Over 100 fixes coming in Mac OS X 10.5.6 Update

[AppleInsider]

Apple's Mac OS X 10.5.6 Update is on course to deliver dozens of new bug fixes to users of the company's Leopard operating system, with recently leaked developer notes also offering a status update on software's server counterpart and Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard.

Recent weeks have seen the release of two new builds of Mac OS X 10.5.6 to Apple developers, namely builds 9G44 and 9G52. Leaked evaluation notes from the latter build lists 103 specific bug fixes that will be deployed with the official release of the software, now expected shortly before the holidays.

Some of the more recent code corrections target miscellaneous graphics corruption issues, problems with DVI and display detection, sluggish syncing services, printing PDFs from Mail, and a variety of MobileMe synching problems.

Separately, Apple has been working on Mac OS X 10.5.6 Server, which is slated for release alongside its Client cousin. Seed notes from one of the most recent builds, 9G46, show the company to have asked developers to focus their testing efforts on components such as Podcast Producer, Password Server, Server Manager, Single Sign-On, and AFP Performance.

Lastly, partial developer documentation reveals the most recent pre-release build of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard to be 10A222. Corroborating an AppleInsider report from last week, the notes show the software to have recently gained a new Grand Central developer API, while testing of Microsoft Exchange functionality in Mail, Address Book and iCal remains a focal point.

Additionally, the notes show hardware support for Snow Leopard's 64-bit kernel to remain limited to Macs introduced during the first half of the year, namely the early 2008 Mac Pro, early 2008 iMacs, and early 2008 MacBook Pro.

Apple will extend 64-bit kernel support to additional Macs as Snow Leopard development progresses.

As always, readers can keep up to date on the latest Snow Leopard rumblings through AppleInsider's Mac OS X 10.6 topics page and the ongoing Road to Snow Leopard series.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[MacTel]

I'd like to see the annoying bug I discovered last night taken care of. Of course it may actually be a feature. I moved photos from my MicroSD to the trash and the memory count on the MicroSD didn't move down one bit. Every time I tried to copy a new file to the MicroSD card it said it was full. I had to empty the trash for the memory on the MicroSD card to free-up. That's just plain retarded for the OS to hold that memory hostage like that. The trash and the flash memory need to part-ways in one of these bug fixes.

[CREB]

The best just keeps getting better!

[webfrasse]

Originally Posted by MacTel

I'd like to see the annoying bug I discovered last night taken care of. Of course it may actually be a feature. I moved photos from my MicroSD to the trash and the memory count on the MicroSD didn't move down one bit. Every time I tried to copy a new file to the MicroSD card it said it was full. I had to empty the trash for the memory on the MicroSD card to free-up. That's just plain retarded for the OS to hold that memory hostage like that. The trash and the flash memory need to part-ways in one of these bug fixes.

Expected behavior as far as I can see...

[Zandros]

Originally Posted by MacTel

I'd like to see the annoying bug I discovered last night taken care of. Of course it may actually be a feature. I moved photos from my MicroSD to the trash and the memory count on the MicroSD didn't move down one bit. Every time I tried to copy a new file to the MicroSD card it said it was full. I had to empty the trash for the memory on the MicroSD card to free-up. That's just plain retarded for the OS to hold that memory hostage like that. The trash and the flash memory need to part-ways in one of these bug fixes.

What? It's only logical that every mounted drive keeps its own trash. To be able to recover the files from the trash, they must still be on the storage device, and not be overwritten. So you don't get your space back until you delete them.

[wobegon]

Originally Posted by MacTel

I'd like to see the annoying bug I discovered last night taken care of. Of course it may actually be a feature. I moved photos from my MicroSD to the trash and the memory count on the MicroSD didn't move down one bit. Every time I tried to copy a new file to the MicroSD card it said it was full. I had to empty the trash for the memory on the MicroSD card to free-up. That's just plain retarded for the OS to hold that memory hostage like that. The trash and the flash memory need to part-ways in one of these bug fixes.

This has been the case in Mac OS X for quite some time - you have to empty the trash of the attached volume's deleted files. However, if you're saying the deleted files of an attached volume should be moved to the computer's main volume (Macintosh HD), I can see the thought process, but what if you have really large files on that external drive? You would have to wait for them to transfer over to the computer's internal storage and then wait again as you emptied the trash!!

[danistyping]

Originally Posted by Zandros

What? It's only logical that every mounted drive keeps its own trash. To be able to recover the files from the trash, they must still be on the storage device, and not be overwritten. So you don't get your space back until you delete them.

Yeah seriously...take 6 seconds out of your life to go to the trash and empty it. I guarantee if apple corrected this feature the way you wanted it, one day you'd want the file back after you put new stuff on the micro sd and there wouldn't be space for the recovered file, and you'd whine about that. I think it was an obvious and necessary feature.

[jtmadman]

With my new Macbook, I hope Apple fixed the problem with Airport in 10.5.6!!!

I'm sick of getting disconnected from my wireless N router....

[webhead]

"I'd like to see the annoying bug I discovered last night taken care of. Of course it may actually be a feature. I moved photos from my MicroSD to the trash and the memory count on the MicroSD didn't move down one bit. Every time I tried to copy a new file to the MicroSD card it said it was full. I had to empty the trash for the memory on the MicroSD card to free-up. That's just plain retarded for the OS to hold that memory hostage like that. The trash and the flash memory need to part-ways in one of these bug fixes."


This has been the standard feature for a long time, I think it predates OSX, but I could be wrong, seems like it has always been this way. You have to empty the trash before files are totally deleted. This is a safety feature to make sure you don't delete files accidentally. If files were deleted solely by dragged to the trash, users would complain they didn't get a second notification for files being deleted. I still have to “Empty Recycle Bin” on my windows computer at work before files are totally deleted as well, so it’s not a new or distinctly Apple feature either.

[digitalclips]

Originally Posted by jtmadman

With my new Macbook, I hope Apple fixed the problem with Airport in 10.5.6!!!

I'm sick of getting disconnected from my wireless N router....

Is your wireless router the Apple AE? Just wondering since I don't have that problem. If you have the same AE maybe the problems is elsewhere? If it is I assume you tried deleting all settings and starting over and setting it to remember the connection. Hope this helps.

[pmjoe]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Some of the more recent code corrections target miscellaneous graphics corruption issues, problems with DVI and display detection, [...]

More details on the graphics issues would be useful. Both of our Mac Pros with Apple displays have been occasionally displaying horizontal lines and/or sparkles ... I hope this fixes it, as I'd hate to have to send them off for repair.

[digitalclips]

RE 10.6 64 bit, boy am I glad I waited till I did to buy my Mac Pro, I'd be really pissed off if I didn't get all it offered on such an expensive beast. I pity those who were first to buy Mac Pros. Perhaps the 64 bit support will be coming in 10.6.1 for older Mac Pros? I also wonder if Adobe will quickly release support for it?

[aplnub]

Would be nice to file sharing permission problems to be taken care of at some point. Leopard may let you share folders and files within them, but propagating permissions and the unmask problem turns into a total mess for no apparent reason.

[pmjoe]

Oh, and a fix for some of the LEDs on the MacBook Pro dimming/turning off would be nice too.

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1258

[Abster2core]

Originally Posted by MacTel

I'd like to see the annoying bug I discovered last night taken care of. Of course it may actually be a feature. I moved photos from my MicroSD to the trash and the memory count on the MicroSD didn't move down one bit. Every time I tried to copy a new file to the MicroSD card it said it was full. I had to empty the trash for the memory on the MicroSD card to free-up. That's just plain retarded for the OS to hold that memory hostage like that. The trash and the flash memory need to part-ways in one of these bug fixes.

How long have you been using a Mac?

[bloggerblog]

For OSX Server to be taken seriously again, it needs a different maintenance cycle than OSX Workstation. Some of the OSX Leopard Server installations had serious enough problems that they were shelved and the data was migrated to a Windows Server. The most serious and awkward problem was when the Server would not allow the admin to log back in!! Another one was when it corrupted the Users and Groups database, the Users and Groups become irreparable and un-deletable. Unfortunately these weren't isolated issues.

These issues would be on top of any IT's list of nightmares. OS X Server has some fabulous features but Apple needs to provide stability to foundational features such as file sharing, and regular bug fixes to serious issues such as permissions. They also need to treat Server customers differently. Their Server tech support contract is $14,000 per year!!! and it did nothing to help in such cases, the help you get from them is the same help you find on their fora! kinda ridiculous if you ask me.

[jtmadman]

Originally Posted by digitalclips

Is your wireless router the Apple AE? Just wondering since I don't have that problem. If you have the same AE maybe the problems is elsewhere? If it is I assume you tried deleting all settings and starting over and setting it to remember the connection. Hope this helps.

No I'm not using Apple's AE. I use Netgear Rangemax N.

Yes deleted all setting etc, etc, etc.

Works well in wireless G not so well in N.

Thanks for your comments & help.

[kavlo26]

Originally Posted by pmjoe

More details on the graphics issues would be useful. Both of our Mac Pros with Apple displays have been occasionally displaying horizontal lines and/or sparkles ... I hope this fixes it, as I'd hate to have to send them off for repair.

I have got the same issues with my mac mini. I took it to the apple store they told me it was my monitor... Well, I hope it gets fixed because it's not very pretty.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by MacTel

I'd like to see the annoying bug I discovered last night taken care of. Of course it may actually be a feature. I moved photos from my MicroSD to the trash and the memory count on the MicroSD didn't move down one bit. Every time I tried to copy a new file to the MicroSD card it said it was full. I had to empty the trash for the memory on the MicroSD card to free-up. That's just plain retarded for the OS to hold that memory hostage like that. The trash and the flash memory need to part-ways in one of these bug fixes.

That's not a bug. It's normal. Until you empty the trash, the files are going to be kept. That's the way it always works on any media, removable or not. The files aren't really in the trash, only the names of what will be removed.

[robb01]

Cant wait for this update

____________

[paxman]

Originally Posted by jtmadman

With my new Macbook, I hope Apple fixed the problem with Airport in 10.5.6!!!

I'm sick of getting disconnected from my wireless N router....

You and drones of others. Its not just your N router, by the way, include G-routers and also Apple's own routers. iMacs and Laptops are affected. For all intents and purposes many (MANY!) people's Apple experiences are greatly diminished by the fact that their computers cannot stay connected via built in Airport to their routers for more than a minute or two. On the same network Windows machines work, Apples wont. If you are the kind of person who frequents forums like this you can at least figure out that other people have the same problem (you can't fix it, though, it seems) and get some consolation from that, but I wonder how all the people who are not computer literate and bought a Mac because it is 'so much easier' feel.

[paxman]

Originally Posted by Zandros

What? It's only logical that every mounted drive keeps its own trash. To be able to recover the files from the trash, they must still be on the storage device, and not be overwritten. So you don't get your space back until you delete them.

Yes, it was always thus. Same with Windows, ain't it?

[madmaxmedia]

Originally Posted by digitalclips

RE 10.6 64 bit, boy am I glad I waited till I did to buy my Mac Pro, I'd be really pissed off if I didn't get all it offered on such an expensive beast. I pity those who were first to buy Mac Pros. Perhaps the 64 bit support will be coming in 10.6.1 for older Mac Pros? I also wonder if Adobe will quickly release support for it?

The story says that 64-bit support will be extended to older machine as Snow Leopard develop progresses.

[theBigD23]

I don't know how many times I've posted this (and yes, to Apple Feedback), but I'd like to see the screen sharing issue with multiple monitors fixed. This occurs with BTMM and Screen Sharing.

Syncing issues with MobileMe sounds great too.

[Stormchild]

So where are the developer notes? Or has AppleInsider not actually seen them?

Useless story without the actual info, IMO.

[fellaintga]

Originally Posted by bloggerblog

For OSX Server to be taken seriously again, it needs a different maintenance cycle than OSX Workstation. Some of the OSX Leopard Server installations had serious enough problems that they were shelved and the data was migrated to a Windows Server. The most serious and awkward problem was when the Server would not allow the admin to log back in!! Another one was when it corrupted the Users and Groups database, the Users and Groups become irreparable and un-deletable. Unfortunately these weren't isolated issues.

These issues would be on top of any IT's list of nightmares. OS X Server has some fabulous features but Apple needs to provide stability to foundational features such as file sharing, and regular bug fixes to serious issues such as permissions. They also need to treat Server customers differently. Their Server tech support contract is $14,000 per year!!! and it did nothing to help in such cases, the help you get from them is the same help you find on their fora! kinda ridiculous if you ask me.

Its too long to go into here but they are not bugs. We have been running server for over a year and the problems you described are setup ones. To do with how users are created and you have to understand permissions but once you do its pretty solid. Another big help was "Mac OS X 10.5 Server Essentials" series which walks you through setup for the first time if you are unfamiliar.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by Stormchild

So where are the developer notes? Or has AppleInsider not actually seen them?

Useless story without the actual info, IMO.

Not exactly. Developers are under NDA about most of this. It's good we get info on some of it.

[Bregalad]

I don't understand why they don't just hold 10.5.6 until the new hardware ships in January. That way all Macs would be running the same build of the OS instead of the rather idiotic "normal" situation where each new piece of hardware requires its own unique build.

I understand people are waiting for fixes now, but for a lot of people whether they release December 23 or January 6 is irrelevant.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by Bregalad

I don't understand why they don't just hold 10.5.6 until the new hardware ships in January. That way all Macs would be running the same build of the OS instead of the rather idiotic "normal" situation where each new piece of hardware requires its own unique build.

I understand people are waiting for fixes now, but for a lot of people whether they release December 23 or January 6 is irrelevant.

But what you're suggesting works the opposite of what you're saying.

If Apple releases the update before Macworld, then people will gt the chance to update by the time the new machines are out. then, as you want, by that time, most people could be running the same version.

If they wait until the 5th, then that won't happen. Most people will lag the new machines, and people won't all be on the same version at once.

At any rate, it hardly matters, as we're only talking about a week or so.

Besides what does the release date for the update have to due with different machines needing special versions? If that were still true, and from what I know, it's not true anymore, it would still be true.

[Bregalad]

Originally Posted by melgross

Not exactly. Developers are under NDA about most of this. It's good we get info on some of it.

As Mel says, be thankful for what you do get. Those of us with access to the original documents don't post them because (a) it's wrong, (b) we could lose our jobs, (c) Apple could start legal action against us.

[hezekiahb]

Originally Posted by jtmadman

No I'm not using Apple's AE. I use Netgear Rangemax N.

Yes deleted all setting etc, etc, etc.

Works well in wireless G not so well in N.

Thanks for your comments & help.

I got the same router & wireless N has never been stable for me. Wireless N is still in draft, I never should have wasted my money on an N router, especially one that probably won't ever support the expected 600MB/s speeds that are supposed to be possible with the final draft of N.

Read up on N & you'll find that it is fairly common to have issues across different hardware because of manufacturing differences & loose use of the draft specs. You really can't hope for much unless you are using all the same hardware, & even then some companies have screwed up & used different N chips in router vs wifi card only to later find they don't play well together.

[melgross]

We have the same problems with our iPhones. I only have the wireless "N" set up for the iPhones. The rest of the network is GB Ethernet.

The WiFi symbol shows up on the phone, but as soon as you try to use it, it drops to 3G. Can't figure that one out. The phone works on most other networks. I'm assuming it's the router, but, who knows?

[noirdesir]

Originally Posted by MacTel

I'd like to see the annoying bug I discovered last night taken care of. Of course it may actually be a feature. I moved photos from my MicroSD to the trash and the memory count on the MicroSD didn't move down one bit. Every time I tried to copy a new file to the MicroSD card it said it was full. I had to empty the trash for the memory on the MicroSD card to free-up. That's just plain retarded for the OS to hold that memory hostage like that. The trash and the flash memory need to part-ways in one of these bug fixes.

When you mount a memory card and delete an image from it (move it to the trash), what should the computer do:
(A) Delete the file immediately
(B) Copy the file to thrash of your boot drive and delete it from the memory card
(C) Move the file into a trash folder on the memory card

I cannot speak of Windows, but on Macs (C) was the solution at least since System 7 (ca. 1992) but probably already since the original Macintosh.

[Wiggin]

I hope the update speeds up MobileMe syncing! It takes over 5 minutes for mine to sync (and it's only syncing contacts, events, and bookmarks). It seems the little sync icon in the menu bar is always spinning, and checking Activity Monitor shows network data only trickling in at under 10 kbps...slower than dial-up modem speeds 15 years ago!

[JohnnyKrz]

Originally Posted by melgross

We have the same problems with our iPhones. I only have the wireless "N" set up for the iPhones. The rest of the network is GB Ethernet.

The WiFi symbol shows up on the phone, but as soon as you try to use it, it drops to 3G. Can't figure that one out. The phone works on most other networks. I'm assuming it's the router, but, who knows?

As far as I know, the iPhone doesn't support 802.11n. Try 802.11g.

[hillstones]

Originally Posted by MacTel

I'd like to see the annoying bug I discovered last night taken care of. Of course it may actually be a feature. I moved photos from my MicroSD to the trash and the memory count on the MicroSD didn't move down one bit. Every time I tried to copy a new file to the MicroSD card it said it was full. I had to empty the trash for the memory on the MicroSD card to free-up. That's just plain retarded for the OS to hold that memory hostage like that. The trash and the flash memory need to part-ways in one of these bug fixes.

Wow. You're kidding right? As everyone explained to you, that is not a bug, it is the normal operation of moving files to the trash for any disk. Dragging files to the trash does not delete them until you empty the trash. That is the way it works for any computer. That has been a feature since 1990 when System 7 was introduced. (System 6 lost the trash contents whenever the Mac was restarted, shut down, or crashed requiring a restart).

If you want images deleted immediately from your memory card, connect your camera to the Mac, and let iPhoto import the photos and automatically remove them from the card.

[bloggerblog]

Originally Posted by fellaintga

Its too long to go into here but they are not bugs. We have been running server for over a year and the problems you described are setup ones. To do with how users are created and you have to understand permissions but once you do its pretty solid. Another big help was "Mac OS X 10.5 Server Essentials" series which walks you through setup for the first time if you are unfamiliar.

Thank you for the answer fellaintga. I'm actually quite familiar with permissions, been doing servers since '96. I also had the pleasure of installing OSX Servers since v10.1, and I've been installing about one or two every year and still maintain many. But since Leopard Server I now only recommend Ubuntu Server or Windows Server 2003. I had high hopes for 10.5.5, although it repaired a few outstanding issues, it also created other new ones such as slower AFP performance.

Snow Leopard Server will probably be a lot better and more stable, but the experience and lack of timely updates has set Apple back in the IT field. I had doubt, but now it's confirmed, Apple just does not get-it when it comes to their IT customers.

[hillstones]

Originally Posted by paxman

You and drones of others. Its not just your N router, by the way, include G-routers and also Apple's own routers. iMacs and Laptops are affected. For all intents and purposes many (MANY!) people's Apple experiences are greatly diminished by the fact that their computers cannot stay connected via built in Airport to their routers for more than a minute or two. On the same network Windows machines work, Apples wont. If you are the kind of person who frequents forums like this you can at least figure out that other people have the same problem (you can't fix it, though, it seems) and get some consolation from that, but I wonder how all the people who are not computer literate and bought a Mac because it is 'so much easier' feel.

Drones of others??? What are you talking about? Why don't you give some examples of which Macs may be affected. I don't have any problems with my Macs staying connected to my wireless router. I don't think anyone else experiences your alleged problems with a wireless network.

[JasonQ13]

Originally Posted by noirdesir

When you mount a memory card and delete an image from it (move it to the trash), what should the computer do:
(A) Delete the file immediately
(B) Copy the file to thrash of your boot drive and delete it from the memory card
(C) Move the file into a trash folder on the memory card

I cannot speak of Windows, but on Macs (C) was the solution at least since System 7 (ca. 1992) but probably already since the original Macintosh.

Windows does (A) on removable and network drives.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by JohnnyKrz

As far as I know, the iPhone doesn't support 802.11n. Try 802.11g.

It's the fallback mode to the router, so it works that way as well automatically.