Unable to fix Safari 3.2.1 Problems with OnyX

Question

Based upon several forum comments about benefits of using OnyX, I tried to use this application to correct Safari problems. Specifically, Safari crashes often; it stalls while opening additional tabs; it indicates slow scripts in process; and, generally it forgets to save userids and passwords despite preference settings. Our Hawaiian contributor suggests using OnyX for problems like these, so I tried it. These challenges exist: with automation selected and *only one block checked* [maintenance: maintenance scripts], the application stalls out. I've waited as long as 20 minutes with no movement in the progress bar beyond the first third of it or so. Please advise how to set and use OnyX for Mac OS 10.4.11 if that's the problem. If not, please suggest means to correct the Safari problems. Thanks.

Answer 1

Hi again;
re: <maintenance scripts (??)>
There are daily, weekly and monthly maintenance scripts built-in to OSX which automatically run in the middle of the night if you leave you Mac on. Onyx, Cocktail, Applejack, etc. provide easier to use front ends to run those scripts which clean logs, caches, etc.. I think Applejack can probe and clean a bit deeper than the other two, but I'm really not sure. Have only read where it will often fix things that other utilities might not. Can't say that I can make anything of any logs it creates either. Basic test is if your machine runs and feels 'well' after (Safari troubles not withstanding). The point of these are to ensure that your system is kept in good order. I may be wrong, but if you've run Applejack successfully (i.e. it ran all 5 steps and completed in good order) then you most probably don't have to run Onyx. There may be something deeper wrong.
In the Read Me file for Applejack it says:
+Corrupted preference files are moved into a directory that will mirror the original preference directory, with (Corrupt) added to the directory name. For example, corrupt preferences files found in ~/Library/Preferences will be moved to ~/Library/Preferences (Corrupt). After running AppleJack, you'll probably want to take a look at them (and most likely throw out those folders). As of version 1.4.2, AppleJack now creates a copy of the directory tree inside the (Corrupt) folder so that if any files were deeply nested inside the original preference folder, they will be placed in an identical directory hierarchy in the new (Corrupt) folder. This way, if for any reason you would want to move a preference file back, you know where it should go.+
+6. AppleJack has a primitive logging mechanism. It writes a journal of most of its activity to /var/log/AppleJack.log. AppleJack will automatically reset the log the next time you run it, if the file should ever reach a size somewhat over 500k.+
Have your checked to see if there was a (Corrupt) folder created and if so, what bad preferences might have been found?
re: SMART
Newer hard disks have this facility built-in to more or less check hard disk health on a regular basis so as to hopefully identify potential disk problems early before they become a critical issue. Again, I really don't have any idea what it actually does, but it is supposed to be a useful health check, hence useful to do.
re:Safari 4.0
Haven't touched it and as a rule don't fool around with beta's let alone any x.0 software to help keep my system working well. I have read that there is an uninstall option on the beta installer which will remove all of the beta and restore back to 3.2.1. Assume you've done that?
One more thing – Have you tried Safari in a different user account other than your own basic one? I have created a new User via System Preferences->Accounts and call it Test User. I don't alter this account at all from what is created by OSX, so it is 'clean'. When I have something going on that I can't seem to trace it, I test the same situation in the Test User to see if it is there or not. If things are normal there, then the problem is isolated to my own user account somewhere – i.e. I know better where to look. If things are also a problem there, then it is more likely a system-wide problem. That is how I've traced my own Safari problems to something somewhere in my own account. Safari worked just fine in under Test User.
If the same problems exist in a new User (pointing to a wider system problem), and using another browser like Firefox is not an acceptable option, then you may need to do a new re-install of Tiger (Archive & Install) and start with a clean stabile system again.
Hope something helps!