AppleJack:Troubleshooting Tool for Macs / News: Recent posts

After a long wait, a Leopard compatible version of AppleJack has just been released.

This release ends support for Jaguar and Panther versions of Mac OS X. Users of those operating systems, should stick with the 1.4.3.x maintenance branch.

The latest version of AppleJack (v 1.4.3--released 2006.11.13) is Intel compatible. In addition it bakes in a number of code improvements, expands the scope of AppleJack's cache cleaning, and offers a whole new "expert" menu for more advanced troubleshooting efforts.

Over the last few days, I have received enough money to cover the purchase of an Intel Mac, and I have placed an order for one. Hopefully we can get AppleJack on its way towards full Intel compatibility soon. Thanks for all your donations and support.

I am quietly releasing version 1.4.2 of AppleJack this weekend. Next week I'll post the update to Macupdate and Versiontracker.

This version features the following fixes and feature improvements:
Recent Changes

1.4.2 +[Feature request 1214481]: When corrupt preference files are moved into the Preferences (Corrupt) folder they are now given the same path (directory structure) that they had in the Preferences folder, so a user can see where the files existed before being moved.

- [Bug fix 1025554]: Added an alias test to the preference file validator, so it will not identify aliases with .plist extensions as corrupt. (This had been a problem, for example, with BBEdit's "Recent Items" aliases. 
- AppleJack now correctly handles cases where a requested preference directory does not exist.
- [Bug fix 1214475]: Removed .xml files from the preference file check routine, except in the /var/db/SystemConfiguration directory (applies to 10.2 only).
+ Added checking of root preferences (/var/root/Library/Preferences).
+ Improved handling of background processes, but still a long way to go to get the interface perfectly clean.
+ In the virtual memory cleanup, added an option (in manual mode only) for users to delete their safe sleep image. (10.4.x only.) This will probably be rolled into a separate function in an upcoming release.
+ In the virtual memory cleanup of the application, added removal of working sets (in app_profile) to the virtual memory cleanup routines. (10.4.x only.)
+ Improved the user directory listing. It grab directories from NetInfo instead of from just doing an `ls` on the User directory. This might yield extraneous entries (especially entries for system daemons etc.), but is cleaner than guessing at different end-users' folder structure.
+ Improved the handling of the built-in commands to always use the ones in the /bin or /usr/bin directory, if available. This should help alleviate problems due to user-installed custom commands by the same name as well as custom aliases to those commands.
+ If startup options are incorrectly entered, AppleJack now reports back correct usage rather than just ignoring the startup options (Thanks Charly).
+ Standardized exit codes to conform to ideas in /usr/include/sysexits.h

Recent Changes

1.4.1 - fixed deep cache cleaning under Tiger to respect the new cache file names for launch services and user icons.

+ improved the disk repair routine messaging, and implemented a limit for how many times disk repair is repeated on an irreparably damaged disk in auto mode.
+ expanded some of the preference file checking to include .xml file extensions as well as the old (deprecated, but still in use) /var/db/SystemConfiguration directory.
- removed 'SystemStarter start Disks' from the setup sequence of AppleJack for people running Tiger. Evidently, it's not necessary anymore.... [read more](/p/applejack/news/2005/05/applejack-v-141-features-bug-fixes-improvements/)

Once again, a major OS rev has broken permissions repair. All other functions of AppleJack appear to be fine. Permissions repair, however, hangs.

xlr8yourmac.com has compiled a list of user experiences with AppleJack which might help you evaluate its usefulness to you. Thanks guys! http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/feedback/applejack_feedback.html

AppleJack 1.3.2 fixes a serious bug associated with File Vault use that could wipe large sections of a user's hard drive. In addition, AppleJack has been retooled to operate much more securely while doing file deletions. An added feature in this release is an automatic check for the /tmp directory (often implicated in boot problems). If the /tmp directory is not found, it is recreated (symlink to /private/var/tmp). Enjoy.

In response to a couple reported bugs, I have created a new release of AppleJack, v. 1.3.1.1. It fixes a bug in the disk repair routine that broke the execution of the script, as well as a bug in the installer where the man page was installed in a location from which the man page could not be found.

This version finally sports a real installer, improvements in the user interface and interactivity, an expansion of cache file locations cleaned, as well as a more thorough preference file validation scheme. It also leaves the LaunchServices preferences intact by default, so you don't have to reinitialize all your "okay to open with application X" preferences after running it. This will likely be the last release before Tiger (which I'm sure will break AppleJack again.) The next release (1.4) will feature an advanced menu for some more tricky troubleshooting tasks.

This release fixes the long-problematic issues with diskutil hanging when run on systems with 10.3.x installed. Permissions can now be fixed in single user mode regardless of OS.

Also, I've added two important new features: 1) A utility for verifying .plist files (both system level and user level), and 2) a primitive logging tool, to keep a record of what AppleJack is up to. Please see the ReadMe for full details.... read more

Please sign my petition to get Apple to fix Panther's diskutil at http://www.petitiononline.com/diskutil/petition.html

Version 1.2.2.1 of AppleJack disables the permissions repair function for Mac OS X systems version 10.3.x. This is due to a lingering bug in Apple's diskutil under these systems. Disabling this feature allows users of these systems to be able to use AppleJack for its other features in auto pilot mode. Apple has acknowledged the bug; let's hope we get a fix for it soon.

I received the following in my in box today. This is the first ackowledgement I've received from Apple regarding this problem. I'm hoping it's indicative of a desire to actually fix it--thereby allowing AppleJack development to go forward. Here is their statement:

Re: diskutil no longer functional in single user mode (was functional in Jaguar)

Hello,

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. This is a known issue and is currently being investigated by engineering.... read more

AppleJack 1.2 is officially not compatible with Panther. I have just installed Panther on my development machine and will hopefully have an updated version (1.3) by November 15. Thank you for your patience.

If you feel AppleJack is worth support and encouragement, you can lend a supportive hand via The Apotek's donation page at http://theapotek.com/teknotes/donate.php. Your support goes a long way in motivating me to continue to develop and improve AppleJack.

This version includes an installer, allows for swap file deletions on volumes other than the startup volume, and improves the depth of the cache cleanup. Updating to 1.2 is highly recommended.