Mac OS X 10.5.4 released; fixes Adobe CS3 save issue; update recommendations

Apple has released Mac OS X 10.5.4, which currently available through Software Update and the following links:

• Mac OS X 10.5.4 Update [88MB]
• Mac OS X 10.5.4 Combo Update [561MB]
• Mac OS X Server 10.5.4 [133MB]
• Mac OS X Server Combo 10.5.4 [677MB]

The most widely anticipated fix in Mac OS X 10.5.4 resolves an issue with various Adobe CS3 applications (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.) in which files saved toa remote server become corrupt and can no longer be opened by the CS3 program in which they were created. See our previous coverage.

Apple's release notes, below, indicate a fix for the issue, and several MacFixIt readers have already noted restoration of functional remote-save capabilities.

If you have problems after updating, please let us know.

Among the enhancements:

• Includes recent Apple security updates.
• Resolves an issue with saving and reopening Adobe Creative Suite 3 files on a remote server.
• Includes additional RAW image support for several cameras.
• Addresses an issue that may result in a partially installed X11 application.
• Improves L2TP VPN client reliability.

• Addresses AirPort reliability issues with 5GHz networks.
• Addresses AirPort issues that may result in slower performance in Logic Studio or MainStage.

• Improves overall iCal reliability for meeting requests, cancellation notices, delegation, and syncing with iPhone.
• Resolves an issue that prevents deleting an iCal event without notifying the creator.
• Addresses an issue in which events in all calendars affect availability. A checkbox now enables information-only calendars to be transparent from free/busy lookups.
• Resolves a UI issue preventing delegated calendars from showing up as a separate window.
• Addresses an issue with copying and pasting attendees from one event to another.
• Resolves an issue in which iCal may not delete events after a specified time interval, even when set to do so in iCal preferences.
• Addresses an issue in which To Dos cannot be marked private.

• Addresses a potential performance issue when loading secure web pages.
• Resolves issues that may be encountered when accessing secure web pages with client certificates that reside on a smart card.

• Addresses an issue in which switching from a space with a Finder window keeps the Finder as the active application instead of the application residing in the destination space.
• Fixes an issue in which dragging an application from the list of application assignments in Spaces System Preferences does not assign the application to the desired space.
• Resolves an Exposé issue that may result in only a subset of windows being shown.

Update procedure recommendation

1. General principles.
1. Leave all Apple-installed components where they are. Don't, for example, move Safari out of /Applications, or move your user Home folder.
2. 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.)
2. 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:
1. Make sure there is a checkmark at the left of all and only the packages you want to download.
2. 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.]
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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!

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