Not able to verify my version of OS X

[brainwave89]

When I click on the Apple icon then click on About this Mac no version is displayed. I know the version is 10.4.10.

Other problems:
When I open iTunes I receive the following error:
"You cannot use this application"iTunes" with this version of Mac OS X".

When I open iMovie 06 I receive the following error:
"iMovieHD requires Mac OS X v10.3.4 Panther or later. For more information on upgrading your computer, visit www.apple.com/macosx."

I have deleted the .plist files for iMovie and iTunes w/o success.

Any suggestions on fixing this problem would be appreciated.

 

[xUKHCx]

If the version number is not present it will cause problems as you have noted.

You need to check for the following file

/System/Library/CoreServices/SystemVersion.plist

 

[brainwave89]

Thanks xUKHCx.

It is not there? What do I do to get it back?

Cheers!

 

[Peace]

Silly question I know but do you have OSX installed on an Apple Computer?

 

[brainwave89]

Never a silly question.
Yes OS X 10.4.10 is installed on this system.
Thanks.

 

[yellow]

Open Terminal.

Type in:

sw_vers

WHat does it return?

yellow$ sw_vers
ProductName:    Mac OS X
ProductVersion: 10.4.11
BuildVersion:   8S165

 

[brainwave89]

Thank you yellow

after typing in sw_vers in the result was

***** ERROR **** Can't get version dictionary

 

[yellow]

Hmm...

A complete reinstall of the OS might be in your best interest here. Frankly it will be the fastest way to correct this problem.

 

[brainwave89]

Thank you Yellow.

Wow...are there any other options you can recommend other than to re-install?

 

[swiftaw]

You could do an archive and install, that would keep all your apps/data intact but would install a new Systems folder.

 

[xUKHCx]

It doesn't report anything because the "sw_vers" command reads the file that was previously shown to be missing.

You could create it by making something like the following in textedit and saving that as SystemVersion.plist and putting it in the right place. You may want to find the appropriate build number as it may cause some problems if you have the wrong info in there. You need to set the encoding to Unicdoe UTF -8

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>ProductBuildVersion</key>
<string>9B18</string>
<key>ProductCopyright</key>/
<string>1983-2017 Apple Inc.</string>
<key>ProductName</key>
<string>Mac OS X</string>
<key>ProductUserVisibleVersion</key>
<string>10.4.10</string>
<key>ProductVersion</key>
<string>10.4.10</string>
</dict>
</plist>

 

[yellow]

Well, that file missing may just be a symptom of a major underlying problem. One of which we could spend a lot of time working on, when the shortcut would be a reinstall.

Of course, it may just be that file missing.

But I must note that it's VERY unusual to have that file disappear without some user interaction or serious problem.

<string>1983-2007 Apple Inc.</string>

 

[brainwave89]

Thank you xUKHCx.

If by chance the the build number is not correct where can I find other build numbers that may be correct?

fyi - I was just told that the user of this computer may have tried to install a Leopard update.....not good.

 

[techlover828]

It doesn't report anything because the "sw_vers" command reads the file that was previously shown to be missing.

You could create it by making something like the following in textedit and saving that as SystemVersion.plist and putting it in the right place. You may want to find the appropriate build number as it may cause some problems if you have the wrong info in there. You need to set the encoding to Unicdoe UTF -8

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>ProductBuildVersion</key>
<string>9B18</string>
<key>ProductCopyright</key>/
<string>1983-2017 Apple Inc.</string>
<key>ProductName</key>
<string>Mac OS X</string>
<key>ProductUserVisibleVersion</key>
<string>10.4.10</string>
<key>ProductVersion</key>
<string>10.4.10</string>
</dict>
</plist>

I'm sure that this would work and I'm not trying to take away from your great advise but if might be better just to reinstall just incase the OP accidentally makes a mistake, would want anything bad to happen. (PS this is just what I would do because I really don't know my way around terminal and would be afraid that I would mess something up that would effect my data, hard drive, etc.)

 

[yellow]

yi - I was just told that the user of this computer may have tried to install a Leopard update.....not good.

Heh.. "may have".

 

[xUKHCx]

Well, that file missing may just be a symptom of a major underlying problem. One of which we could spend a lot of time working on, when the shortcut would be a reinstall.

Of course, it may just be that file missing.

But I must note that it's VERY unusual to have that file disappear without some user interaction or serious problem.

Granted, I suppose I should've followed up my statement with what I would've done next. (I meant to but forgot by the time I completed my post). I would put the system version file back in place then I would apply the latest combo update.

techlover828 - no terminal is needed to do that, hence why i posted that way of doing things.

 

[brainwave89]

I know....she can't remember. I'm sure she did. O well.

 

[Peace]

I concur with yellow.
Back up all your important data and do a clean install.

 

[brainwave89]

Thank again xUKHCx. I copied your code and will very shortly put that file into Core Services.
I will let you know what happens.

 

[brainwave89]

On second thought (thank you all) I will backup all important data then I will attempt to copy the SystemVersion.plist over.
If problems persist I will re-install the OS.

I can't thank you ALL for your help. I have once again learned so much from a great community.

I will update you on what happens.

 

[Blogger]

Silly question I know but do you have OSX installed on an Apple Computer?

Never a silly question.
Yes OS X 10.4.10 is installed on this system.
Thanks.

brainwave89, this was an evasive answer. Peace asked if you were using an Apple computer, and with good reason, because all the problems you describe could be attributed to using a hacked version of OSX on a PC.

Perhaps you could tell us which machine you are actually using?

Cheers!

 

[Mechcozmo]

I know....she can't remember. I'm sure she did. O well.

That means, "Yes I did, but it didn't work, and I thought if I deleted this file it would forget about this 10.4 rubbish and install 10.5 but then bad things happened and you came and fixed it."

Try updating to 10.4.11. That'll hopefully recreate and fix all the broken files strewn about.

 

[brainwave89]

Thank you blogger. The computer is a
iMac
800 MHz
768 RAM

 

[brainwave89]

Update
I copied a new SystemVersion.plist file to Core Services.
In about this Mac I asked to check for software updates. It found none.
I downloaded 10.4.11 and when I installed it it displayed a javascript error.
Enough for me.
I am no re-installing Tiger. I will let you know how it goes.

Thanks.

 

[brainwave89]

Thank you all for your help and concern.

I re-installed Tiger which went very smoothly and then updated to 10.4.11.

It is opening iTunes and iMovie w/o any issues and all the original files are there also. Sweet.

I will explain to the user how to properly seek out updates.

Have a merry!