Security Update 2006-003 (#2): Difficulties with startup (freezes at login screen) -- fixes

Difficulties with startup (freezes at login screen) -- fixes We've received a significant number of reports indicating that Security Update 2006-003 causes stalls in startup on some Macs (primarily Intel-based systems).

For most users, the Security Update 2006-003 process works normally, but at the subsequent restart (a restart is required by the updater), the Mac OS X startup process stalls.

MacFixIt reader Kev writes:

"I just got my MacBook Pro 17" yesterday. Everything was working fine, but upon applying latest security update (today) my MacBook crashes upon reboot. It makes all the way through the login screen, but it becomes non-responsive on login screen."

Fixes The first step in regaining control of your Mac is to boot safe mode. This is accomplished by restarting your Mac, then holding down the "Shift" key as it boots.

Booting in safe mode eliminates the startup problem because Startup Items are not loaded when safe mode is active. It appears that this issue -- in most cases -- is caused by one or more problematic Startup Items.

Your next step is to navigate to the /Library/StartupItems directory (this is the Library folder at the root level of your hard drive -- not the Library folder in your home user directory) and check for potentially problematic items. One file that has been implicated by several users is the "Version Cue" component installed by various Adobe applications, though others may be at play.

If you have Version Cue installed, remove it from this folder (move it to a location outside the Library folder, like the Desktop), then restart normally (not in safe mode) and check for persistence of the stall. If you do not have Version Cue installed, or removing Version Cue did not solve the issue, try removing all items in the "Startup Items" folder and checking for persistence of the issue.

One MacFixIt reader, John Hollinger, fingers Apple's Remote Desktop as the problem-causing startup item.

John writes:

"I am running an Intel iMac 1.8 GHz, and after running the update on this machine it would freeze at the login panel. Had to force shut off the iMac and reboot doing a 'Safe Boot' that let me back into my system. Hoping that it finished what it need to do I tried a normal reboot. It let me login this time but would freeze again when trying to load the small icons on the right side of the menu bar. Just as a guess I rebooted in safe mode and turned off all the icons that load at login on the menu bar, this included turning off Apple Remote Desktop. Reboot, all is good! Turned on each icon again just to see what was breaking the login. All was fine until till I restated apple remote desktop, reboot, freeze. Safe Boot again, shut off Apple Remote Desktop, reboot, all is good. I have not tried reinstalling the updates to see it that fixes anything yet but if it does I will let you know. I have also tried the updates on PPC macs (iBook Powerbook, Xserve) with no trouble at all."

Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.

Previous coverage:

• Apple releases Security Update 2006-003 for both PowerPC and Intel-based Macs

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