http://www.macnn.com/articles/03/06/25/readers.receive/
Readers receive NUM 8.0, problems noted
updated 10:10 pm EDT, Wed June 25, 2003
",
0, 0);
MacNN readers have reported receiving Symantec's last week). Two readers provided different descriptions of errors, including problems defragmenting drives (confirmed by Symantec) and unexplained kernel panics--although other readers note no problems with the latest NUM 8.0 release.
Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2003 04:47:56 EDT
To: news@macnn.com
Subject: Warning about Norton Utils 8.0 for Mac CD
Dear folks,
I wanted to provide an initial report of problems using the just-released Norton Utilities for Macintosh 8.0 CD in order to warn prospective buyers...I have experienced three Kernel Panics while running from the CD, including one with Speed Disk while optimizing, once at the end of Speed Disk when it is rechecking files, and one while using Wipe Free Space. Previously, over two years, I have never had a Kernel Panic.
When running Norton Disk Doctor to Check Media or running Speed Disk to optimize, the CD puts the display to sleep after a while, and the display will not come back on, despite pressing keys, the mouse button, or moving the mouse. The only option is to reboot.
Finally, the version of MacOSX that the CD boots from is 10.2.3, despite the fact that it was just released a few days ago, rather than the currently-shipping 10.2.6.
My system config is: PowerMac G4/733 (Digital Audio), 1GB RAM, ATI Radeon 8500 64MB AGP video card, Pioneer DVR-103 CD/DVD-RW drive.
Thanks,
David Lawhon
Email: yngfhs
Subject: Norton 8 and 12" Powerbooks
Timestamp: Wednesday, June 25, 2003, 9:59pm
I recently received my copy of Norton Utilities v8 to use on my 12" Powerbook. When I booted from the CDROM to defrag my HD, I was surprised to learn the NUM 8.0 could not proceed. Here is my query to Symantec and their reply:
"12" PowerBook - I boot from Norton CDROM and try to run speed disk - get a message indicating that the disk is too large to proceed.. It is a 40MB, and I have defragged much larger drives before with NUM...."
"This is an issue that we are aware of and are currently investigating. It would appear to be an issue that affects a very small amount of drives and is dependent on the number of files on the volume. Hopefully we will have more information on this situation as soon as possible. I apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience in this matter."
Readers can email problems and other experiences to us directly.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jul 2001
Not unexpected
The kernel panic issue obviously never bothered the NUM developers in version 7, or they would have fixed it in 8.0. Maybe we could petition them to not require the installation of several unstable and unneeded kernel extensions. It may save you a lot of headaches to go out and buy Drive 10 or Disk Warrior before trying to recover a damaged disk using a very unstable system.
(As a side note, it seems that the kernel panics occur at a specific time after the system boots, rather than anything you might do as user input - I had kernel panics even when the system hadn't been logged in.)