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TICKET ARCHIVE -> CD ROMs & downloaded DMGs won't mount

mccabe - Aug 16, 2006 - 6:12 am

I have an iMac with OS X v 10.1.5 (CD ROM, 256 MB RAM) and have up until recently been able to both read any CDs (music, photo & software) and mount downloaded DMGs. Stopped happening about a week ago with the following details, and my actions taken to date:

-- CD Rom, attempts to load and then I get an options box that tells me there are no readable volumes...do I want to initialize, continue or cancel. If I continue, no disk image shows up (although it displays in my Disk Utility as a mounted volume)

-- DMGs, will download and display as a fully downloaded DMG item on my desktop but when I attempt to run them they either do not mount at all (quit part-way through) or they go through the mount screens (e.g. if there's an agreement screen) and then when I think they are mounted, I again do not get any icon for that on my desktop.

-- oddly, I can boot from a CD ROM so I know this is not a hardware issue.

Here is what I have already tried:

-- running DiskWarrior from its CD and having it do its best on my system...didn't change anything

-- creating a new user and seeing if I could run CDs or DMGs from that new user's account...no luck

-- dumped a bunch of preference files, cold booted and had the OS create new ones...either I missed the pref file that's causing this or this isn't the issue either

Any ideas?

Angela, mccabe97@rogers.com

TechSupport - Aug 19, 2006 - 6:15 am

- Aug 20, 2006 - 1:21 pm

Previous tech had closed my ticket with a note that my question had been moved. Problem is the link I was given went nowhere:

http://www.macosx.com/forums/showthread.php?t=

Where was this supposed to take me?

Cheryl - Aug 20, 2006 - 3:56 pm

Angela,

I am not sure what had happened with your ticket, but I reported it as a possible bug. I will try to help you with your problem.

With 10.1, you can re-install the OS and it will not touch your programs or home folder. I believe you will need to do this to get the function back on your system.

Just start up with the 10.1 CD and follow the prompts to install the OS.

When done, restart the computer and give it a test run.

Is there any reason why you are running the older OS version? Panther 10.3 is a smoother and much better OS version and you can update your computer to that. Depending on your processor speed in your iMac, you possibly could run the latest 10.4 Tiger.

Let me know how you do after the re-install of the OS.

Cheryl

mccabe - Aug 22, 2006 - 4:03 am

Hi Cheryl,

I've done a reinstall of OSX and what is happening now is that it boots, lets me login & then gets stuck on that screen...just says it is logging in. I restarted & tried another user ID with same results. I'm typing from an alternate computer right now. Any further ideas?

Angela

p.s. I would love to have system 10.3 or better but it's a case of unfortunate priorities...diapers & baby food over computer upgrades (i.e. kids are expensive...I *used to be* on the cutting edge but, alas, no more) ;-)

mccabe - Aug 22, 2006 - 4:14 am

Cheryl - Aug 22, 2006 - 10:13 am

Angela,

I understand about diapers, baby shoes and food. My boys are now 28 & 26, so I have survived.

Use the OS CD to start up the computer. Do not click on the installer screen. Instead go to the Installer menu and select Disk Utility.
Have that repair the drive, allowing all fixes.
If there was repairs done, click on Repair drive again.
The object is to make sure Disk Utility finds all the problems and repairs them.

Now you need to download a program called Repair Privileges Utility
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106900

Once downloaded, install it and run that on your computer.

Now give it a try and let me know how you do.

Cheryl

mccabe - Aug 22, 2006 - 12:37 pm

Cheryl,

I did boot up the CD & ran the Disk Utility; not a problem (it verified & said drive was okay actually). But, (I'm admitedly pooped so bear with me), how do I download a file and run it on that computer? I can boot the whole way through with a CD but can't run the 'net unless I'm working off of my system drive. Is there another way to do this?...either a way to repair my privileges or a way to download the utility while working on that computer?

Cheryl - Aug 22, 2006 - 1:10 pm

Angela,

Start up your computer without using the CD. If there is a CD in the drive (from running Disk Utility) Just restart the computer, and immediately hold down the mouse button.
The CD will eject and the computer will start up normally.

Now can you get on the internet and go to that web page to download the permissions utility?

Do you have your important files backed up? This is just in case you have to wipe the hard drive clean and install a fresh copy of 10.1.

Cheryl

mccabe - Aug 24, 2006 - 6:12 am

Hi Cheryl.

I did try to boot with holding my mouse button down but that still took me back to that login screen (I'm not using a Mac mouse though...I have a Wacom tablet & 2 button cordless mouse instead). I spent a lot of yesterday trying a few other things & did manage to get into my old system 9.2.2 after switching my startup disk to it...I got there by booting up from my DiskWarrior CD.

From that system 9.2.2 I was able to get online & download the fix file but, of course, it needs OS 10.1.5 to mount & run. So, still stuck there! And, I am still not sure why I can't get past that login screen using the standard modes like holding the mouse button down.

I don't have all of my data backed up. I don't care about 95% of it but do care about some movies & photos that I know aren't backed up, and some of my freelance/graphic work. That CD burner was on the list of "when I don't have to buy diapers any more" items to purchase

Is there anything else to try? Would another reinstall of the OS be worth a try? Or, would it be better to take it into a repair place at this point, so I can at least get data backed up before doing a clean install?

Angela

- Aug 24, 2006 - 8:13 am

Hi Cheryl.

I did try to boot with holding my mouse button down but that still took me back to that login screen (I'm not using a Mac mouse though...I have a Wacom tablet & 2 button cordless mouse instead). I spent a lot of yesterday trying a few other things & did manage to get into my old system 9.2.2 after switching my startup disk to it...I got there by booting up from my DiskWarrior CD.

From that system 9.2.2 I was able to get online & download the fix file but, of course, it needs OS 10.1.5 to mount & run. So, still stuck there! And, I am still not sure why I can't get past that login screen using the standard modes like holding the mouse button down.

I don't have all of my data backed up. I don't care about 95% of it but do care about some movies & photos that I know aren't backed up, and some of my freelance/graphic work. That CD burner was on the list of "when I don't have to buy diapers any more" items to purchase

Is there anything else to try? Would another reinstall of the OS be worth a try? Or, would it be better to take it into a repair place at this point, so I can at least get data backed up before doing a clean install?

Angela

Cheryl - Aug 24, 2006 - 11:45 am

Angela,

You said you can boot in OS 9. Is OS 9 on the same hard drive?

If so, then I think I can get you into OS 10.

First, you need to locate the Apple USB mouse. The wireless mouse will not work until the system is loaded and if you can't log in, the system is not loading.

While in OS 9, click twice on the hard drive. Now locate the Users folder and open that.
Now locate your account name and open that folder.
Now locate the Library folder and open that.
Finally open locate and open the Preference folder.

In the Preference folder locate this file and drag it to the trash.
com.apple.loginwindow.plist

With all the files in this folder, it will be beneficial if you go to the View menu and select by list. This will put everything in alpha order.

Now empty the trash. Go to the Apple Menu>Control Panels>Startup Disk.

Select the OS X folder, then click on restart.

Can you log in correctly now?

Cheryl

mccabe - Sep 5, 2006 - 4:39 pm

Hi Cheryl,

I wanted to thank you for your help. As it turned out I did have to reinstall my operating system from scratch; nothing else (including the USB mouse) did the trick.

Good news is I am now up to system 10.2.8 -- bad news is after my reinstall and upgrade I am getting shared library errors which, from my looking into it, looks like it might be some more of the same. This is happening when I try to run what should be compatible DMGs (but not consistently, some mount and run, some give me the shared library error message...MS Office 2004 and Photoshop CS are 2 that are giving me errors...the two I use most often, of course). I am hoping now that this isn't my physical hard drive wearing out...

Anyway, no matter what, thank you--this is a great site and the dedicated free support was very helpful!

Angela

Cheryl - Sep 5, 2006 - 4:46 pm

Angela,

The problem now can be that you do not have enough memory installed to keep several programs open and running. You should have at least 512 MB on your computer.

Try this: Quit all programs except the one that you want to work with. When done, quit it and then open your next program.
Do you still get those errors?

Cheryl

mccabe - Sep 6, 2006 - 4:03 am

Hi Cheryl,

I did try running just one program and I still got the same errors.

I also:

-- created a new user to see if the DMGs would open for him
-- ran Disk Utility & repaired both my permissions and the disk itself from the OS X 10.2 CD
-- tried a reinstall of the 10.2.8 combo updater

I am still getting the same errors on those 3 specific files. I've downloaded DMGs since then that have not given me errors though.

One difference between my original problem on my old OS and now is that I can continue to run and install regular CD ROMs with no problem: I am only having errors with specific downloaded DMGs (and I downloaded a bunch of others with no problems--Firefox, Thunderbird, iTunes, Quicktime, Netscape, to name a few).

I did have some security updates that I installed on top of my 10.2.8 and some other installs (Bluetooth, iPod items...I'm not sure if I even need these--I don't have an iPod) along with those that Apple suggested I put on and I'm wondering if perhaps these additional installs had something to do with this?

What I want to avoid the most is another full clean install...I'm starting to feel like the basement hermit (my computer is in my basement...is there sun today? ;-)

Angela

- Sep 6, 2006 - 12:33 pm

Hi Cheryl,

I did try running just one program and I still got the same errors.

I also:

-- created a new user to see if the DMGs would open for him
-- ran Disk Utility & repaired both my permissions and the disk itself from the OS X 10.2 CD
-- tried a reinstall of the 10.2.8 combo updater

I am still getting the same errors on those 3 specific files. I've downloaded DMGs since then that have not given me errors though.

One difference between my original problem on my old OS and now is that I can continue to run and install regular CD ROMs with no problem: I am only having errors with specific downloaded DMGs (and I downloaded a bunch of others with no problems--Firefox, Thunderbird, iTunes, Quicktime, Netscape, to name a few).

I did have some security updates that I installed on top of my 10.2.8 and some other installs (Bluetooth, iPod items...I'm not sure if I even need these--I don't have an iPod) along with those that Apple suggested I put on and I'm wondering if perhaps these additional installs had something to do with this?

What I want to avoid the most is another full clean install...I'm starting to feel like the basement hermit (my computer is in my basement...is there sun today? ;-)

Angela

Cheryl - Sep 6, 2006 - 1:12 pm

Angela,

Those three files could be corrupt and may not be capable of being opened. Can these files be downloaded again? If so, first put these three files in a new folder and label that folder old. Now download a new copy of each file.

Now try opening the new files. If the new files open without a problem, you can trash the file you created.
Let me know how you do.

Cheryl