Learning with the Fang

;-(

UPDATE:

Software error caused by running out of disk-space during auto software update to  OS/X 10.4.8 !

Symptoms:

- Unable to pair with bluetooth keyboard

- USB mouse / camera not recognised on insert

- could not mount .dmg in order to re-apply update (MacOSXUpdCombo10.4.8PPC.dmg)

- could not mound external firewire HDD for backup

- learnt that you cannot ‘un-install, remove or roll-back’ OS/X updates (boo hiss)

Workaround:

- Reboot with firewire HDD or USB Mouse attached, gets recognised

- Boot off external HDD, mount MacOSXUpdCombo10.4.8PPC.dmg, copy the .pkg

- Reboot internal (munged) HDD OSX, re-apply the update via MacOSXUpdCombo10.4.8PPC.pkg

- System works OK but time for an unclemike scorch the earth and re-install

Solution:

- Scrap the external 300gig drive from the kids pc, format for OSX

- Re-Backup DATA using Backup 3.1, copy entire HDD just in case – 33GB
(This is where I noticed my daily incremental backups only totalled 10GB, but my data is actually 30GB – EVIL but lucky I noticed)

- Find most appropriate .dmg with OS/X, my applications

(Mr Murphy strikes here, turns out I had deleted every single copy of my super .dmg based on Tiger OS/X – had to go back to Panther and that without office + iLife06 – bugger)

- Disk Utility -> Restore & Erase from MacFangBasePlus01.dmg

- Boot off Tiger DVD, choose ‘Upgrade’ to bring me up to 10.4.3

- Update using MacOSXUpdCombo10.4.8PPC.dmg to 10.4.8

- Re-Install Major Applications (iLife, Office)

- Re-Install and register purchased utilitites (QuickTimePro, MarsEdit/NetNewsWire, Transmit, MP3Trimmer)

- Re-Install Backup 3.1

- *Create new TIGER based image: MacFangTigerPlusOffice.dmg

(will be quicker to recover next time!)

-  Restore DATA (33GB – all good – pleasantly surprised how many settings / preferences were saved)

- iTunes needed v7.0.1 download + install before I could access my library

- re-Install iLife06 (custom, ignore some large garageband content)

- verify iLife06, mail, Office all fire up OK (mail was too easy!)

- NOW to re-install & configure all the little downloads (flock, RDC, Stuffit, Skype, SnapzPro, iRiver, Vlc, ChickenOfVNC, iSquint, iRiver and probably many more…)

Stay tuned…

Fang – Mike Seyfang