Recover from a problem with an Apple update

Sep 16, '10 07:30:00AM

Contributed by: robleach

Leopard only hintI recently performed a security patch along with a Safari update (I believe it was 5.0.1) using Software Update. I ignored the iTunes 10 update that was available. After the update, I could no longer access any websites, webdav iCal shares, or even connect to the Software Update server! I assume that the security update works for most people without doing anything harmful, but the only way I got Internet access back was by installing an earlier combo update at the Apple Store.

I spent all weekend trying everything I could think of. You can see a list of the things I tried in this Apple discussion forum thread. I had even performed a restore from backup from my Time Capsule (but it's possible that I miscalculated the date on which I performed the patch).

The problem was weird. I got a message from both Safari and Firefox claiming I wasn't connected to the internet despite being connected via ethernet cable (directly to the modem) or airport (at full signal strength). I was able to ssh into other computers as well as share screens with other computers in my house by running screen sharing and manually entering their DHCP addresses. In fact, that's how I posted to the Apple discussion forum. My machine is an older one (a G4 PowerBook), but I found another post on Apple's forum recently of what sounds like the exact same issue, but under 10.6.

The only thing that worked was to run a 10.5.8 combo-update that they had at the Apple store. They agreed that the thing which caused the inability to access the Internet was either the security patch or the Safari update.

[crarko adds: I haven't tested this one. This sounds like something got messed up with the DNS server settings or the address resolver. I wonder if dscacheutil -flushcache to flush the resolver cache might have helped. Anyone else have problems with that update?]

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