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Troubleshooting Security Update 2003-07-14 (#2): Problems with Norton Firewall; No Finder after restart
Reports of problems with Apple's latest Security Update are scattered and lack consistency, but we are scrambling to organize the main problems and target some potential solutions. Again, as stated our troubleshooting report on the subject yesterday, we have installed the update in-house without any major problems on a variety of Macs.
Problems with Norton Personal Firewall The Norton Personal Firewall, part of Symantec's Internet Security 3.0 package, is part of a strange but corroborated conflict that will cause some systems to lose startup capability after applying Security Update 2003-07-14.
In order to work around this problem, you can start up from a separate volume (such as the Mac OS X 10.2.x CD or another drive) and manually delete all elements of the Norton Personal Firewall.
No Finder after restart Several readers report that after applying the Security Update and restarting, they are able to access items in the dock, but the rest of the Finder is nowhere to be seen.
In this scenario, users can mount disks, but are unable to see their contents outside of an open application's save/open dialog boxes.
Some readers may have success using a utility like Path Finder - an alternative to Apple's Finder - to navigate and install the Mac OS X 10.2.6 combo updater, after which the standard Finder appears.
Unfortunately, some users have been forced to perform an Archive and Install procedure (in the process losing valuable settings and other data) in order to resume normal operation after applying this Security Update.
Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.
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normal Unix behavior, but very strange to see in the Finder). Also, the
Finder seems to be eating clicks more often than usual. Coincidence?
Er, using the Archive & Install procedure will preserve all your settings and data.
Unfortunately, it will not. Read:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=25454
later, I installed the Security Update. No such problem. (Quicksilver 867,
10.2.6) It never ceases to amaze me, how these bug reports seem to be
based on exceptions. I'm wondering what explains it.
Most likely some systems have pre-existing problems that decide to
reveal themselves after certain software updates.
which I'm running OS 10.2.6 and Norton Personal Firewall 3. As with all
major installations, I followed the Security Update by running Repair
Disk Permissions, which could be a contributing factor to the lack of
problems.
A conservative strategy for installing software updates:
* run Repair Disk Permissions
* reboot and verify there's no pre-existing issue to blame the update on
* install update
* rerun Repair Disk Permissions (with optional before/after reboots)
I'm not saying that certain updates won't have unexpected side effects,
but I think a careful installation approach would reduce some of
the nonsensical finger pointing that occurs afterwards.
problems. I have a 533MHz G4 digital audio 2001 machine running Mac
OS X 10.2.6 with Norton Personal Firewall v 2.0.2 enabled.
- by hauboista July 17, 2003 9:37 AM PDT
- I did have a problem with the finder after installing the 7/14 security
- Like this Reply to this comment
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(9 Comments)update. I use a dual 533 G4 "digital audio" with OS X.2.6 The machine
froze while shutting down, with the desktop still showing - I tried to
force quit the finder, which brought up the dialog box presenting only
the option of "relaunching" the finder. I closed my eyes, gritted my teeth
and clicked it, that worked! Shutdown and restart continued just fine
after that.