Can't download updates

[sdbluestem]

HELP. I have been unable to download software updates for a year. Recently I took advice on line and entered a string of code in my Terminal. Now my disk utility does not work. And I am still unable to download software updates. I have OS 10.5 running on an early iMac Intel.

[sDJh]

Use the apple hotline. Something seems to be very corrupted.

[dioioib]

sDjh is probably right but the hotline is probably going to tell you to do an archive and install on your system. Any idea what code you typed into the terminal? Did you patch the kernel with something you shouldn't have?

any additional information could help.

in the mean time you can run some maintenance scripts from terminal using:

sudo periodic daily
sudo periodic weekly
sudo periodic monthly

you can also safeboot by holding down the shift key on boot which will run a disk check on startup.

you could try and run a pre-binding fix using

sudo update_prebinding -root / -force

also reset your NVRAM and PRAM by doing the following:

on boot hold the following keys command, option, P, R

you will hear some beeping during this process. Although I can not explain why this works often it will correct odd problems in the system when things become corrupted. A few times this solved a problem where I could not open .dmg files which are often used to distribute software and updates.

also try running dislutil from the terminal to correct your file permissions.

sudo diskutil repairPermissions /

[macmad]

A line of code and no updates for a year. Wow, where do we start. You state that you cannot run Disk Utility. That (hopefully) points to a permission problem. Create another account with administrator privilege and try to run Disk Utility. Should that not work, enable the root account and try again. Should that not work, could be reinstall. It would be nice if you could post the "line of code". We may be able to reverse what you did in terminal. Also, please post the error you get in the system log when you try to run disk utility.
Software updates. You can go onto the apple site and download the latest update. Considering the time lapse, you must be several versions down. Should you take this path, please download the last "combo" system update (Mac OS X 10.5.8 Combo Update). It will have the latest two system updates, but better yet, It will have all the necessary files for your mac. This alone may clear up both of your problems.
These two procedures will not do and damage to your system and may clear up your problems. Please remember to disable root after you finish (Type enable root in help on how to do)!

ps Still like to see the "line of code"

[sDJh]

To be honest with you, I'd expect these kind of posts if I was in linux forum. It's fine, and make me personally also happy, to hack your computer under linux. But when I pay fantastillians of bucks for a computer, I just expect it to work. And if it doesn't I call the hotline so long, until the problem is solved. Sorry, but buying software (and support!) today, means for me that one can rely on it.

Nevertheless, dioioib and macmad, you might be right. It's actually worth a try. I just can remember having had a very strange problem with my keyboard, and a hard-reset on boot let my mac work properly again.

[dioioib]

agreed but as a rule don't type stuff into terminal if you don't know what it is. You could be doing a kernel patch for an incompatible system architecture PPC, x64, x32. The system is great but the one thing no system designer can protect against is a user with a root password.

why I suggest terminal over gui is terminal works all the time regardless of issues in the OS. The diskutility.app is only a front end to a command line app anyway.

What we need to stop doing is blaming the OS and start looking at other software developers who are changing the permissions of files when they install their apps. The number of times Java VM has modified, is ridiculous. Its not apple who is doing the permissions modifications here. But these modifications are what cause most of your problems on the system.

The systems do work. You just need to do basic maintenance.

[royng]

hi,

did you backup your files if you did you might want to try and reinstall your mac using the mac disk. If you never save your stuft i advise you to bring your mac to an apple service centre for servicing.

[royng]

If your problem is solved can you please mark the thread as solved. You can do that by going to the bottom. Thanks, i appreciate it.

[jingda]

Use the apple hotline or use send the mac for repair at the apple service centre it is free unless you have a warranty and a apple care protection plan. Backup your data first in a hard drive, if you have no hard drive, i recommend you to use buffalo or seagate hard disk. They crashed less and is cheap. Do not reformat your computer that is only the last resolved and only when a apple certified technician advised you to do so then you reformat. DO NOT REFORMAT YOUR COMPUTER.