OSX 10.1.5: can't enter admin pwd in Installer.app

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David Rodger

Registered
I have a problem for which I would gratefully receive answers or solutions.

Current system:
G4/400 with 448 MB RAM
10.1.5 with Security Update from July.
(Have not installed August updates yet -- more on this below.)

Yesterday, I found that Installer.app is not working. When I click on the padlock, the icon turns blue for about a second and then grey again. No dialog opens for me to enter my admin password. Therefore, I cannot install anything!

I'm a bit behind on Security Updates, but Software Update stalls on downloading Security Update 02-08-02 so I haven't done it by this method. I have downloaded packages for Security Updates 02-08-02 and 02-08-20, but, of course, I can't install them.

I thought I might use Pacifist, but the FAQ file says:
Pacifist, in its present form, is not a complete replacement for the Installer. For example, it does not run the pre-install or post-install scripts of a package. This has several implications - one one hand, it can make installation safer, since a poorly written shell script can cause damage to your files. On the other hand, there is the possibility that there could be something important that the shell script does that is necessary for a complete install to be successful. Therefore, installing something as vital as an OS update using Pacifist and allowing it to replace the files of your current OS installation is dangerous and should be done only at your own risk. However, although I cannot guarantee that it will work for you, I have successfully used the 1.0 version of Pacifist several times to install OS updates on my own machine without incident. Pacifist works best, though, for installing individual files, apps, etc. from installers, and this is its recommended use.
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So I'm a bit nervous about doing this.

Other information:
I have recently started using MacJanitor and I also installed XDarwin (Xfree86-4.2.0) and OroborOSX from custom installers. I fail to see how either of these would have broken Installer.app, but I'm open to suggestions.

Many thanks,
David
 
Try creating a new user and give them admin privileges, then log in as the new user and try applying updates.
 
slur wrote:
Try creating a new user and give them admin privileges, then log in as the new user and try applying updates.
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Thanks. I think I won't.
In an attempt to re-install Installer.app using Pacifist, I not only destroyed Pacifist, but also managed to write over my SystemVersion.plist, so I'm back at version 10.1. Of course, now SoftwareUpdate is telling me I need the 10.1.5 Combo Update!

Since I have receipts of everything else, re-starting might fix this, but I'm not confident.

Thanks, David
 
Whoops, I didn't destroy Pacifist. I destroyed Installer instead, but since that was not working, it was no great loss anyway. Still go the problem with my version!
 
Time to reinstall the OS from 10.1 onward before more funky things happen. SMall corruptions can snowball into larger ones. Don't forget to run Disk Utility and repair privileges (if available from 10.1) and the disk. When you (eventually) upgrade to Jaguar you will find things much stabler.
 
Time to reinstall the OS from 10.1 onward before more funky things happen. SMall corruptions can snowball into larger ones.
Click to expand...

This I have done.

Now, PHP, MYSQl and various libraries!

Thanks, David
 
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