Security Update 2007-009 (#5): Uninstalling; More Safari crashes, slowness, and other maladies
Uninstalling Security Update 2007-009 is causing so many serious issues for so many users that many are choosing to remove the update entirely. The only way this can be safely accomplished is via an Archive and Install. Note, however, that reverting your system will remove any refinements brought by the update and leave your system open to potential vulnerabilities.
First, make a backup of your current Mac OS X installation with the Security Update applied, problematic as it may be. If there is an issue along the way, your valuable data will be safely intact in its current form.
Next, you'll need to perform an Archive and Install process to remove all of the Security Update's (and potentially problem-causing) components, and replace them with the components of a fresh copy provided by the Mac OS X disc that shipped with your system, or a retail Mac OS X disc. Unfortunately, this means you will lose some system settings and some or all third-party system add-ons.
To begin the process, insert your Mac OS X CD or DVD, as indicated above. Restart your machine and hold down the "C" key to boot from the newly inserted disc. Follow the on-screen instructions, and after accepting the license agreement, click "Options." Select "Archive and Install," and check the "Preserve User and Network Settings" option if you'd like to do so.
After the installation process is complete, you will be left with an earlier Mac OS X system that (hopefully) does not suffer from the problems generated by the Security Update. Use Software Update or Apple's download page to download the update that brings your system to a state directly prior to the Security Update -- but don't re-apply the security update.
More sites that cause Safari to crash Though hardened against vulnerabilities, the updated version of Safari/WebKit included brought about by Security Update 2007-009 is significantly more crash prone, based on reader reports. Simply accessing certain pages will cause the browser to unexpectedly quit. The most commonly afflicted sites are those related to banking or others that require secure authentication, though other, seemingly standard sites are also causing crashes. Some reader reports:
"I pull up my usual multi-tabbed array of 11 sites. All's well. I then pull a new, blank page and begin to logon my EverBank.com account. Boom -- crash. I can repeat the process and get the same result. I have done so 4x -- 2 after a restart."
"Since yesterdays update, When I go to my bank site, and try to view photos of cancelled checks, Safari crashes. Does it every time without fail."
"Safari consistently crashes with C-Panel File Manager and FTP Manager."
In some prior cases, enabling the Safari debug menu using a utility like Safari Enhancer, then turning off RSS support has resolved issues with some sites. See yesterday's coverage for more potential fixes.
Blank pages in Safari As described by "Mandeep":
"After the install, my Safari won?t load anything. I get a blank white page, no matter what site I try to visit. Thank God I have Firefox and it works pretty decent, but I want Safari back!"
In some cases, the fix for this issue may be creating a new user account as described in our tutorial.
Slowness in Safari Users also continue to report dog-slow Safari performance after the update. As written by one reader:
"Well, after doing a painstakingly correct install of the 009 Security Update, all I have to say is: Apple please release an uninstaller. Now, no matter what .plist etc files, I delete, or Javascript boxes unchecked, Safari is as slow as mollasses-on DSL. Not so 3 days ago."
Again, we'll recommend our Speeding up Safari tutorial, as well as the aforementioned major fixes: create a new user account or archive and install.
Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.
Previous coverage:
- Security Update 2007-009 (#4): continuing Safari nightmares
- Security Update 2007-009 (#3): Bizarre Safari issues, more
- Security Update 2007-009 (#2): Startup failure, Safari crashes and more
- Security Update 2007-009 for Leopard, Tiger: Flash, Safari holes plugged
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I'm not seeing any of the problems being reported on my system and I only know of one confirmed problem with search boxes that MacInTouch is reporting about.
We have installed this on a dozen machines and we are having no problems. I would suggest that it is finding pre existing problems on machines. People should focus on fixing the machines instead of removing the update.
lkrupp,
I was only seeing that one crash, too; last night's update has put a stop to that now.
But given the security exploits, I'd say if Safari is blowing up when accessing a site you need to, download Firefox and use that until Apple releases a WebKit fix as a much safer alternative to rolling back.
I think what has happened is Apple has issued a second version of this update. It showed up again this morning in Software Update and I was very sure I had already installed it. I checked the log file and indeed I had. The first version is 1.0, the second is version 1.1.
The "#5" in the Macfixit article's title, refers to the fifth article Macfixit has published on this update. But true, it should say "1.1" since that's the version that's the subject of this article.
Actually, it looks like this article predates version 1.1 of the security update.
Safari open windows have been disappearing on my Mac for the past few weeks, just as MacFixit's original post described. I'd be working in Safari, and poof, all of the open windows would simply disappear. Safari would still be open, and it would still say that 8 windows/12 tabs were still open, but they were no where to be found. The only fix was to completely restart the Mac. A pain to do this 2-3 times a day.
Well, as others have hinted at, I found the problem is in Sync. By clicking off "Safari Bookmarks" in Sync's System Preference panel, Safari no longer does its disappearing thing.
Hope this helps for others.
- by hamsami December 23, 2007 4:46 PM PST
- So what's the story, do I download 1.1 or not?
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