July 11, 2007 8:32 AM PDT

Mac OS X 10.4.10 Special Report: Release notes, properly installing the update

by CNET staff

Mac OS X 10.4.10 is a major iterative update that includes enhancements in the following areas for Intel-based Macs:

RAW camera support
Mounting and unmounting external USB devices
Support for 3rd party software applications
Security updates

and these areas for PowerPC-based Macs:

Mounting and unmounting external USB devices
Support for 3rd party software applications
Security updates

The new release is available via Software Update and through the following standalone download links (we recommend using the standalone updaters):

Update procedure recommendation

General principles

Leave all Apple-installed components where they are. Don't, for example, move Safari out of /Applications, or move your user Home folder.
In System Preferences > Software Update, make certain that "Download important updates in the background" is not checked. If your computer has multiple users, do this for every user. It might also be wise to uncheck "Check for updates"; one user, the administrator, should then be responsible for checking manually for updates from time to time. (To do so, choose Apple > Software Update.)

When an update is available in Software Update, do not press the Install button in the Software Update window. Instead, download any desired update packages individually and without actually performing the installation. Software Update allows you to do so, but this feature is not at all obvious, so here are instructions:

Make sure there is a checkmark at the left of all and only the packages you want to download.
Choose Update > Download Only. After performing the download(s), note the location, on your hard drive, of the downloaded material.

[Note: Alternatively, go to http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/ and click the download link for the desired package. In the case of major system updates, this is the way to obtain the full "combo update", which is often better than the incremental update offered by Software Update.]

Restart into Safe mode, by holding down the Shift key from the moment you hear the startup "bong" to the moment the "spinning gear" appears. Expect this startup to take longer than usual. Don't be alarmed if the fans whir loudly during the "spinning gear" display. Eventually you will be presented with the Safe Boot login screen. Log in as the administrator.
Without launching any other applications, double-click one installer package and perform the installation. Do nothing else; just sit there and wait until the installation is complete.
Repeat step 3 after every installation. Finally, restart normally. This, too, may take longer than usual, and you may experience a "double-restart." Be patient!