Many users have been experiencing problems with Mail in which the "New Mail" sound does not seem to be working. Mail will appear and the Dock indicators will display the number of new messages, but the alert sounds will not occur. This has even occurred for users with brand new Macs.

One user, catholicon:

"I newly bought the MacBook, and set up with the new notebook, everything was fine except that there is NO NEW MAIL SOUND whenever new mail comes."

This problem is longstanding, and has persisted despite selection of different Mail sounds, creation of new user accounts, and running permissions fixes on the hard drive. Most likely, this problem has to do with the Mail application itself, and a fix will have to come via an update from Apple, but until then there are several things users can try.

Fixes

Change sound file permissions Sound files are located in the various libraries, and should be accessible by the current user account in order to be played. If for some reason the permissions on a sound file have been altered such that the user does not have access, then this will prevent their being played in Mail. By default, sound files in the user folder should have both read and execute permissions for the owner and everyone, and those in the main library folder should be at least readable by everyone. To change the permissions back to their default values, run the following commands in the Terminal, entering the administrator password when prompted.

• sudo chmod uo=rx ~/Library/Sounds/*
• sudo chmod u=rw,go=r /Library/Sounds/*

Second, if the built-in sounds are not functioning, try copying them from the /Macintosh HD/Library/Sounds/ folder over to the /username/Library/Sounds/ folder to see if that allows user accessibility. Note that the Mail application will need to be restarted in order for the moved sounds to register in the program.

Disable "IDLE command" support In addition to ensuring permissions are correctly set on sound files, some users have found that unchecking the "Use IDLE command if Server Supports It" feature that's available for IMAP server types. This option is available in the "Advanced" section for each email account in the "Accounts" preference pane.

Workarounds

Install GrowlMail plug-in The GrowlMail plug-in is a notification application that interfaces Mail. Users have reported that after installing this application, Mail sounds appear to function again.

Create an incoming sound mail rule Create a rule in Mail to play sounds upon receiving new mail. In Mail's preferences, select "Rules" and create a new rule which has the conditions of "Message Type" is "Mail", and the actions of "Play Sound". This should play the sound when new mail arrives, but the drawback is that it might also play the sound when mail is sent; however, this might be tolerable for some users.

Some users have found that their internet passwords are not available in the keychain, which has caused a little confusion, especially since other applications seem to be storing passwords perfectly fine.

Per Apple Discussions poster MsMercury01:

"On my old computer my keychain would save all of my passwords from the internet so if there was one I couldn't remember I'd just click on the keychain icon and look it up. Well my keychain on the new iMac isn't saving any of the website passwords. Just the ones to my instant messengers. I don't know what is different about it now that it won't save those passwords."

The keychain has become a fairly standard password storage system that is accessed by many applications, including many Web browsers. However, it is not mandatory for developers to use the keychain for their applications, and many still choose to use their own password storage methods. This is especially true for applications that are cross-platform, in which it may be easier to develop and stick to one code base for all application versions. In the case of the user quoted above, the problem was that FireFox was the browser being used, and this application is one of those that uses a different password storage routine.

When migrating from old computers, Firefox users should be sure to copy the username and password file over to the new computer. The file is called signons.txt and is an encrypted jumble of text so passwords are not stored in the clear. This file is located in the user library under /username/Library/Application Support/Firefox/*.default/signons.txt (NOTE: The "*" indicates some unique identifier numbers). It is recommended to migrate the whole "Firefox" folder from the "Application Support" directory over to the new computer, but users can also grab just the signons file.

For some users the iCal search function suddenly will not work. While they can enter search information in the search box, the results window shows no items, even though events exist that contain the search query.

Apple Discussions poster cassie229:

"Suddenly, the search function on iCal is not working. The window drops down where the results are to appear, but it is blank...It's never happened before so I have no idea what the problem is."

Some users are able to quit and restart the program to make search function again, but it seems to only work intermittently. For some, however, it works for one search and then results in the blank results window.

This problem has to do with iCal's search indexes not being accessible. The fix for this is to reset the indexes for each calendar by manually deleting them and allowing iCal to regenerate the index.

Fixes

Delete the calendar indexes The calendar indexes are located in the ~/Library/Application Support/iCal/Sources/ folder, where there are a bunch of coded folders, each for an individual calendar. Within each of these folders is the index file to be deleted for that calendar. Users can enter each folder and delete the file, or to do this easily users can run the following command in the terminal to target all the files at once (copy and paste into the terminal).

• rm ~/Library/Application\ Support/iCal/Sources/*/Index

Export the calendars, delete them, and reimport If the first fix does not work, users can reset the problematic calendar by exporting it (File menu --> Export) to a safe temporary location such as the Desktop and then remove the calendar from iCal. Do this for every calendar, and then import them again.

There is an unresolved issue for some iTunes users in which libraries stored in locations other than the default ~/Music folder do not stay that way, and the library path gets reset to the default location in iTunes.

Per Apple Discussions poster Xoedusk:

"I have my iTunes library located on an external drive. Works nicely. But every now and then, the location of the library resets to the default location (~/Music/)...I keep the external drive mounted at all times."

There may be several reasons for the iTunes settings to be reverted back to default values, though it is puzzling that the problem reoccurs at seemingly random times for some users, especially if the iTunes library location is constantly mounted and accessible by the system. Still, users might try the following fixes to see if they help the situation.

Ensure external drives are set up properly Unless the external drive is going to be used with multiple operating systems, it is recommended to keep the volume formatted as Mac OS Extended. Many drives ship formatted as "FAT32" for cross-platform compatibility, but some users have experienced I/O problems with FAT32 in OS X.

Reset the iTunes preferences Locate the iTunes preferences file (named com.apple.iTunes.plist) in the users/username/Library/Preferences/ folder, and remove it from the preferences folder. Then open iTunes again and change the default library location. If a preferences file corruption is causing a reset of the settings, then this should fix it.

Fully reset the iTunes library In addition to removing the iTunes preferences file itself, users might reset their iTunes libraries by leaving any old library files in the default location and then dragging only the contents of the "iTunes Music" folder into the iTunes window to import them all to the new desired location (do this once the desired library location has been set in the iTunes preferences). This may take time for users with large libraries, but may help ensure that all library-related items point to the proper locations.

Internet connectivity via a number of methods (AirCards, cable modems, DSL, etc.) is broken for many users who have applied Security Update 2008-005. Some sample reports:

1. "I discovered some time after installing the update that I intermittently had problems accessing the Internet using Safari. I could access our in-house server for email stored there, but I could not access any web page on the Internet. Our IT person adjusted my computer to use the proxy access, but that allowed access to the Internet but did not allow access to my secure bank site (https)."
2. "After installing the Security Update 2005-008 my Macbook Pro stopped
3. recognizing my Sprint Novatel EX720 express card. I tried a workaround by
4. "I still have connection problems that seem to resolve themselves in an hour or so. There is nothing wrong on either side of the router and now I can only think it was the 'update'."

The most promising fix for this issue involves adding DNS servers, such as those from OpenDNS, to Mac OS X's repertoire. Open System Preferences and click "Network." Select "Built In Ethernet" and click Advanced. Select the DNS tab and add:

• 208.67.222.222
• 208.67.220.220

to the DNS server list. If you currently have DNS entries, note them and keep them in a separate location but replace them with the aforementioned.

Previous coverage:

• Security Update 2008-005 (#3): Safari crashes; Apps will not launch; Update fails; more
• Security Update 2008-005 (#2): Cannot startup; system issues (cannot drag and drop, etc.); more
• Security Update 2008-005 released, closes DNS hole

Several users have experienced problems with Safari not launching. For affected users, the program seems to run perfectly fine and then suddenly stops. There doesn't seem to be any specific cause for the problem, but once it occurs the program just hangs if it's opened.

Apple Dicussions postermbp233 writes:

"Suddenly Safari can't launch. (I'm using Firefox now) What can I do to make Safari responsive again? "

This problem persists despite users running permissions fixes and trashing Safari's preferences file, and even when users have reinstalled the program itself; however, the program does launch if users log into another user account. Users should not be expected to migrate to another account to fix this problem, but this does indicate the problem is with some resources that Safari accesses in the user's Library folder, and users should be able to troubleshoot the Library's contents.

Some affected users have found this problem to be with history items such as caches and history preferences, but it could also be with other internet resources such as cookies and plug-ins. Unfortunately users cannot use Safari's "Reset Safari" feature since the program will not load to access it. Perhaps Apple should supply this as a separate utility, but for now users must perform similar tasks manually if they're affected by this problem.

NOTE: It is always recommended that you keep another browser installed on the system as a backup in case there are problems with the user's primary browser. Alternate browsers include: Firefox, Camino, Opera, iCab, SeaMonkey, and OmniWeb.

Fixes

Remove history- and session-related preference files Go to the users/username/Library/Safari/ folder and remove the following two files:

If these two files are corrupted or otherwise inaccessible by Safari, then the program may not load properly, resulting in the behavior experienced by users.

Reset Safari history caches Remove the Safari Cache by navigating to the following folder in the Finder: /username/Library/Caches/Metadata/Safari/History/ and remove the contents of the folder. This folder just contains webhistory files and nothing is required for Safari to run. However, similar to preference files, if any of these files are corrupted, when Safari loads and accesses the file it will create problems.

Remove cookies Locate the cookies.plist file that's located in the users/username/Library/Cookies/ folder and remove it. If any faults in stored cookies are interfering with Safari's launch, then this could lead to problems at launch.

Internet Plug-ins If users have any third-party internet plug-ins installed (flash, adobe reader, etc), they should try removing them. User plugins are located in the /username/Library/Internet Plug-Ins/ folder and should be removed for troubleshooting first. Global plug-ins are located in the /Macintosh HD/Library/Internet Plug-ins/ folder, and should be removed next if nothing else has worked.

Some users are experiencing an issue in which iChat refuses to connect when attempting to video chat with other users, and the program generates the message "Error 8".

Per Apple Discussions poster Wejebe: "I have been having this issue for a long time with iChat. 90% of the time I can't connect with video due to "error 8". It happens when I am using my AIM or mac account."

For some users this has happened after installing networking software such as third-party FTP clients, but for others the cause does not seem so apparent. This problem has affected iChat users for a long time, and seems to be a result of improper networking connections with local FireWall settings.

Fixes

Ensure routers are set up properly As with most networking software packages, iChat requires specific network ports to be opened for proper communication. If users have administrative access to their routers, they should be able to ensure the proper ports are open and forwarded to their computers. The steps for changing ports on routers depends on the make and model of router, and users should consult their router's documentation for instructions. Specific ports to have open are listed in this Apple support document.

Troubleshoot system firewall Ensure the system Firewall is not interfering with iChat by going to the "Security" system preferences and selecting the option to "allow all incoming connections" to turn off the Firewall. Then attempt reconnecting with iChat to see if the problem is cleared. If so, troubleshoot the various FireWall settings by adding or removing iChat from the list of applications under "Set access for specific services and applications", additionally try removing all applications except for iChat.

Uninstall recently installed third-party networking software For some users these connectivity problems started after the installation of third-party networking software. In this case the users should uninstall the software and retry the iChat connection. Users may have to restart the computer for changes to take effect.

Troubleshoot with a new account Create a new user account and see if the problem still persists for iChat in that account. This may particularly help for users who've experienced this problem after installing other software, since it will bypass any problems from files in the user home directory. If iChat works in the new account, then users can try pinpointing files in their original user library folder that may be associated with the problem. The specific files and folders will differ depending on the situation, but users might check for and remove files from recently installed applications located in the "Application Support" and "Preferences" folders.

Perform standard system maintenance and application troubleshooting Users might also try removing their iChat preferences file and restarting the program, as well as running permissions fixes on the main boot drive. Removing the preferences file will require users to re-enter iChat account information, but may help pinpoint the problem to a faulty setting or corrupt preferences file itself. The file is located in the /username/Library/Preferences/ folder and is called "com.apple.iChat.plist". Lastly, users might also try resetting the computer's PRAM by rebooting and holding the "options", "command", "P", and "R" keys all at once until the computer chimes and then resets and chimes again.

iSync users who keep their contacts and calendars synchronized between their computers and mobile phones may run into a problem where iCal no longer syncs properly, and instead gives an error indicating the lack of an available and ready calendar.

As described by Apple Discussions poster 2ns:

"Recently I noticed the calendar entries on iCal no longer syncs with that of my mobile phone. When I clicked on the icon of my mobile phone in iSync, the check box for the "calendars" is not checked, but whenever I click on the check box the following message appears: "No writable calendar was found: Before you can synchronize your calendars, you need to open a calendar application that supports synchronization and create at least one writable calendar."

This problem does not seem to be related to the phone, since it has occurred for users of various makes and models of phone, including the Nokia N93i and Sony Erricson K800i. As such, users have focused troubleshooting efforts on the iSync application and found that resetting the sync folder seems to be the solution.

Fix: Reset the sync folder Open the iSync application and go to it's preferences. Then click the "Reset Sync History" button at the bottom in the "Advanced" section and confirm the reset action in the popup window. Then select the mobile device again in the iSync application, enable the features that were not syncing properly, and try another sync. If the problem still persists, do a manual reset of the sync folder by opening the Terminal application and entering the following command.

• /System/Library/Frameworks/SyncServices.framework/Versions/A/Resources/resetsync.pl full

When the command completes, follow the same steps above to re-enable syncing on the device and attempt again. Users may be tempted to manually remove their SyncServices folder (located in /username/Library/Application Support/) to fully reset their synchronization, and while this may work it should be used as a last resort. Apple claims doing this can result in duplicate entries for sync information, or loss of sync information. If users attempt this, it is highly recommended they back up their contacts and calendars first. This can be done in iCal and Address Book by selecting the desired information and then exporting (in the File menu) the contents to a safe location.

Users continue to report issues with installing Office 2008 12.1.2. MacFixIt reader David Badovinac has discovered a somewhat kludgy fix, as follows:

1. Download the standalone Office 2008 12.1.2 updater
2. Mount the disk image then control-click the updater file and select "Show Package Contents"
3. Navigate to Contents -> Resources
4. Open the script "package_updatable" with TextEdit or another plain text editor.
5. Remove these lines:
   • if not found_valid_version:
   • sys.exit(48)
6. Save the file then close it and reattempt the update.

We've also discovered that if users have stripped the Microsoft Office universal binaries of their PowerPC code with a tool like Monolingual, the 12.1.2 update may not install. In this situation, users need to reinstall the Office suite from original media then reattempt the update.

Word bugs Meanwhile, some users are reporting random, minor bugs in Word 2008 after the update. One reader writes:

"Since applying the new update to Office 2008, Word will no longer count words correctly when you check the 'Include footnotes and endnotes' option."

Previous coverage:

• Office 2008 12.1.2, Office 2004 11.5.1 released; problems installing

Entourage users who have decided to not use the program anymore have found that the iCal calendar the Entourage created keeps reappearing. This calendar is continually added to the calendar list despite explicit deletion.

Apple Discussions poster pemarsh writes:

"Today I deleted Entourage, and will use iCal instead. Why does 'Entourage' keep popping up though under my list of calendars. I have deleted this calendar in iCal by right clicking on it, and deleting it. It keeps popping up."

Users affected by this problem appear to have deleted the Entourage program. Upon trying to reinstall the program in an attempt to disable the calendar, users receive error messages claiming that the previous identity could not be used.

Fix: Remove Entourage's preferences Removing the Entourage preference file seems to represent a fix for most users facing this problem. The files are located in the /username/Library/Preferences/ folder and are labeled as follows:

• com.microsoft.entourage.syncservices.plist
• com.microsoft.entourage.database_daemon.plist
• com.microsoft.entourage.office_reminders.plist

In addition, the following files located in the /username/Library/Preferences/Microsoft/Office 2008/ folder might also need to be removed.

• OfficeSync Prefs
• Microsoft Office 2008 Settings.plist

restart the computer to ensure the Entourage calendar data does not load.