Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

diamondsw · Jun 1, 2004, 12:41 AM

I've had a heck of a time with 10.3.4's version of Safari and the underlying WebKit and other frameworks (in a nutshell, it saves passwords very inconsistently - some sites are fine, others not, some even work on different pages of the same site - but that's a thread for another time). I've given up on troubleshooting it for now, and decided to revert to 10.3.3 - it worked fine, after all.

What I'd like to do is revert to 10.3.3 until Apple fixes this. However, the Panther install CD won't allow it since I have a newer version installed - it only allows an erase and install, which isn't exactly what I'm looking for. So, I have two key questions:

1) What is the safest, most reliable way of reverting to a previous OS X version?
2) What is a fast and semi-dangerous way since I have a recent backup?

Any way to "trick" it into doing an archive and install?

Finally, does anyone know for sure what an archive and install does with the UNIXy folders like /usr/local and all that? Will it wipe them and make new ones, leave them untouched, or something else?

wataru · Jun 1, 2004, 02:05 AM

Safest is an archive install.

diamondsw · Jun 1, 2004, 11:35 AM

Originally posted by wataru:
Safest is an archive install.

But that is my point - the OS X installer won't allow an archive and install if a newer version is already installed (like 10.3.4). Otherwise I'd have done that already.

Developer · Jun 1, 2004, 11:41 AM

The installer allows that.

I don't think you're problems are related to 10.3.4 and I wouldn't suggest downgrading since 10.3.4 contains security updates.

diamondsw · Jun 1, 2004, 12:08 PM

Originally posted by Developer:
The installer allows that.

I don't think you're problems are related to 10.3.4 and I wouldn't suggest downgrading since 10.3.4 contains security updates.

The installer most definitely does not allow it. I tried already - the disk is marked with a yellow "caution" sign and says that I have to adjust my install options. When I select "Archive and Install", it disables the "Next" button. When I select "Erase and Install", then it's happy (but I'm understandably not). It's the Panther retail box, so I know this isn't some strange "upgrade CD" limitation.

As for the Safari issue, I have narrowed this down - this was caused by the framework changes in 10.3.4. It's not the Safari application (I restored Safari 1.2 using Pacifist), and it worked immediately previously on 10.3.3 (as in, I connected to my banking site earlier *that day*). I've done all the troubleshooting tips including permissions, reset Safari, reset the keychain (ouch!), I only used the combo update, I even tried it out on a vanilla separate partition I use for backups - it is a bug in 10.3.4, plain and simple (see the thread in Software).

So, now that I hope I've established that it really is 10.3.4 causing problems, and I can't use the "Archive and Install", any further advice? Please?

Art Vandelay · Jun 1, 2004, 12:49 PM

If Archive and Install isn't available, it's quite likely you do not have enough free space on your drive to perform it.

diamondsw · Jun 1, 2004, 07:13 PM

Originally posted by Art Vandelay:
If Archive and Install isn't available, it's quite likely you do not have enough free space on your drive to perform it.

That's worth checking on - I have 3.7GB available, but perhaps that isn't enough for some reason?

Developer · Jun 1, 2004, 07:29 PM

Originally posted by diamondsw:
The installer most definitely does not allow it.

I just tried it; the installer does allow Archive & Install if the option to import user and network settings is turned off. So you would have to import your user yourself.

I believe the Jaguar installer would import user and network settings even if a newer system was installed.

diamondsw · Jun 1, 2004, 07:53 PM

Okay, we're both right. I tried it again, and after clicking off and then on again the checkbox to preserve users, it suddenly said everything was just fine. Opening and closing the window had no effect, but that checkbox did - chalk it up to a bug in the installer.

I just finished installing a fresh copy and I'm reinstalling security patches, applications, etc.

Thanks a lot!

Brass · Jun 1, 2004, 07:57 PM

Originally posted by Developer:
I just tried it; the installer does allow Archive & Install if the option to import user and network settings is turned off. So you would have to import your user yourself.

I believe the Jaguar installer would import user and network settings even if a newer system was installed.

There is good reason for this (at least for part of it). The contents of many preference files may have changed and of course the older system can have no way of understanding the newer format. Unpredictable behaviour may result in using such preferences files.

lapinos · Jun 4, 2004, 07:08 AM

I once used a method that could be called a bit dirty.
Delete the receipts from their folder, and the installer should just behave as an upgrader: replacing eveything that is not in sync with the version you are installing.

G

Tidzy Boo · Jul 7, 2004, 06:10 PM

I also really want to revert to 10.3.3 but in the installer destination prompt i cant even get into the options (the button is grayed out) to toggled importing users or archive install etc. why cant i do this?

Maflynn · Jul 7, 2004, 08:36 PM

Originally posted by diamondsw:
But that is my point - the OS X installer won't allow an archive and install if a newer version is already installed (like 10.3.4). Otherwise I'd have done that already.

Well I guess thats a good reason not to load on a Beta OS onto your main machine.

So many people rush out to install it, and no they're like oh crap I don't want to lose my data how do I revert back.

The safest approach is to reformat.