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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > New 12" PB user here! (but a 10.3.4 question...)

New 12" PB user here! (but a 10.3.4 question...)
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giggs11
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Jul 29, 2004, 03:07 PM
 
Hi folks,

Well I ordered a 12" PB with the SuperDrive from Amazon the other day, and it arrived just two days later! A good sign, and so far I'm enjoying it and hoping to learn all about OS X. I've used Windows and Unix pretty extensively, so I figure I can pick up OS X quickly. I just love the portability of this thing.

However, I ran into a problem last night when I ran Software Update. Most of the programs downloaded and installed correctly. However, the 10.3.4 update seemed to not go as smoothly. During installation, it got stuck on "Optimizing HD", and the meter didn't change for like 45 mins. Got me worried, so I ended up having to do a hard reset by holding the power button. When I rebooted, the startup screen wouldn't get past something about setting up printers, so I got stuck again, even after rebooting. Tried using the installation CDs to do disk repair and file permission repair, but it still didn't work. I ended up having to reinstall 10.3.3, which is what I'm back at now. I went back to Software Update and downloaded everything except the 10.3.4 update, and so far everything works. Does anybody have a clue what might have gone wrong with that? I plan to call Apple today after work and ask them, but if I could get some info here it might help too.

Thanks!
     
Tomster
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Jul 29, 2004, 03:19 PM
 
How much memory to you have in the Powerbook? The reason why I ask, is that if one were to fire up top during the optimization process, one would see that thy system is prebinding stuff. This takes quite some time if one does not have sufficient memory. Did the percentage change at all during the updating, because sometimes the progress bar does not.

If you want, you can force quit the process, but most of your apps will not be prebound. Of course you can just manually prebind them later.

Hope it helps.
Happily using a Mac since '89
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giggs11  (op)
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Jul 29, 2004, 03:31 PM
 
Right now I just have the 256 MB in there, with an extra 512 on the way. When it got stuck during the optimization, it didn't even show me a percentage number, just the meter wasn't doing anything at all. I tried a Force Quit and then when I rebooted, it didn't startup properly.
     
ibook_steve
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Jul 29, 2004, 04:57 PM
 
As Tomster said, you should have just let it go. It can take a long time, especially with only the base memory. Try it again. It should finish fine.

Steve
     
bighead
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Jul 29, 2004, 05:03 PM
 
I've had that 10.3.4 freeze happen on multiple machines I've been setting up from scratch. Since I started running 10.3.4 by itself, then running everything after that, I've not had a single freeze.

This is on desktops and portables alike, BTW.
the bighead

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chris v
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Jul 29, 2004, 05:22 PM
 
I lost an install due to the same thing when 10.3.4 first came out. (update_prebinding was runnin 0% in top). I cloned 10.3.3 from a backup, and the second time, it took. Didn't know it was a widespread issue. Weird.

CV

When a true genius appears in the world you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him. -- Jonathan Swift.
     
giggs11  (op)
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Jul 29, 2004, 05:43 PM
 
Originally posted by ibook_steve:
As Tomster said, you should have just let it go. It can take a long time, especially with only the base memory. Try it again. It should finish fine.

Steve
Well, my memory will be in tomorrow most likely, so I'll just do it after that. Thanks for the advice.
     
TAZ
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Jul 29, 2004, 09:26 PM
 
Had the same thing happen when I first got my wife's iBook and my 12" Pb. Always happened at the first update when there is usually a HUGE amount of downloads. I have gotten into the habbit of doing them in small doses just in case. System updates first and the down the list of pertinent items.
     
noxoliver
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Jul 30, 2004, 04:39 PM
 
giggs11 I had the same problem. Don't know if I will ever upgrade my OS X version.
have a 15' with 1 gig ram
     
giggs11  (op)
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Aug 4, 2004, 10:34 AM
 
Quick question all, if I try this again and it screws up, forcing me to reinstall 10.3.3 from the CDs, will I lose my programs or OS settings in any way? Or is the OS completely separate from the programs?

Thanks!
     
macpow
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Aug 4, 2004, 12:17 PM
 
Giggs11.. same exact problem on my stock 12"PB. Ended up reinstalling 10.3.3 from CDs, then using Software Updater to upgrade to OS 10.3.4 first... then upgraded other apps a small number at a time. Additional RAM on the way!
12" Powerbook G4/1.33 GHz/60GB HD,Power Mac G5-Dual 2.0 GHz/2GB RAM/250GB HD (2), TiPowerbook-500MHz/512MB RAM/48GB HD, PowerMac 8500-120MHz/128MB RAM/2GB HD, Mac II-16MHz/2MB RAM/50MB HD, Fat Mac- 8MHz/512K RAM/floppy
     
giggs11  (op)
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Aug 4, 2004, 05:23 PM
 
Thanks all, guess I'll bite the bullet and give it another shot tonight, doing just the 10.3.4 update by itself. If something goes wrong, well its not like there's a huge amount of stuff on there after I've had the PB for just one week.
     
giggs11  (op)
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Aug 4, 2004, 08:52 PM
 
WOOHOO! Worked without a hitch this time.
     
   
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