Photo Booth

[Steve Hyland]

I recently did the latest software update to 10.4.8 Since then Photo Booth does not work at all. The screen is completely dark where before I could take photo's with it now I can't. What has happened? And how can I fix it?

One unrelated question. I purchased a LaCie 250 GB HD to backup my internal HD to. Should I install my OS onto it and let it be a startup disk or just backup to it as it is?

Thanks,
Steve

[DeltaMac]

Does the camera turn on when you start Photo Booth? The green light next to the camera lens indicates that the camera has power. The light will go off when you Quit Photo Booth.

Have you tried downloading and installing the combined 10.4.8 updater?
http://www.apple.com/support/downloa...dateintel.html

this is a valuable trick to try after doing the software update to a newer version, and some part of the system gets a little wacked out.

[Steve Hyland]

The green light does come on. I just installed the combined 10.4.8 updater and there is still no change.

[barhar]

With respect to 'Photo Booth' -

Are we to assume you updated your unknown model Mac to MacOS X 10.4.8 via the 'Apple, Software Update' menu item interface (or the 'System Preferences' 'Software Update' utility)? If so, consider a different approach - go to 'Apple Downloads' for the respective installer application(s).

01. With 'Photo Booth' not launched (open, running), move its '.plist' file ('com.apple.photobooth.plist' ?) to the 'Desktop'.
02. Launch (open, run) 'Photo Booth'.

Any success?

if not ...

01. Launch 'iChat' and select 'iChat, Preferences...', and click on the 'Video' toolbar icon button. Do you see yourself in the camera view area?

02. Attempt to reinstall the (downloaded) 'Mac OS X 10.4.8 combo update' (you will have to remove the 'MacOSXUpdate10.4.8.pkg' [or equivalent] file from the '/Library/Receipts/' folder), reboot the Mac, launch (open, run) 'Photo Booth'. Any success?

-----

'a LaCie 250 GB HD to backup my internal HD to. Should I install my OS onto it and let it be a startup disk or just backup to it as it is?' - both are valid options. The choice as to which, depends on your needs and wants.

[Steve Hyland]

I've done everything you suggested.

01. I moved the Photo Booth .plist to Desktop then launched Photo Booth. No change.

02. I launched iChat and clicked the video toolbar icon. I didn't see anything in the view area but a black screen

03. I removed the MacOSXUpdate10.4.8.pkg from the appropriate folder and rebooted the system. No change the Photo Booth shows just a black screen.

My initial Update was through the System Update but since then I went to the Apple Download page and installed the MacOSXUpdateCombo10.4.8

I am running an intel based iMac (purchased in July) with the the 2GHz Intel Duo Core.

Steve

[barhar]

Thank you for the detailed reply.

Sadly, it appears that you will have to re-install MacOS X 10.4.x (where 'x' depends on the version of your installation disc) and update (via the respective downloaded 'UpdateCombo') to either 10.4.8 (if you wish to try again) or to the last known acceptable working version.

[Steve Hyland]

I guessed that's where this was headed. Thanks for your input.

Steve