Auto-updater problem if Office not on boot partition

[volfreak]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: intel

I prefer to have my applications installed on a different volume than my boot partition. Office won't let me choose a different folder/partition during the installation. But, once it's installed, I can move it to my "apps" partition and it runs fine.

However, the auto-update just launched and, I guess, because the applications are not on the boot partition, the update just hangs when it gets to the "Destination Select" step. It never enables any of the partitions (volumes) on my computer. All have the red indicator with the exclamation mark that means I can't install it. So the Auto-updater doesn't actually find the applications on my apps volume.

Here's the errors I get:
Select the "Boot" volume - You can't install the update as there are no applications installed.

Select the "Apps" volume - You can't install because "this update requires Mac OS X version 10.4.9 or later". I'm running 10.5.2. It appears the updater can't figure out the OS if the apps are not on the boot partition.

Is this the expected behavior or is something else up? Also, if the apps must reside on the boot partition for the auto updater to work, is there a way to get updates applied besides copying my apps to the boot partition, applying the update and then copying them back to where I really want them to reside? Can I do a manual update somehow?

 

[Diane Ross]

Is this the expected behavior or is something else up? Also, if the apps must
reside on the boot partition for the auto updater to work, is there a way to
get updates applied besides copying my apps to the boot partition, applying
the update and then copying them back to where I really want them to reside?
Can I do a manual update somehow?

This is part of the changes now that the Office installer is using the Apple
package installer.

You will have to move it back for each update. What do you do with your
Apple installed applications? Does the updater find them on your
applications partition?

This "requirement" of installing on the boot partition is mentioned in
several of the blog articles on the Entourage Help Blog.

<http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/>

 

[volfreak]

Thanks Diane - that's what I was afraid of.

I don't change the location of the Apple apps that are in /&lt;boot&gt;/Applications. However, non-Apple apps, I try and keep on a separate partition.

Jay

 

[Diane Ross]

I don't change the location of the Apple apps that are in
/&lt;boot&gt;/Applications. However, non-Apple apps, I try and keep on a
separate partition.

You might like SuperDuper's sandbox feature.

We've discussed using SuperDuper!(backup software) before, but this is an
excellent time to remind users about a feature it has that protects you from
system updates that so bad. If you select to copy your third party
applications, it gives you protection for them as well

One of the options in SuperDuper! is to create what the author calls a
"Sandbox". It's used to revert to pre-update state of your OS. Here's a
description of how this option works:

A Sandbox is a bootable copy of your system, stored on another hard drive or
partition, that shares your personal documents and data with the original.
With SuperDuper!, you actually use the Sandbox as your startup volume. You
can safely install any system updates, drivers or programs in the Sandbox,
without worrying about what might happen to your system. If anything goes
wrong, you can simply start up from the original system. SuperDuper! has
preserved it in its original, pre-disaster state but all your new and
changed personal documents are totally up to date. Within minutes, you're up
and running again without having to go through a difficult and
time-consuming restore process.

SuperDuper! Is $27.95. I¹m not affiliated with the product. Just a satisfied
user. <http://www.shirt-pocket.com/>

 

[volfreak]

Thanks for the recommendation.

Cheers,
Jay