Well there is a bug fix release for OS X. Here are the things to watch out for:

Mac OS X 10.5.4 (#4): Spotlight problems; random shutdowns; poor performance; more – MacFixIt

Spotlight problems Some users have reported Spotlight problems after updating to Mac OS X 10.5.4, a relatively common occurrence with major system updates.

One reader writes:

“The update to 10.5.4 results in loss of application indexing in spotlight. Had to rebuild spotlight index”

The first procedure you should try in the case of general Spotlight issues after a major system update is the following:

* Download the utility “Spotless”:http://www.fixamacsoftware.com/software/spot2/.
* Use the tool to erase the Spotlig
* Restart your Mac.

Others have had random shutdowns. You have to reset the SMC as noted for the “MacBook and MacBook Pro”:http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303319

BTW most folks think that installed standalone vs. using the Software Update tool is a better way to prevent run away processes, etc.

As an aside it is a pretty minor update but does fix a problem with Adobe CS3 corrupting files on remote servers. But it does have a bunch of iCal fixes as well.

There is a safe installation procedure that takes a while but is more reliable:

Mac OS X 10.5.4 released; fixes Adobe CS3 save issue; update recommendations – MacFixIt

# When an update is available in Software Update, do not press the Install button in the Software Update window. Instead, download any desired update packages individually and without actually performing the installation. Software Update allows you to do so, but this feature is not at all obvious, so here are instructions:

1. Make sure there is a checkmark at the left of all and only the packages you want to download.
2. Choose Update > Download Only. After performing the download(s), note the location, on your hard drive, of the downloaded material.

# [Note: Alternatively, go to http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/ and click the download link for the desired package. In the case of major system updates, this is the way to obtain the full “combo update”, which is often better than the incremental update offered by Software Update.] Restart into Safe mode, by holding down the Shift key from the moment you hear the startup “bong” to the moment the “spinning gear” appears. Expect this startup to take longer than usual. Don’t be alarmed if the fans whir loudly during the “spinning gear” display. Eventually you will be presented with the Safe Boot login screen. Log in as the administrator.
# Without launching any other applications, double-click one installer package and perform the installation. Do nothing else; just sit there and wait until the installation is complete.
# Repeat step 3 after every installation. Finally, restart normally. This, too, may take longer than usual, and you may experience a “double-restart.” Be patient!

2 responses to “Mac OS X 10.5.4 problems”

  1. Rich Avatar

    @steveballmer: Nothing is perfect. Far from it. That being said, at least Mac OS X prints 🙂

  2. steveballmer Avatar

    What did you people expect? This crapola is no Windows Vista!

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