Images in browsers all screwed up

Question

Since installing the 2008-005 OS X security update last week (via System Preferences Software Update), periodic images in my web browsers (Safari and Firefox) are all messed up (color streaks, pixellation, etc.). When a page with a messed up image is refreshed, the messed up photos usually get messed up in a different way. Sometimes they are fine. When I download a messed up image, it's saved messed up. It seems quite random and happens to JPEG, GIF, as well as an occasional video. I have Virtual PC installed on my computer as well and Internet Explorer and Firefox display images fine when running Windows XP. This problem only seems to occur in web browsers. Images outside of Safari and Firefox for the Mac look fine. And it's only some images in the browsers. Ideas?

Answer 1

HI kit,
Hopefully this is an easy fix. First, when using browsers, their caches need to be emptied and their preference files can become corrupted.
Launch Safari. From the Menu click Safari/Empty Cache. Same with Firefox.
Now, close all browsers. Locate these files: com.apple.safari.plist and com.mozilla.plist <-- that last file name maybe not be exact but I'm close.
They are located here; /Users/YourName/Library/Preferences: Open the Preferences folder, locate those files, drag those files to the Trash and reboot. It's ok to trash pref files as your Mac will create new ones.
Also, if you haven't got one a good disk utility that can clean out old cache files for you... Onyx is great, it's free and available here for Tiger: http://www.titanium.free.fr/pgs2/english/onyx_tiger.html Download and install Onyx. Use the Maintenance and Cleaning scripts once a week to help keep your Mac happy.
Carolyn