Software update does not work

[dirt farmer]

Greetings.

I just recently had my eMac in for a new logic board. It came back yesterday, and I've been playing around to make sure everything seems okay.

The only trouble I am finding now is with Software Update. My computer was in the shop for quite awhile, and when I started it up yesterday, there were four items to download - 2 security updates, and the new iTunes and Quicktime. Each time I try to download, at it's conclusion I get the message "Software Update could not expand the package correctly", with the red exclamation point. I have tried several times, with no luck. Finally, with all but the iTunes, I had to download and install from the Apple website, which was successful. I am saving iTunes as my test case.

I see this workaround from Frakes and Landau on Peachpit.com:

"You may get an error message such as one that says, 'Some of the checked updates couldn't be installed. Software Update could not expand the package correctly.' In the Software Update window, an exclamation-point icon will appear to the left of the name of each update that was not installed. If this happens, remove any package and receipt files for prior versions of the problem software (prior updates to iTunes, for example, if that is what you are updating) from the /Library/Packages and /Library/Receipts folders. Then try again. Otherwise, choose Download Only, to have Software Update just download the update package to your Desktop. Then double-click the package to launch Installer, which will hopefully succeed where Software Update failed."

I have tried this, to no avail. (by the way, there is absolutely nothing in my /Library/Packages folder. Is this normal?). I have also trashed every Software Update .plist I could find, but nothing helps.

Does anyone know what is going on, or how to resolve this?

Thanks in advance

edit: here is the console.log, if that helps:

2006-09-27 20:23:31.508 Software Update[452] *** NSTask: Task create for path /usr/bin/tar failed: 8, "Exec format error".
2006-09-27 20:23:32.093 Software Update[430] sessionroduct:061-2767 didFailWithError:NSError "Error SUSessionErrorDomain 2" Domain=SUSessionErrorDomain Code=2 UserInfo={
Destination = "/private/var/tmp/folders.501/Cleanup At Startup/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate.IUvoCg/Chewable";
Path = "/Library/Caches/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate/swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/20/50/061-2767/FCpHBrTDbpFStWfsLhk2mPn8RybCpQn3cZ/iTunesX.tar";

[macworks]

I would try running Repair Permissions on your hard drive with Apple's Disk Utility located in Applications > Utilities. You might also download the latest Combo update package for Mac OS X. Example: If you're on Mac OS X 10.4.x, download the 10.4.7 Combo updater and install it -- even if you are already on 10.4.7.

[dirt farmer]

Thanks, Macworks...

The 10.4.7 Combo Update did the trick. I was really not looking forward to an Archive & Install!

[LeNerd]

Dear DirtFarmer,

This problem has been posted on many different sites. Many fixes are suggested and I think I tried them all with no success. I spent 2 hours on the phone with Apple and in the end they (twice) suggest the dreaded "archive and re-install" (with different flag settings).

Here's what worked for me:
1. Every time I tried an update, a .tar file was deposited in .Trash,
an example of which was iTunesX.tar
2. tar -xvf iTunesX.tar produced two files, a signature file and
a file iTunesX.pkg.tar
3. tar -xvf iTunesX.tar produced an iTunes.pkg file
4. opening the iTunes.pkg file successfully installed iTunes (and the
other updates that failed)

My suspicion is that the signature file is being checked and found wanting.

I would be delighted to learn of a genuine fix, but if update is the
only manifestation of this bug the workaround makes it relatively
innocuous.

Background:
a. Update seemed to work for Leopard 10.5.1
b. I updated to Leopard 10.5.4 and then update no longer worked

Here's what didn't work:
1. Repaired permissions, repaired disk
2. downloaded 10.5.4 combo a second time
3. chucked out some .plist files
4. chucked out some some kernelcache files and some extension files
5. tried updating as a different user (Steve Jobs)