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October 24, 2003 7:25 AM PDT

Troubleshooting Mac OS X 10.3: Palm confirms that Desktop Software 4.1 problem; Default Folder X workarounds

by CNET staff

Palm confirms that Desktop Software 4.1 problem We previously reported problems with the installation of Palm's Desktop Software 4.1 under Mac OS X 10.2.8. Now MacFixIt reader Kate has confirmed with Palm technical support that the software will have problems Mac OS X 10.3 (Panther) as well:

"The Palm Desktop software is not currently compatible with the Mac OS 10.3. Palm Engineers are aware of this issue and are working on an upgrade. Currently, there is no fix available for the issue, I suggest you to keep checking the following Palm web site for updates: http://www.palmone.com/us/support/downloads/"

UPDATE: Joshua Ochs reports a workaround for problems using HotSync, which are apparently the root of the incompatibility statement from Palm.

""It appears that the Palm Desktop installer is choking on installing the HotSync libraries. It further appears these can be copied over from Jaguar (or, if you're upgrading, then they'll already be in place). The critical files are in /Library/Application Support/Palm Hotsync and /Library/CFMSupport/Hotsync Libraries.

"I have not verified that a Hotsync will actually take place (as I have not finished upgrading), but this does resolve the problem of Hotsync Manager and others not launching with shared library errors.

Some readers have reported no problems running HotSync from a fresh installation of the Palm Desktop 4.1 software.

Default Folder X workarounds As we reported yesterday, if you have Default Folder X 1.8 (or earlier) installed, you will not be able to run any applications after installing Panther if Default Folder X is running. We've now received two solutions from Jon Gotow at St. Clair Software:

A) Before upgrading to Mac OS X Panther, download and install Default Folder X 1.9.1, which is fully compatible with Panther. It is available from: http://www.stclairsoft.com/DefaultFolderX/release.html.

B) If you have already installed Panther, you must log in without launching Default Folder X. To do this, follow these steps:
  • If you have your computer set to automatically log in after starting up, hold down the shift key as soon as the Mac OS X progress bar appears during startup. You will then be prompted to log in rather than being logged in automatically.
  • Enter your password and then hold the shift key down while logging in. Keep the Shift key held down until you see the menu bar. This will disable all applications that normally run at log-in time.
  • Once you have logged in without Default Folder X running, immediately open System Preferences, select Default Folder X, and turn off its "Launch at Login" option. You can then proceed to download and install the new version of Default Folder X from the URL above.

St. Clair Software has set up a special e-mail address to route Mac OS X 10.3 issues: panther@stclairsoft.com.

Lineage not compatible The Web site for NCSoft's role-playing subscription game, Lineage, states "At this time, the current Lineage Macintosh client is not compatible with the upcoming Panther upgrade. We are currently working to resolve this compatibility issue and will make an announcement when the Panther upgrade is supported for use with the Lineage Macintosh client."

Solving an odd login problem Alan Linnenbank reports that his home directory was somehow changed to include an unnecessary IP address prefix, causing an inability to login. Changing the home directory link after logging in as root solved the problem:

"After upgrading a system to Panther that had been upgraded to 10.2.8 since the first preview releases of OSX. I stumbled on to a solution to a slow login problem I had. I had the slow startup problem in 10.2.8 and previous versions but after upgrading to Panther my system wouldn't login anymore at all (mind you I had auto login enabled). After booting the Panther system I would get the message that my home/dir was on an AFP server and that the system could not log me on.

"So I tried logging on as root and started NetInfo manager. Located the user that couldn't login and checked his home directory. turned out that he had a line there stating that his home dir was something like: aFP://ipadress/Users/username instead of /Users/username. I changed that line and now the user can login just fine and no more startup delays! Apparently Jaguar would eventually find the home dir and login wick was painfully slow, but Panther wouldn't login at all."

Resources

  • problems
  • http://www.palmone.com/us/...
  • http://www.stclairsoft.com...
  • panther@stclairsoft.com
  • Lineage
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    Add a Comment (Log in or register) (19 Comments)
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    by Burbank October 24, 2003 10:12 AM PDT
    Can anyone tell me whether it's the Palm Desktop application itself
    which has problems with 10.3 or the Hotsync software? I don't use
    Palmm Desktop but rely on the Hotsync software.
    Reply to this comment
    by klktrk October 24, 2003 10:12 AM PDT
    <class="merchant"><span>&#62;</span><div class="datestamp"><i>This is a reply to a previous comment by Burbank</i></div></class><br />
    I think the problems in 10.2.8 have to do with INSTALLING Palm Desktop, not with running it. I'm running it just fine.

    Presumably, the issue is similar with Panther.
    Reply to this comment
    by edgraf October 24, 2003 10:12 AM PDT
    <class="merchant"><span>&#62;</span><div class="datestamp"><i>This is a reply to a previous comment by Burbank</i></div></class><br />
    Had a friend with the same symptoms on install with his new 15"
    Powerbook.

    Turns out, at least for him, Stuffit 8 munged the decompression. When
    we used Stuffit 7 on my mac, the installer worked as advertised
    Reply to this comment
    by TK1 October 24, 2003 10:37 AM PDT
    For some reason my first comment never got onto the server. If this
    posting results in a double post, I apologize.

    Palm 4.1 Desktop is working perfectly well for me in Panther. I'm syncing
    to a Tungsten C with no problems. What is the supposed issue?
    Reply to this comment
    by rg2 October 24, 2003 10:37 AM PDT
    <class="merchant"><span>&#62;</span><div class="datestamp"><i>This is a reply to a previous comment by TK1</i></div></class><br />
    Ditto! Working fine for me also. The only reason it's installed on my
    system is for syncing. i use the Entourage sync and everything is
    working just as it did under Jaguar. I did have a problem at first, but
    after launching Font Book (Apple's new app) and letting it resolve
    duplicate fonts, then restarting, everything's worked fine.

    ---
    a dirty mind is a terrible thing to waste!
    Reply to this comment
    by childceo October 24, 2003 1:32 PM PDT
    Has anyone noticed any crashes with iMovie...I just upgraded to panther
    and my iMovie is giving me the unexpectedly quit box when attempting
    to open everytime. Sometimes it begins to try and load the
    application...most of the time...it just fails.
    Reply to this comment
    by tloew October 24, 2003 1:32 PM PDT
    <class="merchant"><span>&#62;</span><div class="datestamp"><i>This is a reply to a previous comment by childceo</i></div></class><br />
    Did u Try to fix the rights with Disk Utility- some times the installer
    corrupts them. best way is fix them prior to installation and afterwards
    again. as The Panther roars on your Mac already try to run it now at
    least. If u don have sufficient rights apps will quit without warning
    Reply to this comment
    by Swampthing October 24, 2003 2:27 PM PDT
    Well, this pretty much sucks. Perfomed a HotSync just before I installed Panther. And after upgrading to Panther (10.3), the HotSync application will no longer load. All you get is the following error:

    Application Launch Failure

    "This application "HotSync Manager" could not be launched because of a shared library error: "4&lt;HotSync Manager&gt;&lt;HotSync Manager&gt;&lt;HotSync.Lib.PPC&gt;&lt;&gt;"

    Hopefully PALM will update their HotSync Manager soon for 10.3... otherwise we'll all be stuck!
    Reply to this comment
    by Comps October 24, 2003 2:27 PM PDT
    <class="merchant"><span>&#62;</span><div class="datestamp"><i>This is a reply to a previous comment by Swampthing</i></div></class><br />
    I had same problem - but just reinstalled the Palm Desktop software and
    hotsync was fine after that. Also had to reinstall the keyspan software for
    my USB to serial adaptor. No other problems.
    Reply to this comment
    by Michael Green October 24, 2003 2:56 PM PDT
    iPod 1.3.1 update is supposed to help older iPods be compatible with
    Panther. The updater, which identifies itself as 1.3.1, will not update an
    iPod with version 1.3. It reports the iPod as up-to-date.
    Reply to this comment
    by rossbarkman October 24, 2003 2:56 PM PDT
    <class="merchant"><span>&#62;</span><div class="datestamp"><i>This is a reply to a previous comment by Michael Green</i></div></class><br />
    Apparently it is the updater that is being fixed, not the iPod software.
    The 1.3.1 updater still contains the same iPod 1.3 software.
    Reply to this comment
    by MacFixItUser October 24, 2003 2:56 PM PDT
    <class="merchant"><span>&#62;</span><div class="datestamp"><i>This is a reply to a previous comment by Michael Green</i></div></class><br />
    I had the same experience, but my iPod works perfectly in Panther. I
    don't know why it reports the software as being updated, but right now it
    is working.
    Reply to this comment
    by Michael Green October 25, 2003 8:31 PM PDT
    The HP450 Deskjet driver in 10.3 (v3.0) does not appear to work.
    Although the printer utility works properly and reports ink levels, etc.,
    any attempt at printing just causes the "power-on" light on the printer to
    blink which I believe indicates either than invalid data is received or that
    data is being received, but is not complete. In any event, you can't print
    to the HP450 printer.
    Reply to this comment
    by Toxdoc1947 October 25, 2003 8:32 PM PDT
    <class="merchant"><span>&#62;</span><div class="datestamp"><i>This is a reply to a previous comment by Michael Green</i></div></class><br />
    This was really weird - the HP2300d which was working fine prior to
    upgrade quit working after panther upgrade (unable to connect to
    printer) on my MDD dual 1 gHz. After hours spent diddling with printer
    setup utility, downloading driver software from HP, going back to the
    drivers which came with the printer, switching USB cords, switching USB
    plugs, resetting USB hub, connecting directly to USB port yadda yadda I
    was really getting frustrated.

    I had the Panther discs on the desk, ready to reinstall when I decided to
    try the usb -&gt; parallel cable I used to use with my HP6 MP. Worked like a
    charm!
    Reply to this comment
    by justerino October 26, 2003 12:18 PM PST
    Palm Desktop 4.1 is syncing (with a Tungsten T2) fine for me under 10.3,
    too. HotSyncing failed the first time I attempted it, but thereafter,
    everything has worked fine. J
    Reply to this comment
    by October 26, 2003 3:57 PM PST
    It works!!

    Transfer the "hotsync libraries" from "System/library/cfm support" in
    jaguar to the same folder in Panther and behold the HotSync works!!

    Ron Goren
    Reply to this comment
    by jonctuk October 28, 2003 3:15 AM PST
    I use an Epson StylusScan 2500 all-in-one which has worked well under
    Jaguar although there are no Epson drivers or plug-ins for OSX (I use
    Gimp to drive the printer and Twain for the scanner). I use an old version
    of Photoshop under Classic to scan with, as this is the fastest and most
    convenient method I've found. Since installing Panther, although the
    2500 appears in Twain select, the program now cannot "find the scanner
    on the bus." I can still use VueScan under OSX but this is too slow to
    catch a cold!. Any suggestions, workarounds? Thanks.
    Reply to this comment
    by tajchiu October 29, 2003 6:31 PM PST
    I uninstalled and reinstalled Palm OS 4.1 on my PowerBook G4 667
    running Panther. I was able to successfully HotSync using Bluetooth to
    my Palm Tungsten T.
    Reply to this comment
    by smckee October 30, 2003 2:33 PM PST
    I'm not sure if anyone else will find this helpful, but I have also not been
    able to sync my Palm since upgrading to Panther on my PowerBook. I
    tried a number of things including trying a spare cradle I had, plugging it
    into different USB ports, etc. and had basically given up waiting to hear if
    Palm was going to put out an update.<br>
    <br>
    However, today, I inadvertently ran across a separate problem when my
    track-pad was no longer responding after unplugging the external
    Kensington mouse I had plugged in. I had to go into System Preferences/
    Keyboard & Mouse/Trackpad and unchecked "Ignore trackpad when
    mouse is present." This worked and my track pad started working again.
    This made me think that maybe there was a problem with the current
    version of Kensington Mouse Works (2.3) and Panther, so I uninstalled it.
    Now my Palm is syncing again. I don't know if that was the direct cause,
    but I do know that nothing else I tried to get my Palm to sync has
    worked. And now that I no longer
    of Mouse Works installed, syncing has been working fine.
    Reply to this comment
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