Software Update problem

[Vazza]

I recently did a 7 pass erase of my hard disk and reinstalled OS X.

I then tried to use Software Update, however, it was extremely slow to find updates (taking up to an hour) and when it did, it started to download them before saying the download had failed. I tried deleting the Software Update preferences but it had no effect. In the end I downloaded the Combo update installer from Apple downloads. I then ran Software Update again, which once again was slow but this time did download the updates albiet slowly (Java OS X 10.4 Release 5 etc).

I've just tried running Software Update again and it is extremely slow.

Didn't have a problem with it before I erased and reinstalled OS X. My firewall is enabled but it was enabled in the past without any issues. I've tried restarting a number of times and I even did another reinstall of OS X but no luck.

Is it normal for Software Update to take this long to search for updates after a reinstall? Any help is appreciated.

 

[mad jew]

No it's not normal. Why did you perform the reinstall in the first place though? That might hold the key.

 

[Vazza]

My brother borrowed the macbook for a couple of months for work etc., so just thought I'd do the erase and reinstall a clean copy of OS X minus all the additional crap I didn't want.

Edit: I've just tried again this morning and it's taken Software Update around 30 minutes to tell me that there are no new updates. Internet speed seems fine (8 Meg connection) and the fact it's slow today too rules out a slow Apple server...I'm at a loss.

I really don't want to have to do an archive and install

 

[mad jew]

What third party apps have you installed? Maybe try dragging com.apple.SoftwareUpdate.plist from the Preferences folder to the Desktop and then reopening Software Updater.

 

[Vazza]

Tried that Madjew but it didn't help,unfortunately.

After the clean install I just loaded VLC, Adium and QT codecs. That's pretty much it

Anyway just did an archive and reinstall but no change

Guess I'm going to have to download updates manually from the Apple site from now on

 

[mad jew]

Okay, this is really weird. Have you installed the latest OS combo update manually from Apple? Any change?

 

[Vazza]

That was the first thing I did when Software Update wasn't working...no change

A little update...after my latest reinstall of OS X, I got this message in Software Update when I tried to install the remaining updates that it had found after searching for what seemed an eternity:

A networking error has occurred: request timed out (-1). Make sure you can connect to the Internet, then try again.

A networking error has occurred: timed out (-1001). Make sure you can connect to the Internet, then try again.

I was told by someone on another forum to type the following command into terminal to see whether the Software Update download mechanism is being blocked:

sudo softwareupdate -i -a

This is what i got in terminal:

Software Update Tool
Copyright 2002-2005 Apple

2007-08-06 00:01:46.264 softwareupdate[355] *** Failed to load distribution file at http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downl...1.English.dist
2007-08-06 00:01:46.264 softwareupdate[355] *** Unable to use product 022-3271.
2007-08-06 00:02:16.520 softwareupdate[355] *** Failed to load distribution file at http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downl...1.English.dist
2007-08-06 00:02:16.520 softwareupdate[355] *** Unable to use product 022-3281.
2007-08-06 00:04:46.260 softwareupdate[355] *** Failed to load distribution file at http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downl...5.English.dist
2007-08-06 00:04:46.260 softwareupdate[355] *** Unable to use product 022-3445.
2007-08-06 00:06:16.260 softwareupdate[355] *** Failed to load distribution file at http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downl...3.English.dist
2007-08-06 00:06:16.260 softwareupdate[355] *** Unable to use product 061-1603.
2007-08-06 00:06:55.184 softwareupdate[355] *** Failed to load distribution file at http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downl...5.English.dist
2007-08-06 00:06:55.184 softwareupdate[355] *** Unable to use product 061-1605.
2007-08-06 00:08:16.260 softwareupdate[355] *** Failed to load distribution file at http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downl...1.English.dist
2007-08-06 00:08:16.260 softwareupdate[355] *** Unable to use product 061-1681.
2007-08-06 00:08:46.520 softwareupdate[355] *** Failed to load distribution file at http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downl...3.English.dist
2007-08-06 00:08:46.521 softwareupdate[355] *** Unable to use product 061-1683.
2007-08-06 00:10:16.260 softwareupdate[355] *** Failed to load distribution file at http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downl...4.English.dist
2007-08-06 00:10:16.260 softwareupdate[355] *** Unable to use product 061-1684.
2007-08-06 00:11:46.260 softwareupdate[355] *** Failed to load distribution file at http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downl...5.English.dist
2007-08-06 00:11:46.260 softwareupdate[355] *** Unable to use product 061-1685.
2007-08-06 00:13:16.260 softwareupdate[355] *** Failed to load distribution file at http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downl...6.English.dist
2007-08-06 00:13:16.260 softwareupdate[355] *** Unable to use product 061-1686.

It kept going like that but you get the gist, I think

I ran Software Update again and after an hour searching it found the updates but when I tried to install them I still kept getting the timed out message, so I restarted the router whilst keeping Software Update open with the updates it found and then tried to install them again. This time they downloaded quickly and installed without a problem.

However, Software Update is still taking 30 minutes to tell me there are no new updates (as I'm now fully up to date)

I think it may be something to do with my router but I haven't changed any settings so I'm at a loss to explain it.