In iTunes, users usually can click and rename songs, as well as edit metadata in the "info" window; however, some users may find that songs in their iTunes libraries are not directly editable.

Apple Discussions poster stn774477 writes:

"I have a MP3 called "Ain't Talking 'Bout Dub" by Apollo 440. Itunes has it as Apollo Four Forty. Itunes allows me to change it to Apollo 440 and it keeps the change but then when I play the song it instantly changes back to Apollo Four Forty."

For some users, this problem may be due to user-level restrictions. This can occur either if permissions on the files are incorrect, or if files are locked. Users should check the individual files by right-clicking them in iTunes and selecting the "Show in Finder" option. Next, users should get info on the file and ensure that their username is listed in the "Sharing & Permissions" section and has been granted both "Read & Write" privileges (users may need to click the lock and authenticate to make changes). Additionally, in the "General" section, ensure the "Locked" checkbox is unchecked.

If this is a problem for many song files, especially after a restore (such as from Time Machine), users can try changing permissions on their whole iTunes library by locating the parent folder for the iTunes library (usually /username/Music/iTunes/) and get info (Command-I) on that folder. Next, ensure the username and permissions are correct for that folder and use the gear menu at the bottom of the info window to propagate permissions to all enclosed files. This should reset all files' permissions according to those set on the parent folder.

If the files are properly accessible and users cannot edit any song in their library then this problem may be due to a corrupt iTunes library. Users should try removing the file from the iTunes folder and then relaunch the program. iTunes will create a new library, and users can then drag the "iTunes Music" folder to the iTunes window to reimport their songs.

Apple has released iTunes 8.0.2, which Apple says improves stability and performance and provides a number of important bug fixes, including:

• Addresses a quality issue creating MP3s on some computers.
• Fixes a connectivity issue with the iTunes Store when using some Internet proxies with Mac OS X.
• Improves accessibility with VoiceOver.

The new release is available as a 57.8MB standalone download, or through Software Update.

Problems after updating? Please let us know.

When Software Update detects newer versions of software available, users may be required to enter an administrator password and the updater should then apply the updates, sometimes requiring a restart to go into a special "update" mode. Some Mac OS X users have experienced problems with this procedue, in which trying to install an available update they get a privileges error.

Apple Discussions poster BJ Bignell writes:

"This morning there were four updates available for my Mac...During the install, I received an error message: Some of the checked updates couldn't be saved. You do not have appropriate access permissions."

This problem has affected users through various iterations of Mac OS X, and might apply either to all updates, or to only certain updates while allowing others to be installed properly.

This problem involves the location where the updates are being downloaded to not being accessible by the system. This is most likely due to a permissions problem that can be addressed manually, and as such there are several things users can do:

Fixes: Reset permissions on the updater directory The folder in which Software Update stores updater packages should be readable by the system. As such users should ensure the ownership and permissions for this folder are set properly. To do this, first locate and get information on the /Library/Updates/ folder. At the bottom of the "get info" window the ownership and permissions should be as follows:

If the permissions are different, click the lock to authenticate and then change the permissions accordingly. Then click the gear menu and choose "apply to enclosed items". When this is completes, try the updates again.

Remove files in the updater directory In addition to resetting the permissions on the updater directory, users can remove all downloaded packages from the folder and re-download them again using Software Update.

Workarounds: Manually apply updates All updates that are available through the Software Update utility should be available for download from Apple's support website. To obtain a desired download, search or browse for it here.

While this ability to install use multiple operating systems on Macs is convenient, in some instances problems with a non-Mac OS X system installation can prevent users from being able to boot back into Mac OS X.

Apple Discussions poster clv92 writes:

"I have parellels on my iMac but I sometimes still restart in windows using boot camp. When I tried to restart using boot camp today I am stuck in a loop of windows xp starting and trying to run diskcheck, not finding it and trying to restart windows again. It just goes in a loop."

Holding various key combinations to boot into a healthy OS X partition may not work for users, resulting in no apparent way to get the computer to boot again. This kind of problem usually indicates the computer's PRAM, which holds boot volume information, is set to boot from the problematic drive partition. Additionally, the PRAM settings might be corrupt, which may prevent some of the bootup key commands from working properly. For users stuck with this kind of problem, the key is to reset the PRAM and then immediately manually choose the desired boot system.

Fix: Reset the PRAM and choose the boot system When the system resets again, hold down the options-command-P-R keys all at once and let the system go through a few reset cycles before releasing the keys to let the computer boot normally. Immediately after releasing the keys, users should hold the options key so the system goes right to the boot menu instead of attempting to boot from the default OS (which could be the corrupted OS that could have caused the problem in the first place). When the boot menu loads, select the healthy operating system disk and press enter. This should allow the system to boot properly.

Apple has released Apple TV software update 2.3, which includes the following significant enhancements:

• AirTunes Streaming from Apple TV: Music can be streamed via AirTunes to Airport Express speakers or other Apple TVs in your house.
• Third-party Remote Controls: Apple TV can now learn other remote controls and use them in addition to the Apple Remote.
• Playlists: Playlists in iTunes that contain Movies, TV Shows, Podcasts, and Music Videos can now be seen on Apple TV.
• Music Volume Control: Support for volume control in Music.

To update your Apple TV to the current software version, select Settings > General using your Apple Remote, then Update Software. You can then download the update and choose Update Now.

Problems after updating? Please let us know at http://www.macfixit.com/contact.

When users wish to list and manually choose from all available boot volumes, holding the options key down will display locally bootable volumes. Some users have noticed that this boot menu has started displaying other boot options than the desired and expected ones.

Apple Discussions poster Richard Pini writes:

"I have two volumes on [my computer]; one large ('Macbook') with all my work, etc. on it, and one small ('Rescue')...When I hold down the option key to switch between boot volumes, my choices are now 'EFI Boot' (instead of 'Macbook') and 'Rescue', even though in the finder, 'Macbook' shows up normally."

This change seems to have occurred as a result of some modification to the volume structure on the drive. For the most part, this issue has occured upon restoring a clone of the hard drive after upgrading the drive to a larger one, specifically when users move their internal drives to an external drive enclosure, then clone the data to new hardware installed in the computer.

Despite the "EFI Boot" name showing in the boot menu options, volumes can boot normally, and the drive will appear with the proper name in the Finder. As such, users might safely opt to do nothing; however, users might try the following to prevent the name change.

Potential Fixes

Try a different cloning scheme While cloning should be a bit-for-bit transfer, it is possible that small differences in the drive structure can be overlooked by cloning software in certain situations. As such, users might try alternate cloning methods, such as the following:

• Clone to a temporary external disk, then replace the internal disk and clone back.
• Put the new disk in an external enclosure and clone to it, then replace the internal disk with the newly cloned one.

Use a disk utility to repair the drive Obtain a copy of "TechTool Pro", "Drive Genius", or "DiskWarrior" and perform a repair on the drive. Users can try running the verification routine available via "Disk Utility", but this has generally not been as in depth of a scan as third-party disk utility software.

Change the default startup disk in the System Preferences This may not do the trick, but users can try changing or reassigning the default startup volume in the "Startup Disk" system preferences. This might have an effect on firmware settings which could be displaying the volume name in the boot menu.

Reset the PRAM PRAM holds some boot information, and as such users might benefit from a PRAM reset. To do this, reboot the system and hold the options-command-P-R keys all at once until the system goes through a few reset cycles, and then release the keys and allow the computer to boot normally.

Several users have noted dropped wireless connections after AirPort Update 2008-004. The problem appears to be widespread, with dozens of MacFixIt readers and hundreds of Apple Discussions threads posters reporting it. Among the symptoms:

• After systems wake from sleep, they must be rebooted in order to recognize the AirPort network.
• Wireless network is at full strength, but the actual connection drops off repeatedly
• Slow transfers

The following fix may provide, at least temporary, relief:

Navigate to /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration (this is the Library folder at the root level of your hard drive) and delete the following files:

• com.apple.airport.preferences.plist
• com.apple.network.identification.plist
• NetworkInterfaces.plist
• preferences.plist

restart your Mac.

Next, add a different DNS servers, such as those from OpenDNS, to Mac OS X's repertoire. Open System Preferences and click "Network." Select "Built In Ethernet" and click Advanced. Select the DNS tab and add:

• 208.67.222.222
• 208.67.220.220

If you are experiencing similar issues, please let us know at http://www.macfixit.com/contact.

Yesterday, Apple released a firmware update for the glass trackpads on the new MacBook and MacBook Pro computers to "address an issue where trackpad clicks may not be recognized." For most users this update has been a welcome solution the ongoing problem of glass trackpads periodically losing functionality, but some users are having trouble with the update.

Some users are experiencing installation failures, accompanied by the error message 'The Firmware update did not complete. Communication with the device failed."

By now the update should be available both through Apple's Software Update as well as via this link.

Users experiencing problems with the automatic update might try the standalone updater. While the update should technically install without having to restart the computer, users should at least quit all running applications to install the update. Alternatively, we recommended that users download the update and then boot into "Safe" mode by holding the shift key down at startup. When booted into Safe Mode, first run Disk Utility and perform a permissions fix on the boot drive before applying the update.

Feedback? http://www.macfixit.com/contact.

A few users have reported problems with the built-in key shortcuts (command-C specifically), in which the keys appear to have lost functionality.

Apple Discussions poster Pchittt writes:

"My shortcut 'command + C' does not work any more (all my other shortcuts work, 2 touches work). I have already tried to put back my shortcuts by default, to make a repair of authorizations or to connect an external keyboard but nothing works!"

Users affected by this problem have tried fixing permissions on the drive, as well as ensuring the key combination is not reserved for another application in the "Keyboard and Mouse" system preferences. However, these efforts have not fixed the issue.

Despite some users' suspicions of this problem being caused by a defective keyboard, other combinations or the keys by themselves would not work if that were the case. Instead, this problem seems to be caused by a software configuration in the text-to-speech or voiceover features in OS X, which are part of the universal access aspects of the OS. It could be due to some conflict or bug in the programming, or could be due to users inadvertently setting the speakable items hotkey to the one in question.

Fixes

Turn off VoiceOver One user with this problem was able to fix it by activating and deactivating the "VoiceOver" option in the "Universal Access" system preferences. This might toggle faulty settings to be reset, resulting in the problematic hotkey sequence freeing itself.

Check Text to Speech hotkey While toggling VoiceOver might work for some users, this problem is more likely due to the "Text to Speech" hotkey being inadvertently set to the problematic hotkey sequence. Mac OS X supports a user-defined command to speak any selected text, and unfortunately this command does not double-check whether or not the supplied command is used elsewhere. As such users can easily override commands defined elsewhere. To check this, go to the "Speech" system preferences and in the "Text to Speech" tab either uncheck the "Speak selected text when the key is pressed" option, or click the "Set Key..." button to reset this command to a different hotkey sequence.

Several users have reported an issue in which their function keys not working properly on their laptop computers. With relatively new computers, users have had various warning beeps or complete lack of function occur upon pressing any of the function keys.

Apple Discussions poster SPOB writes:

"I've had a MacBook for a couple months now and just recently i've been having a problem where when i try using any of the keys in the top row of the keyboard it just beeps and does nothing only the eject key works and the increase volume button opens dashboard."

This problem may have started after the latest Mac OS X update, or could be due to some faulty system setting that was inadvertently set. Additionally, in some applications, certain function keys are not supported, which will cause an error sound when users press them.

Things to Try

Toggle Keyboard layout While it is unlikely that a specific keyboard layout would change the function key mappings, users might try resetting the keyboard layout to "US" or other desired language. To do this, open the "International" system preferences and in the "Input Menu" tab uncheck all but the desired keyboard layout.

Toggle function key vs special features In the "Keyboard and Mouse" system preferences, uncheck the option to "Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys." This option will prevent the volume or other "special" functions from working unless users also hold down the "Fn" key, and instead will give a system error sound if applications do not support the F-keys.

Reapply the latest OS update For users who have experienced this problem directly after an update, and for whom the previous fixes do not work, it is recommended to reapply the latest Mac OS X update by downloading the "Combo" update from Apple's website and applying it when booted in Safe Mode (hold shift during boot).

Reset PRAM It is possible some PRAM setting could cause input malfunction, so affected users might try to reset the computer's PRAM.

Apple has released an update for QuickTime 7.5, that "improves QuickTime compatibility with iChat." No further notes regarding enhancements brought about by the update are included.

We've recently reported on a rash of iChat issues affecting users of QuickTime 7.5.5 and Mac OS X 10.5.5. One issue in particular appears ripe for a fix with this update. Some users found that (after the QuickTime 7.5.5), shortly after starting a video chat, iChat will freeze and sometimes require a force-quit to get things back up and running.

Previously, MacFixIt recommended that users reapply the recent QuickTime updates as well as the Mac OS X 10.5.5 update, but according to more recent posts both here at MacFixIt, some users have found that this problem could be due to faulty QuickTime preference files. As such, in addition to the previous suggestions, it is recommended that users remove the file named com.apple.QuickTime.plist from their /username/Library/Preferences/ folder, and restart the computer.

This update may eliminate the need for the aforementioned fix or resolve other iChat/video related issues.

Feedback? http://www.macfixit.com/contact.

Apple has released a firmware update for the Late-2008 (unibody) MacBooks and MacBook Pros. The new update "addresses an issue where trackpad clicks may not be recognized."

We've reported extensively on the trackpad issues afflicting the new MacBooks, which include, as Apple describes, lack of click recognition and complete disfunction of the trackpad, wherein neither clicks nor movement register and the system must be restarted.

Like other firmware updates, this package will install an updater application into the Applications/Utilities folder and will launch it automatically. Users can then follow the onscreen steps to apply the update.

The firmware update requires Mac OS X 10.5.5 and is available through Software Update or via this Apple download page.

Feedback? http://www.macfixit.com/contact.

Several users have reported an issue in which Safari 3.2 crashes whenever a new tab is opened. A sampling of reports:

• "The new Safari release ( 3.2 ) is crashing every time a link opens a new tab. ( for example, in newsfire, I click on a new link, Safari tried to open the new window in a new tab, and poof! No more Safari. )"
• "Just installed Safari 3.2 on a PowerBook with OSX 10.4.11 and now Safari crashes every time I try to open a page in a new tab - either by command-clicking or using a right mouse click."
• "Just installed Safari 3.2, and now nothing loads. All my usual bookmarked websites, including MacFixIt, hang with a blank white page.'
• "I've just upgraded to Safari 3.2 from 3.1. Now I find that if I open more than one tab, the program crashes. I have gone back to 3.0.4 which I found on a previous backup."

The first workaround you should try when encountering this issue is to turn off the "Warn when visiting fraudulent websites" option in Preferences.

Next, you might need to get rid of Input Managers. Look in the following folders:

• /Library/Internet Plug-Ins
• ~/Library/Internet Plug-Ins
• /Library/InputManagers
• ~/Library/InputManagers

and remove any third-party items.

Possible culprits include PithHelmet, SafariStand and Concierge.

Input Managers reach right into an application and alter its code. This puts the behavior of the affected application outside the control and responsibility of its developers: a recipe for troubleshooting problems. That's not to say that issues absolutely will ensue as a result of Input Managers, but you, as a user, must do some cost/benefit analysis. If the functionality of a specific Input Manager or set thereof proves crucial, you may well choose to assume the associated risk.

Feedback? http://www.macfixit.com/contact.

The Finder has the option to view file previews and thumbnails, which can be seen both in the document itself as well as the "get info" window for documents. However, for some users, documents that should display a preview are instead showing a generic document icon.

Apple Discussions poster Vintuitive writes:

"I almost always have my folder view set as thumbnail view so that I can see the images without having to open them in Preview. I just realised that I can no longer do that for some reason. Instead of seeing a thumbnail I see large JPG icons. Even loading them into 'Coverflow' doesn't show them, just shows the icons instead."

While this problem might be most noticeable for pictures, it might also occur for other documents as well, including movie files and PDFs. This problem can be caused by several factors, including the changing of the default application used to view the files as well as some Finder settings for previewing the documents. Users affected by this might try the following to correct it.

Fixes

Ensure Finder "Show preview" options are checked If the problem seems to be with documents in a specific folder or on the Desktop, it may be that the view settings for that folder have been reverted. The default options for folders are to have document previews visible, but corruption in the ".DS_Store" file that contains these settings might prevent the previews from being enabled. For the affected folder, users should ensure it is in the foreground as the active window, and then from the Finder's "View" menu select "Show View Options". Then select the option to "Show icon preview" and close the options window.

Change the default application for the item(s) The Finder uses "Preview" to help render certain documents, including image files and PDFs. If users have switched the primary handling applications for these document types to a third-party program, it is possible that this switch could be interfering with the Finder's handling of the previews. Users can try reverting file types back to using "Preview" by getting information on one, and then changing the application associated with the file in the drop-down menu. Then optionally, clicking "Change All..." will ensure the changes are global instead of pertaining to the selected file only.

Users have periodically reported a problem with iChat where the program functions (menus, buttons, buddy lists, etc) will appear greyed out. The program launches but is otherwise nonfunctional.

Apple Discussions poster hanns writes:

"I got my first mac about a month ago and had not even opened iChat until today. When I click on any of the drop down menus almost all of the options are blanked out, and all of the buttons at the bottom of my bonjour list are also greyed out."

We previously reported on this problem, and at the time, fixes revolved around the iChat's localization settings. As such, and especially since the problem revolved around non-english languages, changing the default languages and limiting application-specific localization options was the primary fix for the issue.

Currently english users have been experiencing the problem, indicating there may be more than language packs contributing to the problem.

Fix: Boot into safe mode and repair permissions While users have tried repairing permissions on the drive as a possible fix, when the computer is booted into safe mode various maintenance scripts will run that may have helped users overcome this problem. To do this, hold the "shift" key down at bootup, and when logged in open Disk Utility and run the permissions fix routine on the boot drive. Restarting the computer after these steps has restored iChat for some affected users.

Yesterday, Apple released Safari 3.2, which addresses a number of bugs including those pertaining to image handling, the processing of XML files, and several security vulnerabilities. In addition the update adds support for anti-phishing technology to help protect users from malicious websites, which has been one of the major criticisms of previous versions of Safari.

NOTE: Before updating the software, which applies changes to some system files, users should ensure they have a full backup of their systems using either Time Machine or a disk cloning program such as SuperDuper or Carbon Copy Cloner.

Crashing caused by various add-ons While the update provides welcomed enhancements and bug fixes, users have reported broken third-party plugins such as "Concierge" bookmarks manager, "PithHelmet" ad-blocking software, and "AcidSearch" search enhancement software. It may be possible a reinstall of affected plugins could get them working again, but if not then users will have to wait for an update from the plugin developer to restore functionality.

Beyond plug-ins not working, users have experienced some problems with the update itself, most of which are random crashes of the application.

Apple Discussions poster PatrickL writes: "I made the big mistake of installing Safari 3.2 on Leopard. What a big friggin' mistake. I can barely use it for 30 seconds without it crashing."

In some cases these problems have been resolved by uninstalling Safari plugins, but for the most part, it seems that this problem has to do with a conflict in the new anti-phishing features, which are enabled by default. Users have found that the crashing seems to go away when these features are disabled.

To disable these features, go to Safari's preferences and in the "Security" section turn off the "Warn when visiting a fraudulent website" option. Alternatively, this problem might be due to a preferences file corruption with the new version of Safari not being able to apply the settings stored in the file. As such, users might try removing the "com.apple.Safari.plist" file from the /username/Library/Preferences/ folder and restart the program. Additionally, users might try removing cache files pertaining to Safari, which are located in the /username/Library/Caches/ folder, as well as removing the contents of the /username/Library/Safari/ folder.

Installation problems Lastly, users have had issues with the Safari update not installing: upon running the installer, users may get an error claiming "You cannot install Safari on this volume. This volume already has a newer version of Safari installed." This error may occur if users have had the Safari 4 preview installed at some point. When the preview is installed, several system files get updated with version information about the program, which will prevent Safari 3.2 from being installed even if users remove the application itself. The Safari 4 preview comes with an uninstaller that should correct this version information. However, if the uninstaller will not run because users have removed part of the Safar 4 installation (ie: the program itself), users should be able to reinstall Safari 4 and then run the uninstall program to properly remove it from the system. However, if this does not work users can manually change the system to accept the update by following these steps:

1. Go to the /System/Library/Frameworks/ folder and back up the "Webkit.framework" file to a safe location.
2. Right-click on the framework and choose "Show package contents"
3. Go to the /Versions/A/Resources/ folder and open the "Info.plist" file in a text editor.
4. Locate the keys labeled "CFBundleShortVersionString" and "CFBundleVersion" (do a search for these text strings)
5. Change the value of these keys to a value less than 5525.26 (the version string for the safari 3.2 program).
6. Save the file and close it, and try installing Safari version 3.2 again.

NOTE: While this will enable users to install Safari, there may still be some residual files from the Safari 4 installation that could be incompatible with the Safari 3.2 update. As such, while users can try this method, the cleaner option is to do an archive and install reinstallation of the operating system to clear out these files.

For users who are experiencing extensive problems with the update and wish to uninstall it, the best way to do this is to revert the system to a backup (Time Machine or otherwise) right before the update was applied.

Several users have reported an issue in which users experimentation with or inavertent modification of permissions on key system resources renders the system unable to boot.

Apple Discussions poster tharrisw writes:

"I was messing around with file permissions and did something very, very stupid. I set the access under 'everyone' of the System Folder to 'no access.' I got the spinning beach ball and no response from any input, so after several minutes I rebooted the machine...On reboot, the machine gets as far as the blue screen with the spinning icon at the bottom, and then it switches back and forth between two shades of blue for eternity."

This type of problem should be relatively easy to fix, and there are several approaches, depending on comfort levels with either the terminal and/or other methods of interacting with the filesystem. At the very worst, users will have to perform an archive and install of the system, but that should only be necessary in a couple of scenarios.

Users should generally be able to locate the improperly modified files. Follow this series of escalating steps:

Fix Permissions Most of the core system resources are listed in the permissions database and, as such, should be fixable by running a permissions fix on the hard drive. Users can do this by booting of the Leopard DVD and running "Disk Utility" from the "Utilities" menu.

Target Disk Mode If users have two Macs available, target disk mode will allow modification of permissions of the affected files through the Finder. To do this, boot the problematic computer into Target Disk mode by holding "T" at bootup. Next, attach it via FireWire to the second computer to mount the hard drive on the second computer. Open it and navigate to the files that were changed, and revert their permissions.

Terminal Users should be able to boot off the Leopard DVD, then open the Terminal application from the "Utilities" menu after choosing their desired language. Using the terminal, users should be able to navigate to and revert the changed files. In the example quoted by the user above, the user needed to change the permissions of the system folder itself to being readable by everyone using the "chmod" command as follows:

• chmod a+rwx /System/

However, the specifics of the command may change depending on the initial edits done to the system files. The syntax and specifics of command can be looked up in the manual pages for it by typing "man chmod" in the terminal (the "q" key exits the man page viewer).

In addition to the Leopard DVD, users should be able to access the terminal by booting into single user mode (holding cmd-S at bootup). For these terminal commands, users might need to mount the hard drive before they will run. The command for this is the following to ensure it's writable:

• mount -uw /

The previous methods will work for one or two files, but users might also have propagated permissions to multiple system files by using the "Apply to enclosed items" option for folders. In this case, it is recommended that users perform an Archive and Install reinstallation of OS X on their systems. While users could try to rectify the situation manually, the propagation of permissions through the system files could leave many files inaccessible and it could take a long time to track down each changed file.

Mac OS X's placement of windows is determined by the .DS_Store files that are located within each folder in the system. When users change window size and location, placement information is stored in the .DS_Store file that is in the current folder being resized. This can be confusing to some users, because, in most view modes, the same window is used to show the contents of the opened folders. As such, if a user changes the size of a window with the "Desktop" being viewed, new windows may be in different locations because they are referencing a different .DS_Store file. Despite this default behavior, users may encounter bizarre window sizing behavior.

Apple Discussions poster Kevin Liu writes:

"I find that randomly, the Finder windows default to the tiny size in the center of the display. This happens randomly and I haven't been able to see a pattern."

This issue is most likely caused by the .DS_Store file in a specific folder becoming either inaccessible or corrupt. To check for accessibility, open the terminal and type "ls -la " (including the space after "-la"). Next, drag the folder that displays the odd window behavior into the Terminal window to enter its full path to the terminal so the command looks like "ls -la /path/to/folder". Next, press enter to execute the command and the first set of characters next to the line that ends with ".DS_Store" should be "-rw-r--r--@". This indicates the file is writable and readable by the owner, and only readable by everyone else. If the file does not have these permissions, then change them with the following command:

• sudo chmod u=rw,go=r /path/to/folder/.DS_Store

Alternatively, users should be able to delete the problematic .DS_Store file and have the Finder recreate it. To do this, enter the following command into the terminal:

• sudo rm /path/to/folder/.DS_Store

(In this command the /path/to/folder/ is the same as previously found when users dragged the folder to the Terminal window.)

Apple has released Safari 3.2 for Mac OS X 10.4.x and Mac OS X 10.5.x. The new release provides several security enhancements:

Safari

Sensitive information may be disclosed to a local console user Disabling autocomplete on a form field may not prevent the data in the field from being stored in the browser page cache. This may lead to the disclosure of sensitive information to a local user. This update addresses the issue by properly clearing the form data. Credit to an anonymous researcher for reporting this issue.

WebKit

Visiting a maliciously crafted website may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution A signedness issue in Safari's handling of JavaScript array indices may result in an out-of-bounds memory access. Visiting a maliciously crafted website may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution. This update addresses the issue by performing additional validation of JavaScript array indices. Credit to SkyLined of Google for reporting this issue.

Visiting a maliciously crafted website may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution A memory corruption issue exists in WebCore's handling of style sheet elements. Visiting a maliciously crafted website may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution. This update addresses the issue through improved garbage collection. Credit to an anonymous researcher working with the TippingPoint Zero Day Initiative for reporting this issue.

Visiting a maliciously crafted website may lead to the disclosure of sensitive information WebKit's plug-in interface does not block plug-ins from launching local URLs. Visiting a maliciously crafted website may allow a remote attacker to launch local files in Safari, which may lead to the disclosure of sensitive information. This update addresses the issue by restricting the types of URLs that may be launched via the plug-in interface. Credit to Billy Rios of Microsoft, and Nitesh Dhanjani of Ernst & Young for reporting this issue.

The new release is available through Software Update or as a standalone download via the following links:

• Safari 3.2 for Leopard
• Safari 3.2 for Tiger

Problems? http://www.macfixit.com/contact.

Users continue to report a bevy of issues with the new Late-2008 (unibody) MacBooks and MacBook Pros. Most pervasive is an issue we've reported upon extensively in the past few days in which the system refuses to properly wake from sleep, displaying only a blank screen while the keyboard illuminates or freezing upon wake.

As previously reported, the best fixes for this issue are:

• Do not connect or disconnect any external devices while the new MacBooks are asleep; disconnect any external devices before putting the machines to sleep.
• Turn off the "Allow Bluetooth devices to wake this computer" in the Bluetooth pane of System Preferences fixes this issue.

The latest reader reports:

• "I've got this too. Sometimes it simply wont wake up. Or rather it appears to partially wake up, hte keyboard light will come on, the disk will spin up, but the screen simply wont wake up. Bluetooth aggravated the situation for me as the machine would wake from sleep more often, for example as I carried it sleeping through the kitchen where the blue tooth mouse was sitting on the table, it would wake up then go back to sleep or hang as I left the room."
• "I am getting the same results: MacBook Pro can't find bluetooth mouse on wake up, sometimes, freezes."
• "I've also been having the same problems as some other poster - plugging in or unplugging any external devices while the computer is asleep causes it to wake from sleep (power light is on) but the display to remain off. I presume it is a freeze because opening and shutting the laptop does not go back to sleep."

We speculate that Apple will introduce a firmware update soon to combat these issues.

Wireless issues Users also continue to report significant wireless issue with the new systems. Two recent reader reports:

"Set up my first Late 2008 MacBook Pro this week, and find the network speed varies significantly during the day. (It's primarily connecting to an Airport Extreme 802.11n.)"

"I've also been having 'connection timeout' problems with AirPort, even when 1 meter away from the base station and putting in all the correct information."

If you are experiencing similar issues, peruse our tutorial on wireless troubleshooting. If any of thee fixes work, please drop us a line at http://www.macfixit.com/contact.

Trackpad problems Meanwhile, users continue to report trackpad issues. One reader recently wrote:

"Frequently, the trackpad will become non-responsive for anywhere from several seconds to a a minute or more. I have had to reboot the machine multiple times to get it working again."

While there may be some genuine hardware issues with the new MacBooks' trackpads, other problems are caused by improper use. See our previous coverage, which includes usage tips.

Several MacFixIt readers have reported that, if you upgraded to Parallels 4.0 and your original virtual machine was Virtual PC, then you will not be able to install the mouse driver included in Parallels Tools. This issue can also occur if you moved to Parallels from a VMWare Fusion virtual machine.

Per MacFixIt reader Michael Pantoja:

"That leaves you with an incomplete installation and a non-functional mouse. This was not an issue in 3.0."

Users experiencing this issue may receive the following error message:

"Cannot Install this Hardware. There was a problem installing this hardware: VM Additions PS/2 Port Mouse. An Error occurred during the installation of the device. Not enough storage is available to process this command"

Fixes

Reinstall the mouse driver Follow the instructions in this Parallels knowledge base article to reinstall the mouse driver.

Convert to new virtual machine Try using the Parallels transporter to convert the hard drive image of the non-working Virtual Machine to a new Virtual Machine.

Reinstall Windows from scratch If the aforementioned fixes fail, you may need to create a new Windows installation from scratch.

A number of Leopard users who have upgraded to Mac OS X 10.5.5 have run into a graphics problem in which the screen becomes filled with artifacts that look like static-looking patterns.

Apple Discussions poster Longing4Classic writes:

"I just applied the Mac OS X 10.5.5 update yesterday. When I started my iMac this morning, at the end of the login my normal desktop and dock displayed normal for a split second and then immediately appeared corrupted. Desktop screen appears partially displayed with many pixels missing all over screen, like a moth-eaten appearance. Like a partially-displayed screen in a crash"

This is a longstanding issue that has affected many Mac models, which suggests it is not a problem with one set of drivers. For some users these graphics anomalies are persistent from the time of first login after booting, but for others they get started by some action such as relaunching the Finder. Regardless of how this problem starts, it seems to go away when users perform some Finder-based actions such as opening a menu or dragging a window around on the screen.

Users have suspected that this problem lies with the Finder, and as such have tried removing both the desktop and Finder preferences files. In addition, some users have tried resetting the PRAM and fixing permissions, but the problem still persists. Still, this has worked at least temporarily for some users.

Currently there are no known fixes for this issue, but users have found that over time this problem seems to self-correct. As such, users can just leave it be if they are not too bothered by it. It might be possible that the next OS update from Apple will correct this problem for affected users. However, there are a few things users have tried that have fixed this problem at least temporarily. It seems these fixes might need to be applied several times before they stick, but several folks have reported success with them.

Fixes and Workarounds

Reset the PRAM While this has not worked for everyone, some users have had temporary relief by resetting the PRAM (holding down options-command-P-R at boot, allowing the computer to reset and chime a few times).

Toggle resolution Some users have had success by running the monitor at a slightly lower resolution. This is not ideal since the screen will not be at its native settings and will cause text to look slightly warped. However, users might also try simply toggling various resolutions in addition to resetting the PRAM in order to refresh both hardware and software resolution settings. Lastly, after changing resolutions, some users have had tentative success even after switching back to full native resolution again.

Remove cache files A few users have removed cache files from the /username/Library/Caches/ folder (those that begin with "com.apple...") and experienced success resolving this issue. It is possible that a corrupt cache might result in this problem, particularly the Finder cache com.apple.finder. Like preference files, cache files will be recreated by their applications, so users should be able to remove them without affecting their systems.

Change the background and clean up the desktop Some users have fixed this issue by changing their background image. There could be something with specific image types, or patterns on the image that cause this issue (ie: mishandling of a specific image format type). Users might try using Preview to change the format of a specific picture to see if the new format helps the problem. In addition, users might try clearing their desktops of clutter, which has been reported to work by one user.

Some users have experienced problems with movie-related program such as iMovie or Final Cut not starting, giving errors that state inadequacies with the graphics card.

Apple Discussions poster etraitel writes:

"After using my iMac 24" for a while, all of a sudden iMovies and Final Cut Studio refuse to start complaining that the graphics card I have does not support Quartz Extreme."

Quartz Extreme is a technology that runs OS X's Aqua interface through the graphics processor using the OpenGL libraries, which allows for high-speed rendering of effects such as transparencies and shading. When it was first released in OS X 10.2, many graphics cards did not support the technology, but the users experiencing this problem have been running Macintoshes with relatively high-end graphics cards such as the Geforce 8800 series, which definitely do support Quartz Extreme. In addition, all graphics cards that run on Macs which support Leopard should be fully capable of running Quartz Extreme, so users should definitely not be experiencing this problem based on GPU limitations.

Users have found that this problem occurred soon after installing updates to iPhoto (7.1.5) or Aperture. Updates to these programs, as well as others, may include updates to Finder add-ons or other system files which may lead to broken drivers if improperly installed. As with any update, it is always recommended to have a full backup of the system such as a clone of the drive or a Time Machine backup before updating. This will at least ensure users can fall back to the clone in the event of a problem.

Luckily these problems have been temporary, with some users being able to fix the problem with a simple restart. However, for others the problem may require a few additional steps.

Fixes

Restart the computer in safe mode and run permissions fix When the computer is booted into safe mode, it will run a few maintenance scripts at bootup, and load only the essential system software. When in this mode users should run a permissions fix with Disk Utility.

Reapply the update while in safe mode Since Safe Mode is a limited boot environment, it is a better mode in which to apply updates. Therefore, just in case some process inadvertently interfered with the previous update, leading to this problem, users should download the standalone updater to the recently installed updates (iPhoto, Final Cut Pro/Studio, or other application) and then boot into safe mode and apply the patch again.

We've reported extensively on an issue in which Late-2008 (unibody) MacBooks and MacBook Pros freeze when waking from sleep. We previously recommended that users not connect or disconnect any external devices while the new MacBooks are asleep, and suggested that users may want to disconnect any external devices before putting the machines to sleep.

It now appears that this issue does indeed involve external devices, specifically Bluetooth devices. Several users have now reported that turning off the "Allow Bluetooth devices to wake this computer" in the Bluetooth pane of System Preferences fixes this issue.

One MacFixIt reader writes:

"I note the freezing when I have left Bluetooth running with a cordless mouse when I put the book to sleep. It almost seems as if it can't find the device, it hangs, but that's just a guess, and it only happens intermittently, not all the time."

Feedback? http://www.macfixit.com/contact.

When users launch Safari, Firefox, or other browsers, they may be prompted with the option to set the current browser as the default. This option might also be available from the browser's menus or preferences as well, and while it should work, some users are finding their default browser always seems to revert back to previous settings.

Apple Discussions poster Michael Goerz writes:

"When I set the default browser to 'Firefox' in the Safari settings, that setting only survives until the next reboot. After that, the default browser is back to Safari."

In addition to the default browser not sticking, users might also have problems with other default applications. The same user quoted above noticed that setting text files to open with the application "MacVim" had them reverting to opening with TextEdit after reboot.

When users change the default application to use, regardless of whether it's for a filetype or for a network protocol, the changes are stored in the user's "Launch Services" file. This file is a small database that contains associations of filetype and protocol tags with application handler schemes. If it is corrupt or otherwise inaccessible then the system will not be able to load any default settings changes that have been set by the user. As such, users must ensure this file is readable, as well as ensure it's not corrupt. Additionally, users can manually edit the file to ensure a specific application is used for launching specific filetypes or protocols.

Fixes

Rebuild the launchservices database with OnyX The multipurpose maintenance utility OnyX has a function for rebuilding the launchservices database, which may help with this problem. Download the utility from this website, and install it. Then in the Maintenance section of OnyX choose the "Rebuild" tab and check the first option to rebuild the LaunchServices. Then click "Execute" to run the script.

Ensure the LaunchServices file is readable Locate the database, which is named com.apple.LaunchServices.plist and is located in the /username/Library/Preferences/ folder. Then get information on the file and ensure that both the current user "(Me)" is listed in the "Sharing & Permissions" list with "Read & Write" as the permissions, and the "Locked" option is not checked. Users might try toggling the permissions to something other than "Reand & Write" and then change it back to ensure the permissions are properly associated with the file.

Remove the com.apple.LaunchServices.plist file Removing the launch services database will have OS X create another one, which should help if there is a corruption problem in the file. If users do this, all URL protocol and filetype bindings will be reset to their defaults, so users will have to set them up again. Remove the file from the user preferences folder and restart the computer, and then try to assign an application to a filetype or change the default browser again.

Manually edit the launch services file Users can ensure the desired application opens a specific URL protocol or file type by opening the database file in a text editor. Then duplicate one of the "<dict>" tag entries, depending on whether a protocol or filetype is desired.

For a filetype, the dict type should look like the following:

This example ensures the program "TextEdit" opens any file that has ".cfg" as the filetype extension. To add any file type or change the application, users would have to either edit the field with "cfg" to the desired filetype, or change the "com.apple.textedit" entry to the domain of a desired program. The domain of a program is usually the name of the program's preferences file without the "plist" in it.

For a network protocol, the "<dict>" entry would look like this:

In this tag users would change the protocol from "webcal" to "http" or "https", and then change the handler from "com.apple.ical" to "com.apple.safari" in order to have Safari be the default application for handling the http protocol.

Once the database has been modified, users should save it and logout then log back in to invoke the changes.

iChat has the option to organize buddies into groups for convenience. In addition to user-defined groups, iChat also has a "Recent Buddies" group in which it places recently contacted people for convenience. However, if users remove this group it may seem like they cannot get it back.

This group may get inadvertently deleted, and upon recreating it iCal may not seem to add recent buddies to the newly created one. The reason for this is that this group needs to be enabled in the iChat preferences. When this group is deleted, iChat disables the automatic addition of users to this group, so the simple fix is to re-enable it.

Fix: Enable the "Recent Buddies" option Go to the iChat preferences, and in the "Accounts" section, select the account being used from the list. Then in the "Account Information" tab at the bottom check the option to "Add new buddies I chat with to 'Recent Buddies'", and the group should appear again during the next chat session. Unfortunately the list will start fresh again, so previous "Recent Buddies" will no longer be there.

Apple has released iLife Support 8.3.1, which provides system software components shared by all iLife '08 applications. Apple says: "This update improves overall stability and addresses a number of other minor issues. It is recommended for all users for iLife '08." Note that this update is only for Mac OS X 10.4.11.

Specifically, the update resolves issues under which maliciously designed TIFF and JPEG files could cause applications to unexpectedly quit, or open the door for arbitrary code execution.

The new release is available through Software Update, or as a standalone 11.7MB download.

Problems after applying this update? Please let us know at http://www.macfixit.com/contact.

Several users have experienced an issue in which iChat launches but provides no functionality, rendering itself essentially useless.

Apple Discussions poster pitou74150 writes:

"I've just bought a new MacBook and iChat is not working at all. It worked fine yesterday and today, when I launch iChat, there is no contact list and I can't go in any menus, all the options are in grey."

Affected users have tried basic troubleshooting routines, including the following:

• Deleting iChat's preferences
• Repairing permissions
• Repairing the Keychain
• Creating new accounts
• Changing various iChat settings (ports, SSL, etc)

Despite these attempts the problem persists, and has happened on both and new systems, indicating that the problem is with a core setting in the system. It seems this issue is related to the language settings for the system, which may be supported by the fact that international users have been the ones reporting this problem.

One affected user went so far as to purge his system of all unnecessary applications and languages, among other packages. While this fixed the problem, users might have more direct success by manually turning off unused languages on the system.

Potential Fixes

Disable unnecessary languages Mac OS X is built to support many language localizations as plug-ins to the operating system and applications. When applications get new localization information, the system can use it based off the language priority preferences set in the "International" system preferences. If a language is corrupted, or if the localization for a specific program is corrupted, the system may display errors such as those expereienced by these users. To strip down the system to only use one language, follow these steps:

Turn off Global language packs

1. Open the "International" system preferences and in the "Language" tab click the "Edit List..." button.
2. Uncheck all languages except for the one to be used, and select OK.
3. Restart the system for changes to take effect.

1. Locate the iChat application (in /Applications/) and get information on it (File > Get Info).
2. Locate and expand the "Languages" section by clicking the triangle.
3. Uncheck all languages except for the desired one, or optionally select the ones that will not be used and click the "-" button to delete them.

In addition to manually disabling and removing unneeded languages from the system, users can also try running third-party language management applications such as Monolingual to ensure the system is fully purged of unused language packs.

Perform standard fixes Although language errors might be the root of the problem, users might benefit from running various maintenance scripts, including those both in Disk Utility (permissions fix and drive verification) as well as those available in OnyX such as cache rebuilds along with permissions fixes and daily, weekly, and monthly built-in system maintenance routines.

Workarounds

Archive and Install Because this problem is caused by some core system conflict, making new accounts and reinstalling iChat will not fix the issue. If turning off languages does not solve the problem, then for now the easiest solution may be to perform an archive and install of the operating system. For newer computers this may be the best solution if not much has been customized or installed in the system.

Freezes when waking from sleep (cont.) Users responded in droves to our initial coverage of an issue in which Late-2008 (unibody) MacBooks and MacBook Pros freeze when waking from sleep. A sampling of the reader reports:

• "I am having the same issue. Sometimes my late 2008 Macbook Pro wakes from sleep, sometimes it randomly wakes up from hibernation when there is ample battery, and sometimes it totally shows just a black screen waking from sleep. I have to force it off and back on. I have started shutting it down instead of letting it sleep."
• "I've had the freeze after sleep problem several times now, and I called tech support because I've also had to deal with exceptional battery drain when my computer is in transport mode, which MacFixIt reported earlier."
• "I am having similar issues. At first I thought it was just with an external monitor, but I''m now experiencing it with just the laptop display. The only way to get the machine running again is to force the power off and then restart it."

Supporting our earlier postulation that the issue may involve errant external devices, users have submitted system logs revealing the following entry when the freeze occurs:

"10/29/08 6:35:06 PM kernel USBF: 9913.165 [0x7330200] The IOUSBFamily is having trouble enumerating a USB device that has been plugged in. It will keep retrying. (Port 1 of hub @ location: 0x3a000000)"

As such, we recommend that users do not connect or disconnect any external devices while the new MacBooks are asleep. Additionally, users may want to disconnect any external devices before putting the machines to sleep.

In addition, some users have found that running a suite of maintenance/clean-up routines--clearing caches, erasing spotlight database, rebuilding launch services, etc.--with a tool like Cocktail at least temporarily resolves this issue.

Wireless issues Meanwhile, some suers are beginning to report wireless connection (AirPort) issues, especially when connected to third-party routers. These issues include an inability to connect to routers, weak signal strength, and a problem in which signal strength fails to fluctuate appropriately when there is actually stronger or weaker signals.

If you are experiencing a similar issue, please let us know.

In Safari, users have the option to mail either the current webpage contents or a link to the current web page to email recipients, using options in the "File" menu. For some users, however, this functionality has stopped working.

Apple Discussions poster briformac writes:

"Suddenly I can no longer mail a web page link from Safari. It returns an error saying: 'Safari couldn’t create an email message to send the link because it couldn’t locate an email application. You can use the Mail application included with Mac OS X to send email. To do so, you might need to install Mail using the Mac OS X installation CDs.'"

This error indicates there is something wrong with Mail. However, despite the error's recommendation to reinstall Mail, users have been unsure about the need for this because the application otherwise seems to work properly. In addition, Firefox and other browsers seem to perform this function properly, which indicates the problem is with Safari. The fixes for this problem include ensuring that Mail is the default mail reader and that the program is accessible by other applications.

Fixes

Ensure Mail is in the default location If users have moved the Mail application to a directory other than the Applications folder, including subdirectories in the Applications folder, while the program will work on its own, other applications may not be able to properly reference it. As such, be sure that Mail is directly in the Applications folder.

Ensure that Mail is set to be the default email reader Safari relies on Mail's internal settings for the default Mail reader to be set properly in order for the mailing of links and page contents to work. While Firefox and other browsers may rely on internal mimetype and application binding settings for sending emails through Mail, Safari relies on the global settings that are set by the Mail application. To ensure Mail is the default reader, open Mail and go to the "General" preferences. Then from the drop-down menu select Mail (or browse for it if necessary) and close the preferences window.

Several users are reporting an issue in which Late-2008 MacBooks freeze when waking from sleep, sometimes with the screen turned on but the cursor frozen and other times with the screen completely blank.

A sampling of reports from this Apple Discussions thread:

"Several times now my computer has completely frozen just after it comes out of sleep mode, and I've had to manually shut it down using the power button."

"I've noticed it only seems to happen when I am operating on battery power"

"This is happening a few times a day for me now. It doesn't always do it after sleep anymore either. No kernel panics, no warning, just frozen everything. The only option is a manual restart."

This problem has occurred with previous Apple portable models but, based on user reports, appears to occur much more frequently with the new models.

We suspect that Apple will issue a firmware update to address this and other issues with the Late-2008 MacBooks. In the meantime, however, you can try not connecting or disconnecting any devices will the system is asleep, and/or disabling the screen saver by setting the activation delay to "Never."

If you are experiencing a similar issue, please let us know.

There may be instances in which application windows end up being placed beyond the viewable area of the screen.

Apple Discussions poster astronoman writes:

"So some programmer made a major booboo and now the iTunes equalizer is outside the viewable area of my screen -- I can see it just fine with Expose. How in the world can I move the window back to where I can see it?"

Mac OS X is built so that users cannot manually move windows beyond the confines of the screen. The furthest users can move a window off the screen is enough so that, at the very least, a single pixel of the window's frame is available to view. Additionally, windows should not be able to move a window toolbar no further up than the bottom edge of the system menubar, and no further down than the bottom of the screen. If users place a window so that the toolbar is cut off by the bottom of the screen, OS X should readjust the window so the toolbar is visible. Despite this design, however, poor programming or other issues could result in windows being placed outside the viewable screen area, or at least appear to be placed off the screen.

The following suggestions may help users center such windows.

Potential Fixes

Adjust monitor settings and double-check edges While many displays use digital connections which automatically align the image to the available space of the display, this is not the case with analog connections. If users are connecting their displays through a VGA connector, it is possible that their display image's width, height, horizontal or vertical positioning may be slightly off, resulting in the last few pixels being cut off. If this is the case and a window is placed along the cropped edge, the window will appear to have disappeared. Here is an example of a window placed at the bottom edge of the screen, with only a sliver of the window being visible that could easily get cut off if the display settings are slightly off.

As such, it is recommended to adjust these display settings to see if the lost window is visible along one of the edges.

Change the display resolution If the screen is not displaying at its "native" resolution, it is possible that increasing the resolution will reveal the missing window. Additionally, if the resolution is at the maximum possible for the display, users might try reducing the resolution by one or two settings. In the new resolution, quit and relaunch the problematic application and then change the resolution back to the full settings, which might reset the window positioning on the screen.

Hide the dock While Mac OS X should keep windows from being placed behind the dock, sometimes windows can wind up hidden behind the dock anyway, which can prevent users from selecting the window. As such, the only way to get access to the window would be to hide the dock and check the area under the dock.

Activate Expose and Spaces Since users affected with this problem can see the window when Exposé is activated, users can attempt to make the window viewable by using a combination of expose and spaces. With the problematic application window open, activate both expose and spaces at once, and then drag the window to a new space. Upon deactivating expose and spaces, go to the space containing the window, and drag it back to the original space if it is showing there.

Delete