Mac OS X 10.5.4 (#2): issues fixed by reinstalling with standalone updaters; iSync problems

Tuesday, July 1st

Various problems fixed by reinstallation For the most part, it appears as of yet the 10.5.4 update does not introduce any widespread problems, though this has yet to be affirmed. Still, several users seem to be affected by smaller and seemingly more random problems, including: MacBook Pro computers not booting, computers taking longer to shut down, the Dock disappearing, various audio devices getting muted, and iSync not working. In addition, some users have not been able to properly install, as the installer progress hangs and forces them to restart.

If users are experiencing problems on a similar scale (such as a clear drop in performance, or sudden alteration of behavior or lack of functionality) after the update, it is recommended to reinstall the update from a standalone download as recommended in our initial advice. Several readers have had success with this method after applying the 10.5.4 update.

Other general fixes:

For computers that will not boot after the update

• Run drive repairs on the main drive Boot from the leopard DVD and select your language. Then select "Disk Utility" from the "Utilities" menu and run the disk repair and permissions fix routines. Finally reboot and see if the disk will mount and run.
• Restore and retry the installation Use a Time Machine backup (or cloned drive) to restore your previous installation before the update. Then follow the MacFixIt instructions to safely install updates using the standalone updaters.
• For computers that will boot Reinstall the update using downloaded standalone updaters while booted into safe mode (holding shift on boot), and be sure to apply hard drive repairs both before and after the updates.

Cannot launch iSync Some users who have updated to 10.5.4 have found that iSync no longer launches, and the software's background functionality appears to be broken. The problem occurs when iSync first runs, and asks for user input to clear some sync disputes and after continuing the program does nothing. From there on the program is unresponsive.

Apple Discussions poster Bellyache5 writes:

"The sync began, and then threw up a bunch of notices regarding items that were different on both the phone and the Mac, and asked which copy I wanted to use...Once I cleared these notices, nothing else happened. My phone never lit up (indicating a Bluetooth connection) and iSync was not present in the dock. Repeated attempts to launch iSync failed."

This problem persists despite restarts and disk/permissions repairs using Disk Utility.

• Reinstall the update Using the standalone "combo" updater available at from Apple's download page, reinstall 10.5.4 while in Safe mode, and be sure to run a permissions fix and drive repair both before and after the update.
• Move the iSync program itself Users have found that moving the program itself seems to fix the problem. Open the Applications folder and drag the iSync program to the Desktop. Then drag it back to the Applications folder and try launching the program again.

Previous coverage:

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

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