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My Macbook won't let me open newly downloaded programmes

lizzieish

lizzieish

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 23, 2009
19
0
UK
Hello there :)

I have been having this problem for a little under a year now and it's really starting to bug me!

Whenever I download something new off of the internet (new versions of programmes) it will complete in the download window on my Mac, then when I go to open it to install it, it appears to try and open in my dock then closes it immediately like it just can't open it, you can see the icon start to appear then it just stops pretty much straight away.

I have just tried to install itunes 9.0.2 and it did it and it has also done it on the many occasions I have tried to install the new flash so I can listen to music on myspace.

This is a screen shot of what appears on my desktop when the download has completed:

Picture2-3.png


And this is a screen shot of the window I get when I open the iTunes9.0.2.dmg icon:

Picture1-8.png


My Macbook is 2 years old and runs on Mac OS X Version 10.4.11.

If anyone can help me I would really appreciate it, I'm worried I won't ever be able to get new versions of stuff ever again!

Lizzie x
 
The .dmg file is a "disk image" -- like a virtual CD. When you download and open a disk image for an app, you'll see either the app itself (which you should drag and drop to your Applications directory and then open from there) or an installer (the .mpkg file you see in this case). Double-click the .mpkg file to run the installer.
 
Yeah it's when I click on that, that it tries to open it in my dock then closes it immediately, I have tried over and over and over and it just won't open it.
 
How big is the file - has it completely downloaded.

My other suggestion is a repair permissions - 10.4 needed that quite a lot.
 
splitpea said:
When you click on what?
Click to expand...

I believe the OP is saying when he double-clicks the installer (.mpkg file) it does not work.

You can tell in the image that the generic icon showing for the installer isn't right. (It's supposed to look like a package.) At this point, I'm siding with Chappers. Try a permissions repair. If that doesn't work I'd see if the problem still occurs under a new user account. If all else fails, a clean install should set things right.
 
lizzieish said:
Can I ask what a Permissions Repair is?
Click to expand...

You need to go into your applications folder then into the utilities folder and find the application called "Disk Utility" and open it

A window will open and you should click on your hard drive /disk on the left hand side. I never bothered to verify permissions - just click on "repair permissions". Yours may look slightly different from this picture - I'm running 10.5

4127986991_26b861a421_o.jpg


That should sort things out - then maybe you can download and do a maintenance run with the software (MacJanitor) I linked for you earlier. It will help too.

Good luck.
 
So, that all sounded straight forward enough, so I went to my Utilities folder and Disc Utility isn't there. So I went to Mac help on my Macbook, found the right bit and underneath it said click to open Disc Utility, I clicked and this came up:

Picture3-3.png


So now I really don't know what to do, any suggestions?!
 
Yikes, either you have really really bad permissions problems or your OS is corrupted. Do you still have the original software restore disks? You might be able to boot from those and repair permissions; if that doesn't work you'll likely have to reinstall OS X.
 
Oh this is so bloody typical.

Yeah I have my discs on my bookshelf :) So, if I put those into my Mac what will actually happen? You said something about doing the repair thing from those?

My boyfriend has the identical laptop to me, is there anyway we can copy the Disc Utility folder onto a Memory Stick and just copy it onto my laptop?

If everything fails and I have to re install, does that mean backing up everything? I have got SO much stuff on here, pretty much my whole life!

And on a side note, I just installed the newest MSN Messenger from the Apple site absolutely no trouble :confused:

Ee by gum the things technology puts me through

x
 
Firstly - if you haven't done a back-up - do one ASAP. This board and those of a thousand other forums is littered with people who did not back up their life.

Can you do a search for Disk utility and find where it is.

When did you last restart your Mac?

If and when you do re-install OSX then you can do an "archive and install" - you shouldn't lose your stuff. What that does is basically install OSX and put all your stuff in a folder (like a copy of your hard disk).
It sounds perfect but you really should back-up before you do this.

Have you tried to download and use MacJanitor that I told you about ?

Cheers
 
lizzieish said:
So, that all sounded straight forward enough, so I went to my Utilities folder and Disc Utility isn't there. So I went to Mac help on my Macbook, found the right bit and underneath it said click to open Disc Utility, I clicked and this came up:

Picture3-3.png


So now I really don't know what to do, any suggestions?!
Click to expand...

Open Applications -> Utilities Folder and check if the Disk Utility is there. Try to start it and tell us what happens.
 
Yep first place I looked was my Utilities folder and it's not there. Restart every few days, just did again and Disc Utilities is still a no show.

I have all my work backed up but not my music or photos. I feel this is something I should do!

I have my work on a USB stick but all my music and photos comes to over 32GB and then I have a lot of programmes like Photoshop and Dreamweaver. What is the best way to go about backing up your Mac, how does everyone else keep all their stuff safe?

Don't wanna put the discs in until I have backed up just incase! But for when I do, if I click archive and install, it will just put a new copy of my hard drive in a folder on my mac and not do anything else? And then from there I can retrieve my Disc Utilities folder? Just wanna make sure I understand correctly!

Oo and is copy and pasting my boyfriend's Disc Utility folder from his mac something that wouldn't work?

I am running MacJanitor as I type :)

Thankyou SO much for all the help, honestly this is the most useful forum I think I have ever joined! Much appreciated :p
 
Archive and Install will basically overwrite OSX and put all you music and picture etc in a folder (probably called previous hard disk or whatever your hard disk is called). It's been a long time since I did this.

This type of install will create a new applications folder and thus a new utilities folder - so a copy of disk utility will be in there. Your applications like Photoshop will be in the folder the archive and install creates.
It will basically look how it did when you first used it two years ago except for the folder of your stuff.

I'm hoping MacJanitor will do the job without you having to re-install. It makes life a lot easier.

As for back-up - well I do DVD's and memory stick/flash drives. I would recommend an external hard disk (USB powered).
 
On a side note - some people would probably recommend you upgrade your version of OSX but before you do - check to see if your software that you need (Photoshop) will work. I haven't upgraded to OSX 10.6 as it isn't compatible with my version of Photoshop.
 
Chappers said:
Read her post - she tried that - its not there.
Click to expand...

Right, I only saw the part with the Help.

Well as a sign it is not a good one. Points to someone being to happy with the trash can sound ;) and might have deleted more than just that. Good backup and reinstall should put her back on track.
 
mmulin said:
Right, I only saw the part with the Help.

Well as a sign it is not a good one. Points to someone being to happy with the trash can sound ;) and might have deleted more than just that. Good backup and reinstall should put her back on track.
Click to expand...
Agreed - thanks for coming back.
 
Right I'm going to buy myself some DVDs then and get backing up this week! Going to wait till me bloke is home and he can help me with the reinstalling stuff :)

I will let you all know how it goes!!!!!!!!

Thankyou SO much once again!

x
 
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