Finder stopped working when I forced an updater to quit

[d.r.wolters]

Q. I stopped an update installer of some Apple software and the Finder
now crashes whithout showing the desktop. Only the Apple logo and a spinning Beachball which never disappears. I can start up in the Unix mode and also in the Windows mode. I have an Imac with Osx 10.4. I could reinstall the system but probably I will loose a lot of unique files and poto's.

In the Unix mode I have removed the Installer file from the desktop but it didn't change the startup. I have little
experience with Unix. I would be grateful for some help?

[bobw]

Try Repair Permissions in Disk Utility.
If that doesn't fix it, boot off the 10.4 disc and Repair Disk.

Once an Apple install begins, don't stop it. Let it finish.

[Go3iverson]

Do you know what you were installing at the time you stopped the installation? Was it actually installing at the time or was it possibly still downloading in Software Update or another such mechanism?

What you may be able to do is try booting in Safe Mode. Hold down the shift key while booting. If that works (and this was an OS update), if you can, probably from another computer, download the combo updater, bring it to your computer and try running it. Make sure it is the combo updater since it will include additional code.

Just my $0.02

Michael

[d.r.wolters]

Thanks Bob and Michael for your help but I cannot boot my MacOsX without installing it from CD. In that case I can repair my disk but probably loose most of my files. The shift key doesn't work. The only thing what starts is the Unix mode holding the command-s key but also here the boot to MacOsX fails because of a "DiskArb" session failng. Probably there is a corruption of my harddisk in the MacOSX partition of the harddisk. The Windows version runs normally. I hoped removal of some files would work but it doesn't.

[d.r.wolters]

After all I managed to do a hardware check but there is nothing wrong. I restored some permisions but nothing helps. When I boot from the cd I get the same spinning ball under the Apple logo. Must I loose data files when I perform an optional installation repairing only the MacOsX 10.4?

[Go3iverson]

One more idea -

Boot it into target disk mode, by holding down the T key while booting. Plug it into another Mac via FireWire cable and remove your files that way. As long as the hardware works, you should be able to grab up your docs.

Michael

[d.r.wolters]

Thanks Michael that needs some organizing but I like the idea. I am off for a week but will try it the week after.