Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2005 12:18 pm Post subject: Need to force reboot after installation
On Panther, I have been noticing a common problem. After installing a Neo/J patch, some users experience weird behavior, crashing, or hanging in Neo/J until they reboot their machine.
I know the reason for this. Mac OS X keeps using cached copies of the Java classes and/or binaries instead of loading the update files installed by the patch.
I have tried numerous ways to force Mac OS X to refresh its caches. However, even with "Patch-6", several users are experiencing the same caching problems.
The solution that will definitely solve this problem is to make the patch installer force a reboot of the machine and the end of the installation like most Mac OS X updates do.
I know that many users won't like this so I thought that I would post this in the hopes that one of two things will happen:
1. Many of you will tell me that I am worrying too much and forcing a reboot isn't a big deal
- or -
2. Someone will know the magical steps for forcing Mac OS X to update its cached Java 1.3.1 classes and binary files.
If #2 doesn't happen, I will have to add rebooting to the next patch installer.
Joined: May 31, 2003 Posts: 219 Location: French Alps
Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2005 3:51 pm Post subject:
There is a long time I didn't experienced such cache issue, so I wonder if this caching only occurs when there is at least one other Java application running?
If you able verify this conjecture, it could be a more comfortable method (for user) to only force termination on other running apps (as do some installers), except for well known non-java (Finder, etc...).
You may be right, but the problem is that most applications that use Java are web browser that, like Neo/J, load Java like a plug-in. So, I can't use an process listings to identify Java processes.
The nice thing about a forced reboot is that the Mac OS X installer tool does not reboot until you press the "Restart" button at the end of the installer so that users have a chance to close their applications.
Also, early in the installation, the installer tool warns the user that a restart will be required and gives the user the option to cancel the install.
One other possible cause of the problem may be that some users are running the patch installer while Neo/J is running.
This doesn't seem likely to me but maybe some people do this. Is there anyone who has run the patch installer while NeoOffice/J is running? If so, have you noticed any problems running Neo/J after the patch installation?
If this is the cause of the problem, I can easily prevent the patch installer from proceeding if any "soffice.bin" processes are running.
There is possibly a third solution, a social-engineering one. Namely we put up a big page on entry to bugzilla that lists all the things we want people to do before submitting a bug:
1) Install the latest patch (link to patch.php)
2) Reboot
3) Fresh profile
4) Search Bugzilla
Plus some "good bugzilla/bugwriting practices" (e.g. attach a crash log, problematic document, etc.) instructions.
We've mentioned this idea (with steps 1, 4 and maybe 3) before--and I think regardless of whether it will satisfactorily solve the current issue, we do need to try and work on a "new front page" for Bugzilla to cut down on some of the duplicates and number of times Patrick has to ask "did you install the latest patch, do you have a crash-log, can you attach the problem doc"....
FWIW, I almost never reboot and have never had any of these problems (I did reboot when testing the testpatches for the EPS printing code just to make sure)....
Smokey _________________ "[...] whether the duck drinks hot chocolate or coffee is irrelevant." -- ovvldc and sardisson in the NeoWiki
I reboot but I have still problems with last patch. I got rainbow ball spinning and I'm forced to quit. Actually this happen:
(yesterday, before the reboot)
- opening a document
- switching from another application to open office
(today, after the reboot)
- waking uo powerbook from sleep
So I think there are some other problems with patch 65, not only reboot.
i think that running the patch installer while neo/j is open is probably more common than you think.
here's why-
MOST people don't learn about patches here, they learn about them when they start up Neo and it goes to the patch page. so they have started to work on something, start the download... see where this is going?
Joined: Sep 18, 2003 Posts: 434 Location: London, UK
Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 6:45 am Post subject:
Just a quick question - is it necessary to reboot or can you simply logout then back in to achieve the same effect? _________________ PBG4, 1.5GHz, SuperDrive, 1GB RAM, 128MB VRAM, 5400rpm 80GB HD, MacOS X 10.4.5
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