Repair Disk Permissions utility stalled - I have read the knowledge base

Question

I have researched the knowledge base and search for posts on this and cannot find answer: Running 10.4 at the latest version. used the original install 1 disc I received with Tiger to repair disc permissions (like Apple support has told me to do in the past, but my current research said I do not need to do this unless certain parameters are met, and none of the parameters applied, but oh well, I am here anyway). Cold Boot from the original install disc 1 and slected the start up disk I use (I only have one start up disc/drive). Did a repair disc permissions and got a long running routine that reporting a lot of fixes, then the utility has stalled -- no progress on the progress bar. I "stopped" the process using the "stop repair" button (three times). The log reflected the utility stopped, but the progress bar still is blue and not moving (for a couple of hours). When I go to quity File >Disk Utility, it warns me that Disk Utility is running and this may make my system unstable/unsuable.
QUESTION: CAN I JUST QUIT DISK UTILITY AND NOT HAVE ANY ADVERSE AFFECT ON MY IMAC DRIVE?

Answer 1

Thanks for your advice, I still have an issue:
-after the first repair disk permission "stalled" process, I exited Disk Utility and cold booted the machine after I had disconnected all external devices other than the original iMac keyboard
-obtained the combo patch for 10.4.7 from the Apple download site (it had already been installed but I reinstalled per your advice)
-re-applied the combo patch and then did another cold boot
-ran Disk Utility from the original Tiger install #1 disk, and then selected "repair disk permissions" for my start up disk (I only have one)
- process ran for 10 minutes or so then gave the following error message: "Disk Utility Error: Disk Utility has lost its connection with disk utility management tool and cannot continue. Please quit disk utility and re-launch disk utility"
- I pushed the "stop disk permission repair" button, then quit disk utility, then cold booted the machine again.
-re-applied combo patch as above, then cold booted the machine
-ran disk utility from the original iMac install #1 disk, ran "repair disk permissions", and then received the same error message as above.
- I then just quit Disk Utility and cold booted the machine again and went about my business. There does not seem to be any problem with the machine (was not before, but I ran repair permissions thinkging this was a routine maintenance taks that should be run)
- in my prior search of the knowledge base, I found the following information about repair disk permissions:
Location: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=607495&#607495
How often should I Repair Permissions?
You do not need to Repair Permissions on a regular basis.
There are only three occasions you need to do this:
1. When you have just installed something that required you to run an Installer, rather than just copying some software to a folder. This should be done for both Apple and non-Apple software.
2. When you have been working on your OS X files or folders while booted from OS 9, or remotely connected via a non-OS X machine, since OS 9 and other systems do not handle OS X's permissions correctly.
3. The other case is if your system is behaving strangely, when you should run Disk Repair from your CD followed by Repair Permissions. This is just to eliminate these things before going on to further trouble-shooting.
Otherwise you can happily forget about Permissions!"
So, it would appear I do not need to do anything else; the machine seems to be working properly. Is there anything else I need to do? thanks for the help! Bob