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Mac OS X 10.4.10 (#3): Important files modified by this update, downgrading components; possible fix for audio pops
Important files modified by this update, downgrading components As with all significant updates, it is important to take note of which files are modified by Mac OS X 10.4.10 so that if a problem occurs after its installation, you can reasonably surmise whether or not there is a potential that the update was culpable. For instance, the update has caused audio issues for a number of users -- a problem that can potentially (albeit not necessarily) be linked to the update's modification of the audio input/output kernel extension: /System/Library/Extensions/IOAudioFamily.kext.
If you are experiencing major problems you believe to be caused by a specific component, you can downgrade it to an earlier version via this process:
- Download the appropriate Mac OS X 10.4.9 combo updater from Apple's download page.
- Download and install the shareware application Pacifist
- Drag the Mac OS X combo installer package (e.g. MacOSXUpd10.4.9Intel.pkg) onto the Pacifist application icon.
- Scan the list of installed files for items that might be causing your problem by clicking on the disclosure triangles. As mentioned above, /System/Library/Extensions/IOAudioFamily.kext might be implicated in an audio issue, for instance. Pay particular attention to >/System/Library/CoreServices, /System/Library/Extensions(files stored here are kernel extensions -- items that are used to interact through an abstraction layer with the Mac OS X kernel, and can be implicated in kernel panics and other issues) and /System/Library/Frameworks
- Find the file you are looking for by clicking the disclosure triangles to reveal the targeted location.
- Select the file in question and click the Install button in Pacifist. You will be required to enter your administrator password.
- Restart your Mac
You should generally not mix and match components from different system versions because of potential compatibility issues. You will also lose any refinements brought about by the revision. Still, in a bind, replacing newer items with older ones can solve otherwise insoluble issues.
Here is a partial list of important files modified by Mac OS X 10.4.10:
/Applications
- Address Book
- Internet Connect
/System/Library/Extensions/ (these kernel extensions control a bevy of functionality -- check here if you are having problems with graphics cards, audio, AirPort networking, external USB/FireWire devices and more)
- webdav_fs.kext
- smbfs.kext
- System.kext
- IPFirewall.kext
- IOUSBMassStorageClass.kext
- IOUSBFamily.kext
- IOSerialFamily.kext
- IOHIDFamily.kext
- IOSCSIParallelFamily.kext
- IONetworkingFamily.kext
- IOAudioFamily.kext
- AppleSMC.kext
- AppleOnboardDisplay.kext
- AppleSmartBatteryManager.kext
- AppleSMBIOS.kext
- ATIRadeon9700.kext
- IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily.kext
- IOPlatformPluginFamily.kext
- ATIRadeon.kext
- IOGraphicsFamily.kext
- IOFireWireFamily.kext
- AppleAirPort.kext
- AppleFWAudio.kext
- AppleFileSystemDriver.kext
- AppleBacklight.kext
- AppleIntelGMA950.kext
- AppleHDA.kext
- (many more)
/System/Library/Filesystems (check here if you are having problems with mounting certain disks or shared volumes)
- smbfs.fs
- URLMount
- ufs.fs
- AppleShare
- webdav.fs
- slattach
- mount_afp
- mount_webdav
- ifconfig
- routed
- rtsol
- ipfw
- nfsd
- mount_smbfs
- nfsiod
- ping6
- route
- ip6fw
- ping
- fsck
More on audio pops, potential fix If you are having problems with audio pops, distortion, etc., try downgrading the /System/Library/Extensions/IOAudioFamily.kext file as mentioned in the section above. Reader reports of the problem continue to flood in, making it one of the most prominent issues with Mac OS X 10.4.10.
One reader writes:
"On my iMac 1.83 Intel Core Duo I also have the annoying audio pops. Every time I start a song in iTunes, first you here a pop (or tic, whatever you call it). Also, when there is no music, every 1-2 minutes you hear a pop. Never had it before, just after the update to 10.4.10."
MacFixIt reader Bryan adds:
"I've had the speaker pop problem suddenly appear after installing 10.4.10. It's a faint pop every few minutes.. like the speaker's lost electricity for just a moment then regains it. This is on my Mac mini core duo 1.66 (first intel generation)."
Tristan writes:
"i am also experiencing a pop sound with my speakers that are always hooked up to my 1st gen rev a macbook. The pop occurs just before actual sound is used, and a short time after, they behave almost as if it is the speakers turning on and off before and after being used, although that is certainly not the case, i'm just trying to find a way to describe the behavior. Up until the recent update there have been no issues in the year that i have run this laptop"
Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.
Previous coverage:
- Mac OS X 10.4.10 (#2): Audio problems -- poor quality; Wireless issues; App launch failure; more
- Mac OS X 10.4.10 released: USB, third-party software, security improvements
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I excitedly downloaded and install the latest OS update in hope that my USB problem would be solved. It did not!
What next?
Jerry, Salinas, CA
If there's a hub involved, check the power supplied to it. Usually, the max is 500 ma. Many devices exceed this. Putting another hub in parallel, and carefully moving the more power-hungry devices around, may solve the problem for you.
Must. Use. Powered. Hubs.
Post 10.4.10 I have frequent popping, seemingly at random, and my UVB camera's built-in mic is non-functional:
* It shows in sound prefs pane but with no input level
* In QuickTime Player recording prefs it doesn't show, or shows as "USB Video Device (Unavailable)"
* In Skype prefs I can see video, but there is no audio input
So it looks as if there will be a 10.4.11 update afterall!
Update: Replacing IOAudioFamily.kext from 10.4.9 does not fix the popping, or restore microphone function to my UVC-based webcam.
And, reflecting on this issue, I wonder how Time Machine will affect backup strategy. Will you be able to revert your entire system with it? Of course we don't know yet, but the value of Time Machine will be significantly decreased if you cannot.
---
Don't anthropomorphize computers.
They hate that.
I created a workaround which you can try - see http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1008163
Install http://www.tpiper.com/popstop/popstop.zip
It'll use about 2% CPU (and drain your battery about 2% faster) but it's better than nothing...
I have an Imac Dual Core 20" 2GHz, and a MacBook Pro Dual Core 2 Duo 2,33 GHz with a double system on 2 partitions. Before installing the combo updater, I repared the permisions, etc... On all systems, the printers disappeared.
The usual applications (Apple disk Utility, Onyx, Tech Toosl Pro 4, etc) didn't change anything. I tried Printer Setup Repair, and everything worked on the first pass!
Tried applying the fix by installing the IOAudioFamily.kext file as described here. I'm still getting the annoying pop sounds.
Download LineIn 2.0.2 from VersionTracker.
Once installed, run it and set "Input from:" to Silence Input, set "Output to:" to Default System Output.
If I keep LineIn running on my Mac, this keeps the audio pops from recurring for me while still playing normal system and application sounds.
Optionally, you can use something like Dockless if you don't want to see LineIn cluttering up your dock. Then you can go into Accounts in System Preferences to set LineIn as a Login Item. If you tick the Hide box, you won't see any sign of LineIn running after login, but a quick look in Activity Monitor shows it's there.
"I have had some popping in my audio before and I fixed that by opening Audio MIDI setup and re-selecting the Audio Output format Hz or bitrate then back again. The popping stopped immediately in iTunes via both analogue and digital connections."
- by Macsure June 25, 2007 9:02 AM PDT
- It's hard to avoid seeming snarky but I can only be thankful that I decided to skip 10.4.x altogether. Ten, ten! incremental releases, that alone is enough evidence that this was a screwed up version of "X."
- Like this Reply to this comment
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(15 Comments)Most troubling tho is to see continuing problems with audio I/O. My eMac is four years old, it never has been able to handle the simple task of making a microphone work. Even with iMic - it worked for a while then stopped again.
Other iMic users tell me they have the same experience and when they contacted Griffin Tech about it, they were told their iMic had just "expired" for whatever reason and they'd have to buy another one (at $40 each).
Hey Apple - get your hot-shot engineers on this old, old problem with mics and speakers!! To think I'm going to spend around $2500 for my next iMac and won't have complete, quality audio I/O is just ridiculous.
(But at least I'm waiting until 10.5 ships with new Macs, can hope and pray it will be better than 10.4.)