Updating OS
Danny W has the right idea.
sk3pt1c, I've got a few suggestions, but read this first (you too, one1):
Standard OS X Support Specialist approach to updates --
1. Repair permisssions.
2. Run fsck (file system check) from the command line (Boot, hold CMD+S after the chime. When prompted at the bottom of all that scary command line stuff, enter '/sbin/fsck -fy' then hit return).
[Reason for fsck is that if you've got directory damage, an OS update may kill the platform. Erase and install may be your only option at that point.]
3. The ultra-cautious among us (though not overly cautious) will boot the machine from an installer CD and repair the disk (at least verify it) with Disk Utility.
4. Don't use Software Update. Download the OS update you need from Apple's web site (
http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/).
While you're there, read what that update does. (one1 -- Apple usually doesn't tell you that they're going to replace your older software (Safari) with newer software that's part of an update. They think you should be thrilled. READ, my friend, read.)
5. REBOOT IN SAFE MODE! This alone can go along way toward ensuring a smooth install, and a trouble-free update. (Hold the shift key down while starting the Mac. After logging in, run the update. Then restart.)
6. Install the OS update.
6. After install is complete, reboot and repair permissions again.
7. If you want to be super-sure you've done everything you can, run fsck again from the command line.
NOTE: Booting in Safe Mode automatically runs fsck. But it also runs additional checks as well, including font cache deletions. Safe Mode is a pretty good OS X repair function.
Nothing in the above directions is a waste of time. This is the collective wisdom of a fairly large community of OS X techs, on how to update the OS.
sk3pt1c, if you're still with me, here's the bad news: You can't revert to an earlier OS version without doing a ground-up reinstall from the CD, then up the system to where you want it; i.e., start with a 10.4.6 Tiger install disk (for example), then grab the 4.9 or 4.10 update off Apple's download page. (Out of those two, though, 10.4.9 is better.)
Connect your Mac to another Mac with a Firewire cable. Start the other Mac first, then start the bad Mac holding down the 'T' key. (Target disk mode.) Your bad Mac hard drive (internal) should show up on the other Mac's desktop.
Now plug in the external drive. If it doesn't show up on the other Mac's desktop just like the internal drive did, you're not going to be able to recover the data from it using any conventional method. (Unconventional methods are where you pay a genius a boatload of money to recover SOME of your disk, though almost never ALL of it. Note -- this is always cost prohibitive unless you're recovering international trade secrets or Federal Reserve Bank type stuff.)
Reformat it and call it a lesson learned.
If you are able to mount it on the other computer's desktop, repair the disk using Disk Utility.
Reinstall the OS using the install CD, then update it.
Does anybody ever back up their hard drives? Just wondering.
