Reminder: When performing Archive and Install, make sure Apple application versions are up-to-date

When performing an Archive and Install process -- as is required for performing a reversion to an earlier iteration of Mac OS X, removing Security Updates, or back-tracking to earlier versions of some applications -- it is important to check that every Apple application is updated to the latest release after the process is complete (except, of course, for any application you are intentionally attempting to downgrade).

After performing an Archive and Install, we generally recommend that users to run Software Update, obtaining the latest versions of all components they wish to restore to the latest releases. So, for instance, if you were performing an Archive and Install to remove a recent Security Update from your Mac, and wished to return to the latest version of Mac OS X available, running Software Update and simply unchecking the undesired Security Update will normally restore the machine to normal working order.

However, in some cases, you may be updating to a version of Mac OS X that is incompatible with a version of an Apple application that was installed by your Mac OS X disc in the Archive and Install process.

MacFixIt reader Thomas Maler describes just such a case:

"I would like to warn people who are doing Tiger Archive and Install followed by the Software Updates to 10.4.2, to check versions of Apple applications that will be installed when all updates are done.

"I just spent most of the day banging my head against the wall and tearing the remainder of my hair out: Apple's Mail program would show the correct number of emails in the IN and other mailboxes, but the scrolling list of messages was mostly blank or would show only a few of them. I almost gave up, but finally checked version of Apple Mail (and the other apps), only to discover that it left version 2.0 in the Applications folder. It put the previous Apps into the Applications folder in the Previous Systems folder, but since they were only the Apple apps, I trashed them. In every previous instance, the Software Update installed the correct apps into the Applications folder in the new installation."

"Once I updated Mail with version 2.03, all email messages were instantly there and were available. The update process also left the out of date version of Address Book in the Applications folder. All other Apple Apps had the correct version numbers."

So, if you are having problems with an Apple application after performing an Archive and Install process then returning to a later version of Mac OS X, make sure you are using the latest versions available from Apple's Software Download page or our sister site, VersionTracker.

Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.

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