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

tomdkat

tomdkat

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So, I ran some Mac OS X updates last night and there were three. An iTunes update, I think a QuickTime update, and a security update (that was 207MB in size). I forget the name of the security update.

After the update process finished, I was advised the security update didn't install correctly and was instructed to reboot.

Upon rebooting, after the gray screen with the spinning wheel, I get a blue screen with a spinning wheel. I never get prompted to login. *sigh*

So, after doing some Google searching, I learned I can possibly do one of two things to recover:

1) Do a Firewire Target disk Mode (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1661) connection between the server and another, working, Mac, download the security update manually and apply it to the server disc using the Firewire connection.

2) Do an archive & install of OS X and then install the updates and rebuild from there.

I have the OS X Server install DVD and it's for version 10.4.7. I believe the server had 10.4.11 installed when I ran the security update last night.

I've booted from my OS X Server install DVD and learned the ONLY options are to upgrade to 10.4.7 from a previously installed version or to do an erase and install, wiping everything out. Of course, there is some data on the server I need access to before I can "nuke it" and start over.

Are these my only two options? When I booted from the installation DVD, I was able to run the Disk Utility to verify the boot volume and it checked out ok.

If I do get a Firewire cable and do the Firewire target disk mode connection, should I be able to update the server with the security update from a Mac-mini running OS X 10.4.11, non-server edition?

Any other advice you can provide would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

Peace...
 
Well, I bought a Firewire cable and am trying to do the Firmware target disk mode connection and I never get the Firewire icon on the target machine (the server) when I boot it while pressing the 'T' key. *sigh*

Looks like I'm SOL unless someone else has any bright ideas.

I've got one more thing I'm going to try before I start crying. :(

Peace...
 
So, I've learned I can run the System Profiler from the OS X 10.4.7 installation DVD. Cool.

I believe this Mac, despite being a G4, is too old to support Firewire Target Disk mode.

So, since the internal hard drive is an ATA (IDE) drive, could I connect it to my Mac-mini via an external USB hard drive enclosure and apply the security update that way? Or would that work only in Firewire Target disk mode?

Peace...
 
I've tried booting into safe mode by pressing the Shift key (I don't know which one or if it matters) while the system boots and it never loads.

I power on the machine and press a Shift key after I hear the initial power-on sound. I hold the Shift key until I get the gray Apple screen with the spinning wheel and then I let go. After a bit, I get the blue screen and the mouse pointer DOES appear and I CAN move it but then it disappears and I get the blue screen with the spinning wheel... and then frustration... some cursing... you get the idea. :)

EDIT: Thanks for the reply! :)

Peace...
 
Howabout trying to boot in verbose mode, then posting the last 20 or so lines of the results? Hold command-v as the system boots. The error message(s) that get spit out may indicate what's hanging the machine.
 
I tried booting in verbose mode as well but I might not have gotten they keys right. Since I'm using a non-Apple keyboard, I was pressing the "Alt-V" key sequence instead of "(Windows-key)-V", which I think is the correct sequence.

I've found a way to get to the critical data (I have the server HDD connected to my Linux box using an external USB HDD enclosure) so some of the pressure is off.

I'll try to get the system to boot in verbose mode when I have a chance.

Thanks!

Peace...
 
Ok, I booted the server in verbose mode using Command-v ({Windows Key}-v on my keyboard).

I had no way to capture the output but at the end, I do see this loop:

Code: 
g4server /System/Library/Coreservices/LoginWindow.app/Contents/MacOS/loginwindow: Login Window Application Started

g4server /usr/sbin/AppleFileServer: Server crashed and exited with status 4.\n
So, I guess that explains the blue screen with the spinning wheel.

I've got the most critical data recovered so I'm going to rebuild the server.

Thanks!

Peace...
 
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.
 
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...
 
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...
 
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
 
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?
 
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