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Martino1 · Apr 22, 2009, 12:13 PM

My old computer is a Mac G5 dual 1.8 tower. OS 10.4.11

I recently bought a new Intel iMac and after two months I decided to update the G5 address book with the more current one on the iMac. I copied and pasted. Big mistake. Now the address book on the G5 won't open.

Obviously something more sophisticated than copy and paste is required. Does anyone know what?

ghporter · Apr 22, 2009, 12:21 PM

Back up the Address Book (it's under Export > Address Book Archive), then copy the archive to the other computer. Now "restore" the archive in the second computer (it will overwrite anything in the second computer's Address Book) and you're done.

For a less destructive way to do it, you could identify the entries you want to add to the G5's listings and export them individually as vCards, then import those vCards in the G5's Address Book.

Martino1 · 03:41 PM

Thanks for the quick reply. I copied the archive from the new computer but things still not working.

When I did the original attempt to paste the address book it replaced the one on the G5 with the new one. Its icon is there and it looks OK but I can't open it. Now the archive icon is there too but neither one will open. Maybe it's because I don't know exactly what you mean by "restore." Is there some special sequence?

TETENAL · Apr 22, 2009, 04:14 PM

You didn't copy the Address Book application, did you?

Martino1 · Apr 22, 2009, 05:04 PM

In the original screw-up copy and paste I copied the brown icon that is labeled "address book". I don't know if that's the application. Today I did the export > archive as per the instructions above and copied that to the applications folder of my old computer. Now I don't know how to "restore."

TETENAL · Apr 22, 2009, 05:54 PM

Yes, the icon that is called "Address Book" is not actually an address book, it's the application that manages your address book database. The address book database is located elsewhere in your homefolder (~/Library/Application Support/Address Book/, but this actual location is an implementation detail that is not very relevant for the user, I'll explain in a minute why).

What you did in your original screw-up is copy an newer version of the Address Book application from 10.5 Leopard to a 10.4 Tiger system. It won't run. To fix this, I would suggest an Archive & Install of 10.4 on your G5. This will restore a working Address Book application. After you got that working, you open Address Book on the Intel-Mac, do File->Export->vCards to export all contacts you want to copy over (this is why you don't need to know where the actual address book database is on the file system, you can export it from the Address Book app). Then you copy the vCards to the G5 and drag them onto the Address Book app (or do File->Import->vCards).

Art Vandelay · Apr 22, 2009, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by TETENAL

(this is why you don't need to know where the actual address book database is on the file system, you can export it from the Address Book app)

Another reason why it's not important to know where the actual database is that the databases between Tiger's and Leopard's Address Book are incompatible. You can't just move the databases back and forth.

Art Vandelay · 06:46 PM

Originally Posted by TETENAL

What you did in your original screw-up is copy an newer version of the Address Book application from 10.5 Leopard to a 10.4 Tiger system. It won't run. To fix this, I would suggest an Archive & Install of 10.4 on your G5.

This is overkill. Just insert your Tiger DVD and choose "Optional Installs". You'll be able to select Address Book under the Applications section. This will reinstall only Address Book. Once that's done, you need to download the 10.4.11 Combo updater to get Address Book updated to the most recent Tiger version to keep it in sync with the rest of the OS.

I also recommend deleting the Address Book app you copied over before you start. If the Installer sees a newer version, it might not give you the option to reinstall.

Martino1 · Apr 22, 2009, 11:08 PM

I appreciate your efforts to help fix this mess. I tried installing a new address book from my original DVD. It is version 10.3 and no "optional installs" was available. In fact I couldn't find address book anywhere to try download only that. It wanted to do an archive and install but there have been quite a few updates over the years and I'm afraid of making things worse. Do you see any other options?

Big Mac · Apr 22, 2009, 11:24 PM

CharlesS can explain to you how to use his utility, Pacifist, to extract Address Book from the 10.4 installation disc.

Art Vandelay · Apr 22, 2009, 11:44 PM

Originally Posted by Martino1

It is version 10.3 and no "optional installs" was available.

You need your 10.4 DVD, not your 10.3 DVD.

Martino1 · Apr 23, 2009, 12:45 AM

Originally Posted by Art Vandelay

You need your 10.4 DVD, not your 10.3 DVD.

I was afraid of that. I don't have a 10.4 DVD. I have 10.3 and 10.5.

Art Vandelay · Apr 23, 2009, 12:54 AM

How did you get 10.4 on your G5?

King Bob On The Cob · Apr 23, 2009, 01:17 AM

Originally Posted by Art Vandelay

How did you get 10.4 on your G5?

Maybe he's still running 10.3 on the G5, and 10.5 on the iMac?

Martino1 · Apr 23, 2009, 09:02 AM

I can't remember the details now but I think after I bought the computer I was upgraded on the OS but I think that happened off the internet. Anyway, I looked everywhere and I don't have a DVD for 10.4. The current OS is 10.4.11

TETENAL · Apr 23, 2009, 09:18 AM

You can not upgrade from 10.3 to 10.4 off the Internet. It's a payed upgrade. You must have the 10.4 system DVD anywhere. If not you need to purchase one on eBay or simply buy 10.5 and upgrade your G5 to that.

Martino1 · Apr 23, 2009, 09:20 AM

I can't remember the details now but I think shortly after I bought the computer I was upgraded on the OS but I think that happened off the internet. Anyway, I've looked and I don't have another DVD. The current OS is 10.4.11

Martino1 · Apr 23, 2009, 10:23 AM

Sorry about posting twice by mistake. I didn't know I could upgrade my G5 to 10.5. That would make the most sense and get both machines singing off the same sheet. My G5 is Dual 1.8 PowerPC with 1.5 GB of ram. Would that work with OS 10.5?

TETENAL · Apr 23, 2009, 10:32 AM

Yes, it will run 10.5 just fine.

Martino1 · Apr 23, 2009, 02:45 PM

Thanks for the tip Tetenal. I think I'll look into that. Any words to the wise about installing a new OS? Should I do some kind of massive backup? You can see my record.
Also many thanks to all who have stuck with this mess to try sort it out.

ghporter · Apr 23, 2009, 02:54 PM

Archive and Install is the way to go. Here's how to do it.