Software Update Glitch

I got bitten by a strange bug yesterday while running Software Update on my Server: a bunch of updates where available, so I accepted to install them and went back to my desktop. After a while, I was ready to click the "restart" button when I noticed that a red exclamation mark was next to all the updates instead of the green checkmark, and a dialog box was displaying the following

"None of the checked updates could be installed. Make sure you have permission to write to /tmp/501/TemporaryItems/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate, then try again."

Hmm. I was running as administrator. Anyway, it was a while since I'd repaired the permissions on this machine, so I launched Disk Utility, repaired and rebooted, just to be on the safe side. But to no avail, the same symptom occurred again. I used Fast Switching to login as root and tried again - no luck. I checked the permissions and they where fine 700 and 755. I decided to 777 the whole tree just to see if that changed anything - nope.

It seemed time to check the net for similar problems. In case like this, I usually start with Apple's Discussions. Checking the Server forum didn't help. Searching the 10.3 one yielded several pertinent threads.

First, I wasn't the only one with this problem. Many had tried what I did, and were just as unsuccessful as me.

• Software Update permissions problem
• Security Update won't install
• Software Update Woes

But a thread attracted my attention more than the others because it mentionned that Apple Remote Desktop was installed on those computers displaying the problem. I had installed ARD earlier in January to test how well I could drive my server from home (not very well actually, but that is another topic). I had never uninstalled it.

• Permissions problems updating to 10.3.2

One of the fixes suggested was related to XCode, or rather uninstalling XCode than removed essential apps from the system (tar, zip, unzip, etc.) and prevents many operation from completing successfully - including Software Update.

I had never installed nor uninstalled XCode from my server, so I decided to install them to give it a try. My server runs on a B&W G3 with a 8Gb primary partition. Just over 2Gb were free, so I had to be cautious in my installation. The fulls XCode package installs over 1.9Gb of software .. I didn't want to replace one problem by another. Using custom install, I avoided the installation of documentation, various SDK, etc. - and Bob's my uncle! It solved the problem!

Now what was wrong, I don't know. I shall uninstall ARD and other unused software to save space, and check those threads to see if someone puts his finger on the problem. A worrying one if you ask me.

PS: funnily enough, just after that episode, I received the new version of XCode in the ADC February mailing.

From T to T3

Here are a few tips and hints if you need to migrate from a Palm T (or older) to the brand new Palm T3. Unfortunately this time, I ran into a number of problems I didn't encounter during previous upgrades.

First, my Backup Plus Card didn't function properly. I was unable to restore the data on the card to the handheld. Hm, scary, no? I previously relied on that solution to transfer information and applications from one handheld to another, but this time it sadly failed with fatal alerts. I'd been using the card regularly this last month due to a battery failure of my Palm T which suddenly discharged itself completely, requiring a complete restore of all apps and data. I took the habit of launching a backup 2 to 3 times a day. Then suddenly, my Web Confidential database went corrupt. I would launch the application, enter the password, and my available memory would get saturated with an ever growing web confidential file until the system would halt. Hmm. That's when I started to get the creeps. My last desktop backup dated from more than a month ago. The problems I encountered with Palm Desktop/HotSync Manager and Panther delayed the proper reinstallation of Palm Desktop 4.1 and its related backups. So, I'd already lost data. I was relying only on one single backup source - a common mistake. Don't put all your eggs in the same basket, or your bound to loose them all one day..

Since, I found on the following support article on PalmOne that shed a little light on the Expansion Card problem:

<http://www.palmone.com/us/support/downloads/64mb_backup_other.html>

Palm offers an update to correct the problem on Zire and Tungsten models (Macintosh download). I was more cautious now. The restore function of the card failing, I reverted to the standard HotSync solution. Hotsynched my Palm T, and synched my Palm T3 - sounds simple, no ? The catch here was that most of the data was saved on my Mac, but not the essential, namely the Address, Datebook and To Do list .. No matter how I did it, the synch went well, the logs were clear of errors, but Palm Desktop displayed an empty Address and Datebook. Damn. By that time I was really getting worried.

After tinkering around for 2 or 3 hours, checking iSync, looking for a way to send all my contacts by Bluetooth, etc. I finally examined the HotSync Conduit files. I discovered that the main applications had changed name between Palm OS 5 (T) and 5.2.1 (T3)

• Address Conduit becomes Contacts Conduit
• Datebook Conduit becomes Calendar Conduit
• ToDo Conduit becomes Tasks Conduit
• Memo Conduit becomes Memos Conduit

The picture got suddenly clearer. The conduit weren't working. I was trying to backup a device with the incorrect conduits. Luckily, my desktop Mac at work still had an older version of Palm Desktop 4 installed, and I quickly transfered the old conduit files to my PowerBook at home.

With the proper files installed, the HotSync functioned correctly. Switch the files, and I was ready to sync back the data onto the T3. The only other thing to check is the all the files that have accumulated in the Backup directory.

~/Documents/Palm/Users/your hotsync name/Backups/

Chances are you'll find a large number of files there. Some that will ring a bell, some other that just won't. Be conservative, and remove all unknown. Several apps brought my T3 to a halt when restoring them, including my DateBk5 DB. Once I got all my contacts, tasks and appointments back up, I reinstalled the other applications. Beware to use the same HotSync ID or most of your registered applications won't register anymore.

I thought I'd share this info with you - might come in handy. All this is surely available elsewhere online, but I'm not too accustomed with Palm forums and weblogs. Send me your pointers and comments.

Domain mapping problem

Sorry for those who experienced domain mapping problems. It seems that I didn't configure the move correctly, and that macinblog.com was left out in the cold. The URL to use for the time being is www.macinblog.com. But you know that already if you're reading this..

The other problem I'm having is mapping the former post permalinks to the newer ones. I've got a bunch of fake files with redirects in their headers, but I have to upload them one by one .. so It'll probably take until early next year.
;)

I'm working on Macinblog's best of 03, and hope to share it with you sometime tomorrow, if I find the time to finish it.

Macinblog downtime

Sorry for the downtime. It occured at 16:55 CET when I started to experiment with .htaccess support on TP, and uploaded a configuration file which generated a 500 error.

I opened a support ticket, and hopefully the problem shall be solved very soon thanks to SixApart's online help.

Oh well, don't look at me like that - someone had to try, no?

On December 28, 2003 05:57 PM, TypePad Customer Support said:

Hi David,

Thanks for the report. The system stops you from creating an htaccess file in your template set, but not if you upload it.

We're working on the file manager for this and it's high priority to add to the system.

Ben can delete the extra file for you, I'll mark this for him to take a look. Thanks, and sorry for the trouble.

Thank you, Brenna

G5 pix gets Michael fired

Watch what you blog. Michael Hanscom (eclecticism weblog) lost his job at Microsoft because of this post:

Even Microsoft wants G5s

That sucks. Good luck Michael.

BlogSPAMmed

Macinblog's comments have been heavily spammed these last 7 days. I've spent the last 2 hours cleaning up the unwanted comments and blocking their IPs out.

The comment's always come with a phony yahoo.com e-mail address, and an URL pointing to some porn site :( Most of the time, the comment simply reads "Interesting" or "Interesting, my previous post got lost" or something similar.

The URL always points to some pornographic site. I've run a lookup and alerted the ISPs I could trace of the nature of some of their "clients". Unfortunately, it won't do much good.

This raises a problem regarding the open comments of weblog posts. MovableType doesn't currently offer the possibility of turning on or off the URL field. If the user enters an e-mail and an URL then, MT builds a link with the URL. Which is what it is meant to do, and is beneficial to the user's site as it adds a link pointing towards it. Typically, Google takes into account that parameter in its search results.

But the side effect can be nasty. I guess there are robots filling up MT comment fields with useless comments and links back to somber sites as those I cleaned up tonight.

I might consider removing the URL field altogether from the comment form.

Finder rename bug

This behavior has been annoying me ever since 10.0,

When you attempt to change a filename extension, the Finder warns you of the danger of doing so by poping up a modal dialog box. If you choose to go on with the change, you end up in the Finder with your pointer marking a selection (as the mouse button was pressed down - but it isn't!).

I know it just requires an extra click to cancel the selection area, but it bugs me. I've ended up with files moved, or displays scrolled. Bugs me.

Virex eUpdate .. outdated

Have you noticed that Virex's eUpdate function reports the May 12, 2003 definitions are the latest available ? Accordingly, that the one you find on .Mac in the Virex section. But since those are over a month old, Virex keeps notifying you that they might be out-of-date ..
:(

Check MacAfee or VersionTracker, and you'll notice that the latest version was released on June 1, 2003 (hum).

So what's up with .Mac ? After all, isn't it for not having to worry about matters like theses that we pay a subscription ? (thumb down Apple). A workaround is to configure Virex to download the definition updates from MacAfee instead of .Mac. I found the following solution on .Mac's Virex discussion board.

• Launch Virex.
• Under "Virex 7.2" menu, select "Preferences..."
• Toward the bottom, under "Virus Updates," click-on the checkbox "Customize my eUpdate server settings"
• Immediately below this and to the right, click the "Server Settings" button which just turned from gray to black.
• A new window named "eUpdate Server Settings" appears.
• For the pop-up menu named "Type" select: FTP
• Fill in the remaining text boxes as follows:
  Server URL: ftp.nai.com
  Port: leave blank
  Username: anonymous
  Password: leave blank
  Account: leave blank
  Directory: /virusdefs/mac/virex7/
• Click OK to enter these settings and close the "eUpdate Server Settings" window.
• You return to the Preferences window where you must Click Ok again.

No Airport Extreme for Switzerland (yet)

Apparently, AirPort Extreme (802.11g), the new technology Apple introduced during MWSF 03, will not be available in Switzerland due to certification problems by the Swiss certification authority Bakom, according to an InfoWeek report . It is not known when AirPort Extreme will be approved and sold by Apple Switzerland.
Picked this up in MacNN

Oops. and what happens to the new PBs Airport Extreme ready? I don't think they accept the former Airport cards (802.11b) .. With a bit of luck, it might just be the same kind of delay France suffered from when the initial Airport technology was introduced.

iApps updates will be charged (sic!)

An CNET article suggests that Apple's 6 "i" apps will be charged for as from next week, eventhough they will still be bundled with each new Mac..

After last July's .Mac's USD 100, here comes the iMovie, iTunes, etc. fees ..

What's in store for Q2 2003 ? Software updates fees ? Restriced to .Mac members ? Brrr ..

Address Book hole and iSync low

iSync figures on my Best of 02 list, in the "wishful thinking" category, hoping the the first release would be significantly more robust and adopt more phones, etc. Well, version 1.0 doesn't live up to my expectations. It installed correctly, but all my contacts were doubled on my Palm Tungsten, there's still no appropriate category management, and iMac is still required for synching between Macs. Low.

The other frustration comes from the Address Book API which can be used by any application to write, or read, or both .. oops.

Picked this up on MacInTouch (2003-01-02):

As of 10.2 there is an API that any program can use to read and write to the addressbook. This can be really great because it means that you don't need seperate addressbooks in your email client, your PIM, etc., etc. The API is in Addressbook.framework.

Unfortunately, there does not seem to be any protection with respect to which apps can access the addressbook. It would be easy to write a small C program to erase the entire contents of the addressbook! Looks like you've discovered one misuse of these new APIs already.

It would be nice if Apple applied a keychain kind of concept: "the application 'Norton Installer' wants to access your addressbook. [allow once] [disallow] [allow always]". This way we can choose which apps we trust to access our important (and private!) addressbook!

Hopefully Apple will do something before we see AppleScripts going around by email erasing the addressbook...

Applescript Trojan Horses ? Naaaaaah .. [ fingers crossed ]

And according to a MacNN reader, you'll soon be able to publish your Address Book on .Mac ..

Lets hope there's some security around all this ..

Microsoft to acquire Macromedia ?

Well, I hope this rumour doesn't turn out to be real ..

Microsoft Corp is believed to have trained its acquisition crosshairs on Macromedia Inc, lining up a deal that would throw enterprise Java into a spin, Gavin Clarke writes.

Industry and analyst sources believe Microsoft covets San Francisco, California-based Macromedia's Flash vector graphics design tool and player, which was radically updated this year.

[snip]

A Microsoft acquisition of Macromedia would inevitably see Flash, and Macromedia's other cross-platform tools, tailored purely for Windows and .NET.

Analysts believe Macromedia is ripe for acquistion. Revenue for the most recent four quarters has been flat while net income is in the red. Macromedia reported an $11.6m net loss, down from $70.7m, for the fiscal quarter to September 30 on revenue that fell 2.2% to $85.4m. For the six months period, Macromedia has narrowed its loss from $182.4m to $13.6m while revenue fell 3.4% to $169m.

<http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/28667.html>