Help!!!!! I'm desperate!!!!! Software update "broke" Mac OS X 10.4 server

[abyers1186]

I also have a similar issue. I do not have the ability to to boot to an install disc because the optical drive is no longer functioning. Unfortunately I do not have the ability to use a shared optical drive from another computer either. So repair permissions, repair disk, archive and install, and erase & install cannot be done.

I cannot boot to Safe Mode, which leads me to believe it has to be something with the login window itself.

I understand this example is from OS X Server, however, I'm guessing this has something to do with the same process.

What should I try next? Other than purchasing a new mac.

[tomdkat]

I've got an update! I have re-installed OS X Tiger server and have installed the combo update to bring the server to the 10.4.11 level. After doing that, I see the security update which caused the grief is the "Security Update 2009-04 (Universal)" update which is 207MB in size.

Has anyone else read about people having problems with this update?

@abyers1186: If you're Mac has a Firewire port, you might be able to use the "Firewire Target Disk Mode (TDM)" function to re-apply the security update and see if that solves your issue.

When I first read about using the TDM to solve the "blue screen with spinning wheel" issue, it was security update 2009-01 so it might not apply in this case.

Peace...

[abyers1186]

I cant use target disk mode either, I don't have another mac.

[tomdkat]

Well, I managed to get everything up and running and so far the server is purring happily along.

Thanks to those who responded.

@abyers1186: If you're using a PowerMac, you can possibly replace the non-functioning optical drive with a functioning one and then you can boot from your installation media.

In my case, I ended up taking the hard drive out of the server and connecting it to another machine to access the data I needed.

If replacing the optical drive isn't an option for you, I think you're SOL.

Peace...

[riversrwet]

Sorry if this is a repeat, but I don't think my first post went through. Ahh, how the pile is growing....

So I have a similar experience, and rather than type everything I did the first time, here's the quick gist: I had the same hangup after a security update running 10.4. At some point in the "fixing this mess" process, I grabbed my install disc to boot of off and all that. I ended up restoring. Yeah?! No. The disc was 10.3!!

I found 10.4 today, installed and now, of course, all my stuff is on my hd but nothing is running fresh - all my apps are starting over, some aren't registered, etc. I realize I can't go very far "back" in the process, but is there a way to link to my old username/profile so everything goes back to normal??? All the folders are sitting there just wanting to be used it's just that it's not the main profile now, I guess.

Thanks so much for any help or direction. I'm thinking of 10.5 if this doesn't work (which needs to be shipped, further delaying getting up and running as everyone is only selling snow leopard now), but is it a large step up from 10.4? I'm on a G4 PowerBook.

Jason

[Rheemond]

I'm suffering a similar fate..... Updated to the newest security udate, and immediately got stuck on the blue screen on the subsequent reboot, spinning endlessly. Did the cmd+v verbose boot and basically my system now gets stuck on loading the login window application.

Ie I see this msg every 20 secs or so, over and over again:

/System/Library/CoreServices/loginwindow.app/Contents/MacOS/loginwindow: Login Window Application Started

Any thoughts or suggestions? Or do I need to find someone w system restore discs for the Powerbook G4 as well?