the .Mac sync server" could unexpectedly appear when clicking the Sync tab in .Mac preferences.
You can now add a Motorola V180 mobile phone in iSync 2.0 with this update. Improves iSync 2.0 compatibility for Motorola V551 mobile phones.
With this update, the default option for the first sync for a mobile phone added to iSync 2.0 is now "Merge data on computer and device," though the "Erase data on device then sync" option is still available if you need it. (Click here for more information.)
This update allows you to register a computer for .Mac whose name (in Sharing preferences) contains an ampersand ("&").

Safari, iLife, and other applications

With this update, Safari no longer unexpectedly quits when Control-clicking (or right-clicking with a multi-button mouse) some kinds of PDFs or graphics within a Safari window.
Addresses an issue where iPhoto could unexpectedly quit. iDVD no longer quits unexpectedly when hiding it while burning a DVD or saving a disc image. (Click here for more information.)
With this update, DVD Player no longer unexpectedly quits when opening if Turkish, Central European (Czech, Polish, Hungarian), Cyrillic (Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian), or Greek is the primary Mac OS X language in International preferences.
With some printers, when printing a PDF webpage file that had been saved from Safari (with the Safari printing option "Print webpage information in headers and footers" deselected), only a gray bar would print?this update addresses the issue.
This update addresses an issue in which text in a TextEdit document with lists could disappear (even though it really hadn't). (Click here for more information.)
Addresses an issue in which iCal could unexpectedly quit after you receive an iCal invitation in Mail (and the invitation doesn't appear in iCal).
Improves compatibility for Dreamweaver MX 2004 when double-clicking results of an XML validation, and when using "Launch & Optimize" with Fireworks MX 2004.
Users who subscribed to iCal calendars with long names or special characters, and that were published under Mac OS X 10.3 before upgrading to Mac OS X 10.4, will now see changes made in calendars under Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger. Includes reliability and compatibility improvements for Motion 2.0. (Click here for more information.)

Other enhancements

When using the FileVault secure erase feature, the progress window now states "Deleting old Home folder" when securely deleting files from their original location (instead of "Unmounting FileVault"). Note that this option may take a while to complete, during which you shouldn't force-restart your Mac. (Click here for more information.)
Improves security by disallowing files, applications, and webpages from being opened at the password prompt that appears when waking from sleep or stopping a screen saver (which can be enabled in Security preferences).
Addresses issues that could, in certain situations, prevent you from opening (mounting) a disk image that's shared by a different computer (in /Network). Improves menu scrolling behavior for third-party mice with scroll wheels, and also for PowerBook G4 computers that feature trackpad scrolling.
Addresses an issue in which clicking a Help button or choosing an item from the Help menu would take you to the main page of the application's Help content, instead of a more relevant page.
Some third-party wireless DHCP servers might not provide an IP address to a computer through AirPort if the computer has a long computer name?this update addresses the issue.
Resolves a potential issue that could occur when moving from one access point to another within the same wireless network?the IP address could have been lost and not restored unless the DHCP lease was renewed or the computer put to sleep and then awakened.
Improves reliability when using the Active Directory plug-in.
Improves the Mac OS X 10.4 Keyboard Setup Assistant.

Difference between Software Update and standalone download versions There are two versions of Mac OS X 10.4.1 available.

The version that can be obtained through Software Update is machine-specific (i.e. will only work on the Mac model on which it is downloaded) and smaller in size.

The 37 MB version available from Apple's Download site is universal, and can be applied on any system currently running Mac OS X 10.4.0.
So, if you need to install Mac OS X 10.4.1 on a number of different Mac models, use the latter installer.

Security Enhancements Apple has posted a Knowledge Base article detailing security refinements included in Mac OS X 10.4.1, released earlier this week in client form and today in Server form.

Enhancements, including several for issues that were reported in the past two weeks on MacFixIt, are as follows (all apply to both Mac OS X client 10.4.1 and Mac OS X Server 10.4.1):

Dashboard: Malicious websites can download and install widgets via Safari without the Safe Download Validation warning This update blocks the automatic installation of Dashboard widgets. Mac OS X's Safe Download Validation warning is enabled, requiring user approval before a Dashboard widget is installed by Safari. This issue does not affect Mac OS X versions prior to 10.4. Further information on removing Dashboard widgets that you have installed is available from this article: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301629

Kernel: Users can discover the names of files placed in normally unsearchable places Two system calls designed to allow efficient searching of filesystem objects incorrectly checked the permissions on enclosing directories and would reveal the names of files. The incorrect checking only occurred for directories without the POSIX read, but with the POSIX execute bits set for group and other. In practice this issue only affects files stored in users ~/Public/Drop Box. This update addresses the issue by correctly honoring the POSIX permission bits on directories. Credit to John M. Glenn of San Francisco for reporting this issue.

Kernel: Local system users can cause a local denial of service A vulnerability in the nfs_mount() call due to insufficient checks on input values could allow unprivileged local users to create a denial of service via a kernel panic.

SecurityAgent: Users with physical access to a system with a locked screensaver can start background applications A contextual menu feature in Mac OS X 10.4 allows URLs to be opened from a text input field. This could be used to launch an application behind a locked screensaver window. This update addresses the issue by removing the contextual menu from screensaver text input fields.

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