System Crashes When Attempting to Run Apps. Someone Help

[marcost]

nothing on my computer works. I belive its from the 10.2.6 upgrade. I can't run any programs or anything. It starts up and when i try to run a program, it freezes up. SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME as I am new to macs...Please help ASAP...Thanks

[Arden]

Ugh... another victim of Apple's instable updates. The best thing I can recommend is to downgrade to the last stable version you used. This means do a clean install of 10.2 and upgrade back to whatever you had before 10.2.6, like 10.2.3 or 10.2.5.

[marcost]

I can't run any program or anything, so how do I do a clean install?

[dgill]

You need to start up from your OSX install CD. Start the machine, insert the CD and press the C key to start from the CD.

[gastroboy]

I have a similar problem but I am told I can't reinstall because the version is later than my CD.

How do you cleanly uninstall the OSX that is on the HD?

In fact how do you resolve system problems without doing reinstalls. My OSX progressively became a wreck. In OS9 Conflict Catcher quickly isolates problem extensions and you get back to work. OSX you are stuck.

[hulkaros]

...after you will do ANY kind of reinstalling try to do the following:
-Use Combo updates from Apple
-Try not to use haxies and other stuff that may not be compatible with your OS
-Try not to install in general stuff that you do not know or understand even if you hear other people saying the best things about them
-Repair permissions once in a month (or after any system update)
-Prebind your system
-Check for disk problems and if you find any, repair them
-Do not install ANYTHING even from Apple before you DO read positive stuff from experienced users and even when you do read try to understand if you need the same stuff

I'm sure I'm forgetting stuff here but...

...all in all, if you play by the rules you will not encounter any serious troubles for months if not for years...

[gastroboy]

Thanx, some of that advice is hard to follow in practice but I'll try s:-)

How DO you repair permissions and pre-bind your system?

[hulkaros]

Originally posted by gastroboy
Thanx, some of that advice is hard to follow in practice but I'll try s:-)

How DO you repair permissions and pre-bind your system?

...you can do both of these things the easy way by getting a utility like Cocktail by www.versiontracker.com/macosx/

or

use the built-in Terminal commands and/or Disk Utility located in Utilities folder inside your Applications folder (or in OS X 10.2 CD1 by selecting it from the menu)...

Still, I would recommend you to update first to 10.2.6 by using the Combo Update from Apple or from a friend

Oh, and whatever you do, DON'T format your disk in simple HFS or Unix file system (always go for HFS+)