Corrupted files?

[Qfxz]

This is how I see it (oh, this is an iMac G5, 1.8GHz, 17", 512 DDRAM):
Adobe Illustrator started to crash, eventually I would click the app icon and immediately get the failed to launch message. Then my Illustrator files began getting corrupted, 'Unknown format', 'PDF file not compatable', etc. And of course, the whole system started getting whacked. I reinstalled 10.4 and brought files in through target mode from my other Mac. I had to do a restore on the main hd. Now everything is very slow, tortouse slow, if it just does not lock up with the spiining beachball of... don't want to say that.

Any help? Words of wisdom? Advice?

I do think there were some music files I had downloaded which were corrupted. I had deleted all corrupted files i could find. Is there any freeware to detect corrupted files?

[ElDiabloConCaca]

Did the system run O.K. right after you clean-installed, but before you brought over your old files?

If so, I would first assume that something that you brought over from the old system was causing the problems.

For a super-clean, healthy, speedy installation of Mac OS X, I always do this:

1) Fresh format the hard drive.
2) Install Mac OS X.
3) Run Software Update over and over until no more updates appear, restarting when prompted.
4) Repair permissions with disk utility.
5) Restart from the Mac OS X Install CD/DVD and use Disk Utility to repair the hard drive.
6) Re-install all non-Apple applications from their original CDs/DVDs, updating each application with the latest vendor update after installation, restarting when necessary/prompted.
7) Re-enter email account(s) information in Mail.app (or Entourage, whichever you prefer).
8) Copy over any old documents (Word files, MP3s, photos, etc.) from your backup that you need -- do not copy over any system files, such as preferences, settings, or plist files. If you want an application set up like it used to be, adjust the preferences fresh as necessary -- using old preference files or settings is a major cause of system problems.

That's about it... if you re-install due to a system slowdown or system problems, then you bring over configuration files from your old installation, then what good is reinstalling? You're putting potentially corrupted or problematic system files from an old, broken installation into a new, healthy installation -- turning the new installation into a broken installation!

If this clean-install procedure doesn't work, then I would next suspect some kind of hardware related problem -- have you added any RAM recently, or do you have any 3rd-party RAM installed in the machine?

[Qfxz]

I had done what i thought was a clean reinstall, but I guess not. How do i determine what is corrupting the system? I know it will require loosing some data, hopefully the corrupted data. Is there anyway to check the files when bringing them in from my other system soo i don't have the same problem again? i had run a hardware test and everything checked out okay. I had to fire up Netscape as a browser since Safari (and just about everything else) hangs up. I am not panicking yet, I just have an online test for one of my classes, these are timed, and with the way the system is operating there will not be enough time to do it.
No RAM was added, I did install an external harddrive, a LaCie 250GB. Also, I have repaired the permissions and it seems that way too many things are on special permissions. Actually, it's amazing this message is going through.
Thanx for the advice.

john

[ElDiabloConCaca]

Documents (Word documents, MP3s, audio files, etc.) usually won't corrupt a system, even if they're corrupted... it's the system files you gotta worry about.

If you're bringing over old preferences, settings, plist files, Safari settings, Mail settings, etc., that could be what's corrupting your system -- I always recommend re-setting up applications' preferences rather than importing old settings/preferences.

"Special permissions" are nothing to worry about -- they're simply informing you that Mac OS X is using some non-standard permissions for certain files/folders, either for security reasons or otherwise. A simple search here will reveal a handful of threads on how these messages can and should be ignored.

[Qfxz]

Thanx, I just posted a question on determining if a file is corrupt or not. I do nopt want to put these files on an external drive and then bring them back in and have it all start over.
Is there a way to be sure that none of the old preferrences and such are being brought in? I understand to re-set everything, to me that would be; reinstall all applications from their disk (or DMG?), do not bring in bookmarks, start all new mail settings (same name though, right?) OR basically install everything new. Erase and install button?

John