can't install anything anymore

S

Snoere

Registered
Hallo,

I tried to install the latest security patch on an G3 bw and on my G4 400/AGP, both running 10.3.2. On both machines installation was canceled. I tried to repair all permissions, but it doesn't improve anything.
Today I tried to install a litle freeware (Khronos). The installation was althoug canceled and the error reported in the install.log was the same.

I was inspecting the install.log.
Feb 2 08:25:47 localhost : Creating directory at /private/tmp/.KhronosInstaller.pkg.419.install
Feb 2 08:25:48 localhost : Error detected
Feb 2 08:25:48 localhost : Name: NSGenericException
Feb 2 08:25:48 localhost : Reason: Couldn't write bom to path /private/tmp/.KhronosInstaller.pkg.419.install/Receipts/KhronosInstaller.pkg/Contents/Archive.bom
(... snip ...)
Feb 2 08:25:48 localhost : 14:I 0.10% :fixupResourceForks
Feb 2 08:25:48 localhost : 15:I 0.10% :updateSecEquivalence
Feb 2 08:25:48 localhost : 16:I 0.10% :registerApps
Feb 2 08:25:48 localhost : 17:I 0.10% :_touchModDates
Feb 2 08:25:48 localhost : 18:I 0.05% :removeTempFolder
Feb 2 08:25:48 localhost : 19:I 0.05% :finalizeDisk
Feb 2 08:25:48 localhost : 20:I 0.01% :setStatusStringAndNotify:
Feb 2 08:25:48 localhost : 21:I 0.05% :setSuccess
Feb 2 08:25:48 localhost : Install Failed
Feb 2 08:25:48 localhost : Error detected
Feb 2 08:25:48 localhost : Name: NSGenericException
Feb 2 08:25:48 localhost : Reason: Couldn't write bom to path /private/tmp/.KhronosInstaller.pkg.419.install/Receipts/KhronosInstaller.pkg/Contents/Archive.bom
Feb 2 08:25:48 localhost : Aborted install.
Click to expand...
I checked permissions on my G4 for /private/tmp: owner system, group wheel, both rwx.
On the G3 it's root, wheel. I verified permissions on a G5 (where everything's installing fine) and they're the same as on the G3. So I think the problem is not really related to wrong permissions. So, what's the problem?
Any suggestions to solve this problem? Any suggestions what could've caused this mess?
Many thanks for any help.
Regards
Snoere
 
Boot to your Panther installer CD. At the first screen, for selecting Languages, go to the Installer menu, choose Disk Utility. When Disk Utility appears, select your HD and click on the Repair Disk button. Watch for errors, should complete OK. Quit and restart holding Apple-S, which boots to a text screen (this is Single User mode)
At the prompt, type fsck -yf
press enter
if any repairs are completed, do this a second time until no repairs are performed
type mount -uw /
then enter
then type reboot then Enter
If the fsck finds problems that cannot be repaired, you need a 3rd party disk repair utility of some kind (Norton, DiskWarrior 3, etc) which sounds likely, but try the easy ones first.
 
Thannks for your answer. Are there any advantages if I boot from CD over reparing permissions direct from my running system?

Just this moment I found the solution:
I used TinkerTool to change the default permission settings (umask). After I reset permissions to default, everything was fine again.
It's a bit nasty because we need other default permissions for file sharing. Now we have to switch those permissions all the time anybody needds to install a new program. I hope Apple will improve file permission in future releases (inheritance of priviliges)
Regards
Snoere
 
Repair Permissions should always be done from the running system, Repair Disk (for the startup disk) can only be done booted from another disk.

If you share files from a normal shared folder (and not attempting to setup sharing of your complete drive), then permissions should not normally be an issue
 
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