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macmad · Jun 4, 2004, 06:38 AM

Since a while now, probably after a recent security update, my software update has been broken. HELP! It will find and download any new updates, but complains "Can't verify and expand. Do you have /tmp write permission?". I do! I have deleted /tmp, played with CHMOD, but can't seem to fix this. Any ideas PLEASE???

chris v · Jun 4, 2004, 06:59 AM

What if you create a new admin account and try from there?

CV

macmad · Jun 4, 2004, 07:22 AM

Chris, thanks, I've just tried a new admin user, but same response, it cannot verify and expand - check permissions /tmp/502/software_update. I've done a repair permissions too.
<p>Anything else I could try? I don't want to install Panther again just because of this.

SKP909 · Jun 6, 2004, 10:05 AM

hiya, i have the same, or very similar problem on my PB 1ghz 15'.. I started another thread about it a day or two ago, i cant see it tho, maybe its gone to 2nd page wit no replies ;( '10.3.4 sw update error' was the title, i keep getting to various stages of DL'ing the update, then it errors and says what you also got-
temp/501 check u can read write or whatever...
Apple store said i can go and pick the update up on cd, but i dunno if that will help solve this problem...? im on dial up so it is a pain and takin ages.. heh ill go pick up the cd soon and try.

thnx if any1can help..

Person Man · Jun 6, 2004, 11:37 AM

If it's a permissions problem, try using Disk Utility to Repair Permissions on the hard drive before trying Software Update again. Otherwise, you may have to reinstall the operating system. If it comes to that, I would suggest using the Archive and Install option.

At any rate, it's always a good idea to repair permissions before and after a software update.

Loony · Jun 6, 2004, 11:59 PM

I had a similar, if not the same problem with Software Update breaking after I uninstalled xcode.

Aparently it removed the tar app while uninstalling - I had to reinstall tar using something like Pacifist to make software update work again.

Angus_D · Jun 7, 2004, 05:37 AM

Holy serious oversight, Batman! /me trundles off to file a bug report.

macmad · Jun 7, 2004, 05:51 AM

I had a similar, if not the same problem with Software Update breaking after I uninstalled xcode.

Aparently it removed the tar app while uninstalling - I had to reinstall tar using something like Pacifist to make software update work again.

Loony, I think you've hit the nail on the head!!! Thats what I did, I uninstalled xcode, and since then software update has been broken.

Please, how can I get TAR installed again (where should it go?), shall I just re-install xcode?

Thanks for all your help!

Angus_D · Jun 7, 2004, 09:14 AM

You can use Pacifist to extract it from the Xcode Tools package (it's in DeveloperTools.pkg). You want /usr/bin/gnutar and /usr/bin/tar. I believe tit's pretty straightforward, I haven't used Pacifist in a while.

By the way, this is rdar://3682226 for people that care about those things. It'll probably get closed as a duplicate though.

macmad · Jun 7, 2004, 03:43 PM

That was it.. tar was missing. Thank you all for your help.

Spliff · Jun 7, 2004, 09:56 PM

Originally posted by Loony:
I had a similar, if not the same problem with Software Update breaking after I uninstalled xcode.

Aparently it removed the tar app while uninstalling - I had to reinstall tar using something like Pacifist to make software update work again.

Same thing happened to me. Apple's brilliant Xcode uninstaller uninstalled several vital OS X files including the built-in FTP support.

Loony · Jun 7, 2004, 10:15 PM

Pleasure to be of service