I have a 1.67Ghz final release 15" Powerbook that I'm trying to upgrade from Leopard 10.5.1 to 10.5.8. I am having issues with the update. Every time it initiates it gets to "Validating Package" and then the whole system freezes. Wondering what the issue may be. Computer otherwise works fine. Has 2GB of ram and plenty of storage for the update. I've downloaded the update from apple directly and tried an update DVD with no luck. Any help would be appreciated!
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Powerbook G4 freezes during Leopard Update
- Thread starter BaddestArvai
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Have you tried applying the updates one by one rather than going straight to 10.5.8?
Cheers
Hugh
Cheers
Hugh
Have you tried applying the updates one by one rather than going straight to 10.5.8?
Cheers
Hugh
Building on this:
Are you trying to apply the 10.5.8 v1.1 “delta update” or the “combo update” — if the former, then @Hughmac’s method is the way to go. You may also just try out the 10.5.8 v1.1 “combo update”, which usually works for me (including on my DLSDs).
But also, you ought to be able to Cmd-L, then Cmd-3 (“Show All”), to bring up detailed logs as you’re trying to install the update(s).
Last thought: if you’re running with an HDD and not an SSD, have you verified that all the volume’s blocks are good? You’ll need something like TechTool Pro to check that.
That was my next step. Do you know of a website where they have them posted individually for download? Or can I get them off Apples website?Have you tried applying the updates one by one rather than going straight to 10.5.8?
Cheers
Hugh
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I’m not sure which one I am trying to use haha. The one I downloaded is from Apples website and was done directly from the Mac after I got a message saying I have an update available. The other one was a DMG file I got off of mackintosh garden and burned to a DVD.
Apple's website is the best place. Curiously, the "delta" update for 10.5.2 seems to no longer be there, but every other delta update for Leopard is still posted.
There are two kinds of updates: A delta update and a combo update. A delta update only works if you are running the immediately preceding version of OS X. That is, you're running 10.5.1 and wish to update to 10.5.2, so you install the 10.5.2 delta update. These updates are smaller to download and probably a little faster to install.
The combo update will update any version of Leopard to the new version. That is, you could be running 10.5.0 and the combo update to 10.5.8 will work. It will also work if you're running 10.5.1, 10.5.2, or any other version that came after.
Ordinarily I recommend the latest combo update (in this case 10.5.8), but it sounds like that is not working for you.
I suggest trying to update to a slightly later version of Leopard first, then trying the 10.5.8 combo update again.
The 10.5.2 combo update is available here. Install this first and see if it works:
If that installs correctly, then try to reinstall the 10.5.8 combo update (I recommend re-downloading from here) :
Download Mac OS X 10.5.8 Combo Update - Apple Support
The 10.5.8 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Leopard version 10.5 to 10.5.7, and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac.
Let us know how it goes.
As suggested by another poster, you also might have a hard disk problem, though it's unusual for the system to totally freeze up in that case; typically it will seem to hang up, but mouse pointer usually still moves, progress bars will still shimmer (but won't advance any farther), you'll eventually get the spinning beach ball, etc. If the system is totally and immediately locking up with no warning, I suspect it's not a hard drive problem.
Try the installs above, but also post back with a couple more details about what you're seeing when the system freezes up.
Another choice is to boot into Safe Boot mode, then try that same 10.5.8 combined updater.
BTW - the name of that updater should be MacOSXUpdCombo10.5.8.pkg.
Should be about 768 MB, when mounted on your PBook.
If the word "Combo" is not there in the name, then you don't have the correct file.
Re-download. The link that Soba provided should be correct.
The install of that combined updater does take a long time - nearly 35 minutes from start to end on my eMac.
BTW - the name of that updater should be MacOSXUpdCombo10.5.8.pkg.
Should be about 768 MB, when mounted on your PBook.
If the word "Combo" is not there in the name, then you don't have the correct file.
Re-download. The link that Soba provided should be correct.
The install of that combined updater does take a long time - nearly 35 minutes from start to end on my eMac.
Apple's website is the best place. Curiously, the "delta" update for 10.5.2 seems to no longer be there, but every other delta update for Leopard is still posted.
There are two kinds of updates: A delta update and a combo update. A delta update only works if you are running the immediately preceding version of OS X. That is, you're running 10.5.1 and wish to update to 10.5.2, so you install the 10.5.2 delta update. These updates are smaller to download and probably a little faster to install.
The combo update will update any version of Leopard to the new version. That is, you could be running 10.5.0 and the combo update to 10.5.8 will work. It will also work if you're running 10.5.1, 10.5.2, or any other version that came after.
Ordinarily I recommend the latest combo update (in this case 10.5.8), but it sounds like that is not working for you.
I suggest trying to update to a slightly later version of Leopard first, then trying the 10.5.8 combo update again.
The 10.5.2 combo update is available here. Install this first and see if it works:
If that installs correctly, then try to reinstall the 10.5.8 combo update (I recommend re-downloading from here) :
Download Mac OS X 10.5.8 Combo Update - Apple Support
The 10.5.8 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Leopard version 10.5 to 10.5.7, and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac.support.apple.com
Let us know how it goes.
As suggested by another poster, you also might have a hard disk problem, though it's unusual for the system to totally freeze up in that case; typically it will seem to hang up, but mouse pointer usually still moves, progress bars will still shimmer (but won't advance any farther), you'll eventually get the spinning beach ball, etc. If the system is totally and immediately locking up with no warning, I suspect it's not a hard drive problem.
Try the installs above, but also post back with a couple more details about what you're seeing when the system freezes up.
I will definitely give that a go tonight. And I’m almost 99% positive it’s the combo update. But I will try the method you suggested. And the whole screen just freezes. Nothing moves, and the screen stays on with the lid closed. No beach balls and the super drive stops spinning as well.
I’ve also had issues with the system shutting off completely while trying to load DVD’s or trying to load a game. The only way to get it to re-boot is by removing the battery and popping it back in. There could be a hard disk issues but I’m not too sure. Worse case scenario I will just pull the 160gb hard disk out of my parts 1.67 and use that with a fresh install of leopard... if I can find the system haha.
I suspect it's something other than which update method you're using. I would hope the delta installer would check that the version of OS X to be updated is the appropriate version for which the update is applicable to and, if not, alert you to that effect. It would be very un-Apple like to blindly update and freeze because of a version issue.
I would check the hard disk for errors as well as the optical media / drive.
If you can, I also suggest you run Apple Hardware Test. If you happen to have the discs that came with the computer, it will be on one of those discs. Unfortunately this program is not universal across models, so you must have the version that came with your system or with another, very similar system; I think the version for the Powerbook G4 was pretty universal, though.
If not, I believe you can get the version you need from https://github.com/upekkha/AppleHardwareTest . You will need to install it to a USB flash drive so that you can boot and run the test. The page has instructions for doing so, but post back if you need help with this part.
Edit: The instructions on that page are for Intel Macs with EFI and won't work with PowerPC Macs. To create a bootable version of Apple Hardware Test for your PowerBook, download the proper version from the page and use Disk Utility to restore the image to a USB drive that has been formatted HFS+ with a Scheme of "Apple Partition Map". Again, post back if you need help with this.
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Another tip: download the last full Leopard installer, which would be for OS X 10.5.6
I downloaded the 10.5.6 disk image from this site, just to try it out. (It works fine, and installs 10.5.6, as advertised
Burn to a (dual-layer) DVD, and boot to that. Works for me, but a 15 year old optical drive might struggle with that. I also keep a partition on a Firewire hard drive, dedicated for the Leopard installer. It avoids the struggles that you might have on some PPC Macs, booting to a USB boot drive. The hard drive is also a more reliable (and faster) install than from a DVD install
I downloaded the 10.5.6 disk image from this site, just to try it out. (It works fine, and installs 10.5.6, as advertised
Burn to a (dual-layer) DVD, and boot to that. Works for me, but a 15 year old optical drive might struggle with that. I also keep a partition on a Firewire hard drive, dedicated for the Leopard installer. It avoids the struggles that you might have on some PPC Macs, booting to a USB boot drive. The hard drive is also a more reliable (and faster) install than from a DVD install
Well I tried the 10.5.2 update. Got to around 40 percent complete and the computer froze up again. Not really sure what the issue is. But now when I go and power up the unit, it goes to a question mark on a folder, and then starts to load an OS but gets hung up just spinning with the apple logo. On another note, while looking for my parts G4, I ended up finding the original restore disks for it, which I didn't even know I got with the system when I bought it second hand. And while finding that I found my G5 Powermac and the hard drive which I thought I lost. Its great using this thing again. Hasn't been turned on in probably 5 years. But anyways, I am going to see if I can load the restore disks with Tiger and wipe the old OS. I'll probably end up sourcing a different hard drive.
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Okay so I installed a different blank hard drive. Used the system restore disks to get tiger on it. While installing the first disk it went smooth with no hiccups whatsoever. Now I put in the second install disk and that’s where the issues begin again.
After it gets to “Installing Pages” it freezes up right after it gets past 50 percent. So I’ve figured out this isn’t a hard drive issue.
my guess is that the CPU may need some new thermal paste but that doesn’t explain why it freezes at a certain point every time. Even the installer log doesn’t show what went wrong.
After it gets to “Installing Pages” it freezes up right after it gets past 50 percent. So I’ve figured out this isn’t a hard drive issue.
my guess is that the CPU may need some new thermal paste but that doesn’t explain why it freezes at a certain point every time. Even the installer log doesn’t show what went wrong.
No surprise there. When a system just freezes due to a hardware error the OS isn't aware of it. Have you attempted to monitor the CPU temperature?
Download iStat Menus 3.19
I can’t install any programs until I finish installing the OS and that’s where it keeps freezing. It was pretty warm when installing the first disk last night and it didn’t have a hiccup. Then the second disk went in and boom issues. I let the laptop cool overnight and tried it again and it freezes only a few minutes after the installer starts. I’ve even cleaned the disk to make sure it wasn’t that but that didn’t help.
Is it possible to reinstall the first hard drive? Can you try installing Leopard on the current HD?
I don’t have any leopard disks nor do I have any dual layer DVDs to burn a copy of one to it. And I couldn’t get the computer to boot to a disk when the other drive was installed
Is it possible you can reduce the installed software so that you don't have to use the second restore disc? I'm unfamiliar with the restore disc configuration for this model Mac but you may be eliminate unnecessary software to avoid having to use the additional install discs. Thus giving you a base configuration off the first disc?
The Tiger install discs are on Macintosh Garden, plus a single layer Leopard disc - http://macintoshgarden.org/apps/mac-osx-mac-os-10-ppc - you will need to scroll down quite a bit to find the ones you want.
Cheers
Hugh
Cheers
Hugh
One suggestion, considering you have eliminated the HD as a problem.
In every Apple installer there is a log that can be accessed. I forget which menu area it's in but if you go there and select to display 'Errors and Progress' then you'll get a window showing all the activity.
If you follow along, when it freezes you may get an idea of what's going on at the time it freezes. Maybe we can narrow it down from there.
EDIT: There's been no recent work inside this Mac by you has there? Other than swapping drives?
I ask because I have an iBook (in pieces now) that a friend had worked on and given to me. It froze on every OS install. Turns out in his working on the Mac he had partially torn the HD connector off the logicboard. Any time things got intense, the Mac froze.
I’ve owned this machine for over 4 years now and I just opened it for the first time myself yesterday. The hard drive is plugged in properly. And I’ve looked at the log during the install but when it freezes it doesn’t give any errors.
The Tiger install discs are on Macintosh Garden, plus a single layer Leopard disc - http://macintoshgarden.org/apps/mac-osx-mac-os-10-ppc - you will need to scroll down quite a bit to find the ones you want.
Cheers
Hugh
I will see if the single layer copy of Leopard will work.
Yes, but what's it doing when it freezes?
For instance, say it was copying an Airport plist at the time it froze. That might suggest you have an issue with the Airport card. I'm not expecting that you're going to see some sort of error when it freezes that says "Your problem is X". I'm just trying to find out what it's busy doing then.
It's been freezing up while installing the new OS. Gets stuck at the same percentage each time while installing Pages.
This is where it’s getting stuck every time on the Tiger install. Same percentage every time. Screen is frozen in this picture.
Since you have the original discs, can you boot Apple Hardware Test from them? It's typically on disc 2, but the disc labels should say.