SuperDuper Save Me -- What Now?

[Pujoe1]

SuperDuper saved me this week. My MacBook Pro got so screwed up that it wouldn't boot. My nightly smart update on my connected firewire drive saved me. I was able to copy back to my MBP and got up and running again. Wonderful!

Ahh. Not so fast. I got back up, but there's something in my system that's not quite right. I can't get Parallels Desktop to update. Every attempt to open a parallels desktop image file crashes the Finder. Not good. I do the usual disk repair and permissions repair and all is well. So is the report from TechTools Pro 4. Still, something is not right. I figure I need to reinstall OS X.

My thought is a completely clean install on my MBP and use my clone drive to copy my old files and reinstalling everything. What is keeping me from starting is the looming hassle of reinstalling all my old software. I've done a fair job of keeping all the serial numbers and images, etc., but far from perfect.

What I'd like to know are any lessons learned from similar experiences you may have had. Am I taking the right path? Are there other diagnostic tools that would tell me why I can't open a Parallels Image without crashing Finder?

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Bob

[dnanian]

Have you tried uninstalling and reinstalling Parallels?

[Pujoe1]

Yes. I completely uninstalled Parallels and then tried to reinstall. That's where the problem comes in. Every attempt to open a Paralells Desktop ver 3 image file (I have several starting with the initial build up to and including the latest) results in a Finder crash. Thus, I can't reinstall.

Bob

[dnanian]

Ah, you mean the disk image file, not a Parallels image (meaning its disk storage).

OK. Let's try using Cocktail or Onyx to rebuild your prebindings...

[Pujoe1]

That's right, the Parallels Install Disk Image is the problem. The virtual machine image is fine.

I have Cocktail, but I'm not familiar with prebindings. I did a quick Google Search and found a terminal command:

sudo update_prebinding

Or do I just run all the scripts in Cocktail?

Bob

[dnanian]

You can update prebindings in Terminal, too, if you'd like (although you need to specify more than that -- namely

sudo update_prebinding -root / -force

[Pujoe1]

No luck. After I read your message about prebinding, I restarted my MBP and opened terminal. Then I ran sudo update_prebinding -root / -force. It took a couple of minutes, but it completed fine. I then restarted my machine again. After getting up and running again, I attempted to open the latest Parallels Desktop (Build 5608) Disk Image and the Finder crashed again.

Crash Reported said:
Process: Finder [303]
Path: /System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/MacOS/Finder
Identifier: com.apple.finder
Version: 10.5.4 (10.5.4)
Build Info: Finder_FE-6071700~11
Code Type: X86 (Native)
Parent Process: launchd [87]

Date/Time: 2008-06-13 12:11:57.062 -0500
OS Version: Mac OS X 10.5.3 (9D34)
Report Version: 6

Exception Type: EXC_BAD_ACCESS (SIGSEGV)
Exception Codes: KERN_INVALID_ADDRESS at 0x0000000099a9e5f7
Crashed Thread: 0
...

Any other suggestions?

Thanks,
Bob

[dnanian]

I really don't know what this might be, Bob. I'd do an archive-and-install.

[Pujoe1]

I have some good news. I decided to see of my problem with Finder crashes was user-specific. I logged out and logged back in with another account I have on my MBP. I opened the Parallels install image file fully expecting another crash, but it worked fine. Great. That isolated my problem. I then knew I had a user-specific problem.

I started the usual trouble shooting by dragging the preferences file of my original login to the desktop and restarting. No change. Still got the crash. I decided to stop there and trouble shoot another day.

The good news is that I now have Parallels reinstalled and running fine. I had to do it with my other account login, but that's okay. I still have my original problem, but I have time to sort it out.

The bad news is that with some of the hacking and terminal commands I've been issuing, I seem to have lost my USB external drive. The system no longer recognizes it. That's where I point Time Machine, so I need to get it back up soon. I use my Firewire drive for SuperDuper smart backups.

I'm off for more research and trouble shooting. And to think, I left the PC for the Mac about 18 months ago to avoid spending time just trying to make it work.

Thanks for all the help. None of this would have been possible if I hadn't used SuperDuper to keep that bootable backpup handy.

Bob

[dnanian]

Interesting baby steps, Bob... wonder what you have installed locally that's preventing the image mount and causing a Finder crash?

[Pujoe1]

I have no idea what I might have installed locally that is causing the Finder crash. I'm almost afraid to try and find out, although chances are if I don't, the problem will manifest itself in another way.

I do have better news. I completely powered down and disconnected all cables to by USB drive and then tried again. MBP recognized it right away, so I'm making progress.

Thanks again for the suggestions.

Bob

[jchiar]

Originally Posted by Pujoe1

I have some good news. I decided to see of my problem with Finder crashes was user-specific. I logged out and logged back in with another account I have on my MBP. I opened the Parallels install image file fully expecting another crash, but it worked fine. Great. That isolated my problem. I then knew I had a user-specific problem.

I started the usual trouble shooting by dragging the preferences file of my original login to the desktop and restarting. No change. Still got the crash. I decided to stop there and trouble shoot another day.

The good news is that I now have Parallels reinstalled and running fine. I had to do it with my other account login, but that's okay. I still have my original problem, but I have time to sort it out.

The bad news is that with some of the hacking and terminal commands I've been issuing, I seem to have lost my USB external drive. The system no longer recognizes it. That's where I point Time Machine, so I need to get it back up soon. I use my Firewire drive for SuperDuper smart backups.

I'm off for more research and trouble shooting. And to think, I left the PC for the Mac about 18 months ago to avoid spending time just trying to make it work.

Thanks for all the help. None of this would have been possible if I hadn't used SuperDuper to keep that bootable backpup handy.

Bob

If finder is crashing, try removing contextual menu items.
I recall and old issue with 'stuff it " crashed finder. There was a patch for it.