10.5.2 problems

Mac OS X 10.5.2 and the accompanying graphics update were released to alleviate both minor and substantial issues, but may have instigated a few issued of its own. According to users in Apple's Discussion forums [1|2|3|4], the update has created some printing problems, compatibility issues with third-party wireless routers, sound-related glitches, software freezing, and failures when using Time Machine to back up data.

Several users are experiencing wireless printing issues, saying that printers which worked before installing the update now do not, when used with an Airport Extreme Base Station. A workaround is for those affected to connect the printer in question directly to the computer, and it will function.

Meanwhile, some users who use wireless routers from companies such as D-Link, Netgear, Linksys, and Zyxel are reporting intermittent connection issues that vary in circumstance. Some report that they cannot connect to their routers at all, while others claim that once a connection is achieved, the internet is not accessible. One of the more adventurous troubleshooters suggests replacing a kernel extension within the System Library, which can be risky for inexperienced users. Another solution revolves around changing fragmentation and frame thresholds, which can be similarly daunting.

DVD Player is causing strife for some, apparently causing system freezes and an issue that seems to kill the sound throughout the computer. Oddly enough, the problem also seems to trigger a reset of Mail's state for some, returning them to a blank mailbox.

Time Machine is generating problems for some users when backups occur, leaving incomplete files dangling, or simply failing to complete the backup. One user suggests checking for and removing a "Backup in Progress" file, which has remedied the issue in some circumstances. Others report that this file does not exist in their setup, instead opting to remove the failed files from the Time Machine drive and attempting the backup again.

by MacNN Staff