Appendix B. Computing on the Move with PowerBooks and iBooks

Troubleshooting

An Application Doesn't Work Under OS 10.3

After I installed Mac OS 10.3, an application that had worked under previous versions stopped working.

Two reasons that this can happen are the following:

• The application is not version 10.3 compatible Version 10.3 includes many major changes from previous versions of Mac OS X. Some applications break when they run under 10.3. If an application does not work under 10.3, check the manufacturer's Web site to see whether the version you are running is compatible or whether a compatible version is available. Be sure to install any updates to the application you already had.

• You did not move all required application files to your new Mac OS X installation If you performed a clean installation of 10.3, you need to ensure that any files the application installed in the system are moved from the previous version to the new version. The best way to do this is to reinstall the application from its original installer and updates.

To learn how to move files from the previous version of Mac OS X to 10.3, p. 952.

If the version of the application you are using is supposed to be compatible with version 10.3 and you can't find any of that application's files in the previous version of Mac OS X's system, try reinstalling the application from the original CD or download the installer again. Make sure that you also reinstall any patches or updates that are available for it.

An Application Lost My Preferences Under OS 10.3

After I installed Mac OS 10.3, an application lost my preferences.

This happens if you don't move application system preference files (user preference files are stored within a user's Home folder that is preserved if you use the Preserve Users option when you choose the Archive and Install installation method) from the previous version of the Mac OS X system to the 10.3 system. Check the previous version of the operating system to ensure that you have moved all the application's files over. If you have, you might just have to reconfigure the application's preferences.

An Installed Disk Does Not Appear in the Mac OS 9 Drive Setup Window

A disk installed in my Mac does not appear in the Drive Setup window, so I can't initialize or partition it.

This occurs when a disk is not installed properly, is not compatible with the bus to which it is attached, or the disk itself is defective. It can also occur with some disks that are not compatible with Apple's Drive Setup application.

If you have never used the disk before, the disk might not be installed properly.

If you installed the missing disk yourself, open your Mac and check the physical installation of the disk. Ensure that it is properly connected to the correct bus. You also need to ensure that the disk is the correct format for the bus to which it is attached. For example, if you are using an ATA bus, you must have an ATA disk rather than a SCSI disk. Make sure you have attached a power supply to the disk.

If you have used the drive in the same machine before or the installation checks out okay, the drive is probably not compatible with the Drive Setup application. You will need to obtain a different application, such as FWB's Hard Disk Toolkit, and attempt to format and partition the disk with that utility.

If neither of these steps solves the problem, the disk itself might be defective. The only options in this case are to replace the disk or have it repaired.

The Installer Won't Recognize a Partition

I can't choose the volume on which I want to install Mac OS X because the volume is grayed out.

On some machines, the installer won't be able to install Mac OS X on a volume that is not contained entirely within the first 8GB of its ATA hard drive. Affected machines might include PowerBook G3, Power Macintosh G3, Macintosh Server G3, and iMacs with processors running at 333MHz or less.

On the affected machines, you must install Mac OS X on a volume that is completely contained within the first 8GB of its hard drive.

If you have a hard drive that is larger than 8GB, you must partition that drive so it contains a volume that is 8GB or less in the first 8GB of the drive. You can select that partition to install Mac OS X.

If you have a partitioned drive, one of the first partitions must be 8GB or less. If not, you have to repartition the drive so one of the first partitions is less than 8GB.

To partition a drive, use the Drive Setup application under Mac OS 9.x.x or the Disk Utility under Mac OS X.

If you are installing Mac OS X from an upgrade rather than a full version, you must have an earlier version of Mac OS X installed on the disk on which you want to install the update. If not, you won't be able to select the disk. If you have erased the previous version of Mac OS X from that volume for some reason, you will need to reinstall the previous version of Mac OS X and then run the Mac OS X upgrade installer again. When the installer detects a previous version of Mac OS X, you should be able to choose the disk on which the previous version is installed.

To learn how to partition a drive under Mac OS 9.x.x, p. 973.

To learn how to partition a drive under Mac OS X, p. 786.

The Installer Couldn't Finish

The Mac OS X installer quits before it finishes the installation.

This problem can happen for two main reasons: Your Mac is not capable of running Mac OS X or a problem exists with the volume on which you are trying to install it.

If your Mac is not capable of running Mac OS X, the installer might not even start. However, it might start if you are running it on a machine that is one of the supported Macs but does not meet the minimum requirements, such as having at least 128MB of RAM. Your only option is to upgrade your Mac so it meets all the requirements or replace the Mac with a newer one.

The installer might also balk if a problem exists with the volume on which you chose to install it. Run the installer again and choose to erase and reformat the volume (if you didn't do so the first time). If you did choose to erase and reformat the volume, try to install it on another volume instead.

If none of this works, you should contact Apple for help.

The 10.3 System I Installed Is Not Working

After I installed Mac OS 10.3 over a previous version of Mac OS X, things are screwy.

If you are having problems (such as applications that worked fine before 10.3 that are now starting to quit unexpectedly) after installing Mac OS X 10.3 over a previous version, it probably means you are enjoying one of the situations in which the installer was incapable of properly upgrading your system. In this case, one of the following two solutions should get you running version 10.3 properly:

• Use your backup to reinstall the previous version of Mac OS X, and then perform a clean install of Mac OS X version 10.3 Assuming that you followed good practice and backed up your system before attempting the upgrade, you can restore your previous system. Then, upgrade your system using the Erase and Format option.

  To learn how to perform a clean install of 10.3, p. 957.

  
  

• Prepare an empty volume and install Mac OS X on it Create an empty partition and install the OS on it. Then move any data you need from your backup system into your new system. This amounts to a total rebuild of your system, but sometimes, that is the only option you have.

  To learn how to use Mac OS X tools to prepare and partition a disk, p. 782.

  
  

  To learn how to perform a clean install of 10.3, p. 957.