HowTo: Get PowerPC apps working again (on Intel mac)

This tutorial* explains a method that helped me get my PowerPC apps running again after they have started crashing immediately at launch (I am running the latest Leopard upgrade Mac OS X 10.5.2). I thought I’d share it with you to save you from all the trouble I went through lately.

Symptom:

You are on an Intel Mac. PowerPC (that means non-native) apps are always crashing immediately when you try to open one.

Before you proceed, you might want to have a look at the log file of the specific app after the crash. In the crash dialog, click on Report… and then on Problem details above to see what was put into the file. If you see a process called translated you have good chances to get it working again with my method.

If there is nothing like “translated”, please scroll down and try a simpler method from Apple’s support website first (although that didn’t solve my problem).

Solution:

The problem lies behind the Rosetta application, more precisely, a process called translated. This process is also a file in the system responsible for PowerPC apps to run properly. Somehow, this file must have gotten corrupted. But don’t ask me how, I am not an expert. 

1st step: Look for your Leopard Installation DVD (the disc that was delivered with your Mac or the one you bought in-store for upgrade).

2nd step: First finish your work and save it. Then restart your computer. Now put the DVD into the computer.

3rd step: Now, in Finder, click on Go to… and then Go to folder… In the new window type in (case sensitive!): 

/Volumes/[OS X disk image name]/usr/libexec/oah/

where OS X disk name stands for the name of the DVD you’ve just inserted (you can see its name on the desktop). Now you should see two files. One should be a folder with the name Shims and the other one our wanted file translate. Now copy ONLY the translate file.

4th step: Open again the Go to folder… dialog. Now type in:

 /usr/libexec/oah/

Again, you should be able to see the folder and the file translate. Before you paste the copied file here and replace the other file you may want to backup the existing translate file from here. Do this first if you want to play it safe! (Maybe you have to type in your user password once; this is nothing special for important system files as these)

5th step: Now close all open windows and do not touch any files in the system anymore! Afterwards, restart your computer.

Now everything should be working again as usual. Congrats!

CRASHING OFFICE APPS (PARTIAL SOLUTION): Visit the following Apple support page to see another solution for crashing PPC apps (especially Microsoft Office) but with a different cause: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303677 

Additional advice: Please see comments below!

If everything suggested didn’t work, search Google or Apple discussions.

*Please note: You take full responsibility for your actions on your computer. I can never be held responsible for any damages caused by my tutorials. Errors excepted!

Apple, please fix my screen flicker, finally!

Actually it’s quite a while ago when the screen flicker problems in all sorts of MacBooks first appeared on blogs and discussion forums around the internet. In the meantime, I have switched to Leopard and I innerly hoped that the software update would fix the problem. But, oh no, nothing happened. The flicker doesn’t even think to stop and I’m now asking: Why isn’t it possible for Apple to make an official statement? Is it because all the repairs would get too expensive or is it because they couldn’t figure out what the problem actually is?

I mean is it so difficult to admit hard- or software (who knows?) defects and to help people getting their computers fixed, I just don’t know. I really can’t understand why they can release all kinds of software updates like Pro Application Support (nothing against Pro people) when they are not even able to fix a common problem of which many people would be very happy to have it fixed in a way. I just want to say: I can’t understand Apple at the moment. I’m such a big Apple enthusiast and I’m really into all those products that they create but on the other side I cannot understand why they don’t really care to get everything done properly. The MacBook is in my opinion the best laptop on the market speaking of design and software but why is it then possible that a key on my built-in keyboard is not attached properly when the computer arrives, why is it possible that, after just one year (also end of warranty) the screen starts to flicker?
I can’t give you an answer and, believe me, I’d preferably write about something positive for Apple (which I’ll maybe do soon) but I am disappointed with how Apple treats its “fan” clients such in a bad way when they could do so much more.

I’d be interested what other people have done until now to fix it or how they were treated by the customer service…