Mac OS X Update 10.3.1 Available

Milanek writes "Mac OS X Update 10.3.1 is available via Software Update. It includes both security updates and it should also address problems with FireWire 800 drives." Apple recommends that you update your firmware updates for your FireWire / Oxford 922 / firmware 1.02 drives, even with the fixes in 10.3.1. The update also includes fixes for printing, WebDAV, and FileVault. TiVo writes "SecureMac is reporting that Panther's FileVault does not securely delete the files after encryption." Anyone know if this is fixed in 10.3.1?

I Wonder ...

[Mad_Fred]

Is it Apple who pushes restarts after updates just to be sure, or are other OSs much better at updating themselves without needing a restart? I even like how Windows lets me dismiss the prompts to restart until I decide to do so on my own better than Apple's approach. Sure, it may not make much practical difference, but the Windows way feels friendlier. Except when it reboots without warning of course ...

Re:Installed

[lullabud]

you know, i used to install all the latest updates as soon as my mac found them. that all changed when i installed the 10.2.8 update and the ethernet card on my g4 tower quit working, and my dock went into a crash loop. from then on i have been waiting a few days.. no sense in rushing to upgrade when my software already works.

Re:I Wonder ...

[sporty]

Not all updates require restarts. Some which I suspect use kernel extensions, prolly do, just to ensure that they get unloaded and reloaded properly.

Re:I Wonder ...

[Anonymous Coward]

You don't HAVE to install the update 10 mins after it comes out. You could wait until you go to bed or you are done chatting.

Anyone else

[backlonthethird]

going to wait on this one? Just remembering 10.2.8 here..

Re:Installed

[Anonymous Coward]

the idea that Apple's update alone somehow caused your dock to continuously crash is very doubtful. network problems have been documented in several past updates - the general convention is, delete the network pref pane settings, reboot, and try again. you can watch your logs to figure out what you fucked up in the dock - probably some proprietary program / hack you installed.

don't blame apple for being uninformed.

Re:/usr/sbin/softwareupdate

[usr122122121]

I have succesfully updated this machine on the command line since failing to do QT 6.4. It's just this one update. Any advice for getting it to work remotely (I am 3500 miles away from it and unlikely to be near it any time soon)?

If you're 3500 miles away from the computer, I can't imagine having the newest QuickTime on it is a high priority :-p

Re:I Wonder ...

[ZackSchil]

I've seen Win XP do either one at different times. Someimes it needs a restart, sometimes it doesn't. Depends on the hardware or something. Maybe when you run the Wizard it resets a lot of important stuff so a restart is needed but manually changing small things doesn't.

No matter which way you call it, it's just as, if not more sloppy than OS X's update restart thing. If I know what the security update is changing, I sometimes force quite the app that's telling me to restart and then reload ssh (or whatever component has changed) from the command line. If the uber-geeks at Slashdot would stop projecting or (if they're not blatantly trolling) start looking at problems objectively, they might gain some valuable skills.

"After patching Linux I can do X and keep my machine on!"
"Well have you tried a variation of X in Mac OS X to keep your machine up and benefit from updates? No? Why not?"

Re:Anyone else

[Anonymous Coward]

10.2.8 was a notable anomaly in Apple update history. It unintentionally disabled Ethernet on some-not-all 3+ year old dual processor G4s, not a good thing and inexcusable, but not exactly widespread or havoc-wreaking either.

I installed 10.3.1 with my customary (and statistically well-earned) Mac user confidence. No problems to report, as is the usual Mac custom.

Funny how the many years worth of seamless Mac updates never make news.

Any problems with 10.3.1 yet?

[watsondk]

after losing 212GB in the Panther Firewire fsckup, its going to take a great deal for me to have any confidence in Apple ever again.

Anyone installed this update? with firewire drives attached?

Anyone come across any problems?

Once burned, now even more paranoid than usual

but it doesn't matter, does it...

[thatguywhoiam]

I've seen Win XP do either one at different times. Someimes it needs a restart, sometimes it doesn't. Depends on the hardware or something. Maybe when you run the Wizard it resets a lot of important stuff so a restart is needed but manually changing small things doesn't... No matter which way you call it, it's just as, if not more sloppy than OS X's update restart thing. If I know what the security update is changing, I sometimes force quite the app that's telling me to restart and then reload ssh (or whatever component has changed) from the command line. If the uber-geeks at Slashdot would stop projecting or (if they're not blatantly trolling) start looking at problems objectively, they might gain some valuable skills.

That's fine and good, and I see your point (assuming the XP machine was patching itself)... but at the end of the day...

He plugged in the XP laptop and it didn't want to work right away. The Mac laptop did. Now, if you are an 'average user', do you care about what's going on there? Or do you just want the damn thing to work?

Re:I Wonder ...

[TClevenger]

Interesting, I never had that problem. Just minimize Software Update until you're ready to reboot, then bring it back up and click "Restart." I've never had it force me to restart.

Re:Any problems with 10.3.1 yet?

[valkraider]

Of course the firmware update was unnecessary because it was all Apple's fault, right?

Apparantly there was a problem with the firmware in those drives as well - and the actual problem required TWO things to be exactly right. A certain condition in Panther had to exist at the same time as a certain condition in the firewire.

The simple fact of the matter is that no one party is at fault. Things like this happen, and it is impossible to protect against every possible variable that can exist!

As is true with any system - if you have important data that you can't afford to lose - keep it backed up during an upgrade. Backed up to a media that is safe, something like tape or DVD or something like that.

Firewire hard disks are still hard disks and are subject to the same risks as the disks inside the computer...

I was stupid and didn't move some stuff correctly which caused me to do some extra work to get it back after my upgrade... But that was my fault.. Live and learn, eh?

Re:FileVault

[andreMA]

By refusing to give the password, you buy time to try to have the subpoena quashed on merits (or lack thereof).