Chapter 8. Configuring, Customizing, and Exploring Mac OS X

Troubleshooting

I Have to Update My Classic Resources

The first time I launched the Classic environment, I saw a dialog box asking whether I wanted to add or update Classic-specific resources to the System Folder that I was using. Is this normal?

The first time you start Classic using a specific Mac OS 9.2 System Folder, Mac OS X needs to install some resources in that System Folder. This is normal operation. Just click OK in the dialog box to install the resources. You won't see this dialog box again until you choose a different System Folder to use for the Classic environment.

Classic Doesn't Support What I Am Doing

When I started the Classic environment for the first time, I got a warning dialog box that a particular service was not supported. Am I out of luck?

Classic doesn't support every feature of Mac OS 9.2. When there are specific features that it doesn't support, you see an alert telling you exactly which service is not supported. To use these features, you have to restart under Mac OS 9.2.

My Classic Environment Is Hung Up

I was working with a Classic application, but it stopped responding. I thought Mac OS X was designed to avoid this type of crashing. Is this just a Classic problem?

When an application crashes in the Classic environment, it can take down all the other applications you have open (the Classic environment does not provide protected memory for each application all applications run in the Classic's memory space).

All you can do in this situation is try to force the hung application to quit. Hold down the Control key and click the application's icon on the Dock; then select Quit.

If the quit is successful, immediately save all the documents you have open in other Classic applications. Then restart Classic.

If you are unable to force the hung application to quit or if other applications start to hang, you must force the Classic environment itself to quit. Open the Classic pane of the System Preferences utility, click the Start/Stop tab, and click Force Quit. Or you can press Option--Esc; then in the Force Quit Applications dialog box, select the Classic Environment and click Force Quit. You will lose any unsaved changes in documents that are open in Classic applications, but those are lost anyway if the applications are hung.

My Classic Document Won't Open

When I try to open a document that was created with a Classic application, nothing happens.

This can happen when the Classic environment can't find a suitable application to open for the document because something has happened to the Classic's desktop database. Rebuild the Classic desktop by opening the Classic pane of the System Preferences utility, clicking Advanced, and then clicking Rebuild Desktop.

If the document still fails to open, try restarting in Mac OS 9.2 and opening and saving the document from there. If that is successful, you should be able to open the document under Mac OS X again.

I Can't Print Under Classic

I have installed the Mac OS 9.2 printer software for my printer, but I get errors when I try to print.

Some printer driver software that has been designed to work under Mac OS 9.2 cannot access that printer even though you can select it in the Chooser. The solution is to either work on the document in a Mac OS X application and print it from there or restart your Mac under Mac OS 9.2 and print the document from there.

My Mac OS 9.2 Disk Utility Keeps Saying That I Have Disk Problems

Each time I run a Classic disk utility, it reports that I have disk problems, even when I'm sure there aren't any.

Many Classic disk utilities can't properly analyze and repair Mac OS X disks. You should use Mac OS X's Disk Utility or a Carbonized or Cocoa version of a third-party disk utility only when you are running under Mac OS X.

You can use a Classic disk utility on the Mac OS 9.2 partition when you are running under Mac OS 9.2.

My Application Can't Access the Plug-ins It Needs

When I attempt to run an application, some of its resources, such as plug-ins, aren't available to it.

Ensure that the application's resources are actually installed correctly. For example, open the application's Plug-ins folder to make sure that the plug-in you need is installed.

This situation can also occur when an application's bundle contains both Mac OS X and Classic versions of the application. Sometimes, the Mac OS X version is incapable of accessing specific application resources, such as plug-ins. In such cases, you should run the Classic version of the application so you have access to the resources you want to use.

To have such an application always open in Classic, open the application's Info window and check the "Open in Classic" check box.

You can also restart the Mac in Mac OS 9.2 and use the application from there.