High Sierra Security Update has broken my SheepSaver

About SheepShaver, a PPC Mac emulator for Windows, MacOS X, and Linux that can run System 7.5.3 to MacOS 9.0.4.

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Darko66
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High Sierra Security Update has broken my SheepSaver

Post by Darko66 »

System Version 10.13.6, Security Update 2020-003.

I was using SheepShaver earlier today without issue, but then decided to install the latest security update. After the install, all I get when I boot SheepShaver is a black screen. I've tried all kinds of things to get it going again, but no luck. Console doesn't provide much feedback - just these 3 lines at first before messages about the app burning CPU.

launchservicesd CHECKIN:0x0-0x9f09f 987 com.emaculation.sheepshaver
SheepShaver AEGetDescData of non-desc type 'reco' not a good idea
SheepShaver LSExceptions shared instance invalidated for timeout.

I couldn't see anyone else mentioning the issue.

Among things I've tried is using both of the scripts to first zap PRAM and then to delete the preferences. I had been using the May 2019 build, so downloaded and tried the latest from March 2020. I also downloaded the SheepShaver folder as well as a new ROM file and tried to run the app from that folder without the virtual hard disk. Nothing made a difference. I'm going to download the security update and try running it again to see if that's makes a difference.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Re: High Sierra Security Update has broken my SheepSaver

Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

If you had SheepShaver set to launch in full-screen mode, you could have been bitten by this issue: https://www.emaculation.com/forum/viewt ... 20&t=10392
But that should have been solved after deleting both nvram and prefs files as SheepShaver will launch in window mode by default.

Do I understand correctly that you deleted the nvram file first, then tried again, and then deleted the prefs file?

Try to delete both nvram and prefs file first and make sure the ROM file is in the SheepShaver folder with SheepShaver itself and is (re)named "Mac OS ROM".
Darko66
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Re: High Sierra Security Update has broken my SheepSaver

Post by Darko66 »

Tried the zap/delete combo, but no luck. ROM file is the same one I've been using for years, but I did double check the name. And, I've never used full screen mode.

I downloaded the security patch, but it doesn't seem like I'll be able to try running it again. Unfortunately I've got an old Mac Pro 3,1 running a patched version of High Sierra, so it's not the most cooperative when running software updates. I could try and roll it back, but I don't really want to mess with that.

Hopefully though, this is just a problem for me and won't pop up for anyone else. I do have an old PowerPC laptop that will run what I need in Classic. Not as convenient, but sufficient.

Thanks for the tips.
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Re: High Sierra Security Update has broken my SheepSaver

Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

SheepShaver is running fine here in Catalina 10.15 5 (with the latest 10.15.5 supplemental update). I cannot imagine how the latest High Sierra security update would prevent SheepShaver to run as the updates for later macOS versions should contain the same security patches. Maybe it is related to your non-standard installation. We will soon know if this is a general issue with the High Sierra security update. You are certainly not the only one running SheepShaver in High Sierra.

In the meantime:
- Does everything else on your machine run as expected?
- If your ROM file is not named "Mac OS ROM" and resides in the same folder with SheepShaver, SheepShaver will not run after deleting the prefs file.
- Where do you have SheepShaver and its related files installed?
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adespoton
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Re: High Sierra Security Update has broken my SheepSaver

Post by adespoton »

Is it possible the Gatekeeper metadata got reset during the update? Possibly running xattr in recursive mode will fix the problem.
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Re: High Sierra Security Update has broken my SheepSaver

Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

The problem is not that SheepShaver won't run. It opens with a black screen.
Also, the March 2020 build is signed and notarized.
Darko66
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Re: High Sierra Security Update has broken my SheepSaver

Post by Darko66 »

I'm still assuming something went awry with the security update and hoping to figure out a way to rerun the installer.

Everything else on the computer seems to be running okay so far. I booted off a USB stick and ran Disk First Aid and all was fine with the startup disk. Suppose I can try purging caches or something, but that will have to wait.

Mini breakthrough though. I stumbled across an old backup folder of Sheepshaver that had the v2.4 February 2014 build of the app. It opened normally, but wasn't stable. I then downloaded the v2.4 July 2018 build. It also opens up normally and it seems stable, but all I did was copy a file and open and close an app. This is using the same folder with the same ROM and same preference file. It apparently just doesn't like the 2.5 versions of the app.

I usually only use SheepShaver on the weekends, so I'll give the old version a try Saturday and see how it goes.

Thanks again for the feedback.
emendelson
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Re: High Sierra Security Update has broken my SheepSaver

Post by emendelson »

SheepShaver 2.5 runs normally here in High Sierra with the latest security update.
Last edited by emendelson on Tue Jun 16, 2020 7:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Re: High Sierra Security Update has broken my SheepSaver

Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

So, those version 2.4 builds work fine, while the version 2.5 builds do not.
The v2.4 builds are 32-bit and use SDL1, the v2.5 builds are 64-bit and use SDL2. The v2.5 builds open with a black screen. That suggests a graphics issue that could be related to SDL2. You have High Sierra installed on an unsupported machine. Maybe the High Sierra security update created an incompatibility with the graphics hardware that prevents SDL2 to work properly?
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mabam
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Re: High Sierra Security Update has broken my SheepSaver

Post by mabam »

I’m also running High Sierra 10.13.6 with the newest Security Update (2020-003), but on a Hackintosh. SheepShaver 2.5 is running fine here.
Darko66
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Re: High Sierra Security Update has broken my SheepSaver

Post by Darko66 »

The title of my original post is probably unfair to the security update, but I don't suppose there's a way to change that.

Thanks to those who confirmed that it is almost certainly just a "me" issue.

And, yes, the later v2.4 build does open correctly and seems at least at basic tasks to be stable. Although to be clear on v2.5, I think it might be more than just the screen being black. I can't be sure, but I don't think it's opening up correctly besides the black screen. I think the screen is black and the program is hanging. I alluded to it in the original post as after a few moments, console begins showing messages about SheepShaver burning CPU.

Regardless, until I can either reinstall the security update or a new security update comes out, I'll assume something went awry during the update and hopefully I can just get by with the older version.

Thanks for everyone's feedback.
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Re: High Sierra Security Update has broken my SheepSaver

Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

I do not know if High Sierra converted your file system from HFS+ to APFS.
If it did: Note that in the older versions 'the shared folder / Unix disk' feature does not work correctly on a host with APFS file system. Files moved through the Unix disk will loose their resource fork and Type/Creator metadata.
kanjitalk755
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Re: High Sierra Security Update has broken my SheepSaver

Post by kanjitalk755 »

The issue may due to default rendering method of SDL2.

@Darko66
If you can build SheepShaver, try latest source:

https://github.com/kanjitalk755/macemu

And append to ~/.sheepshaver_prefs:

Code: Select all

sdlrender software
Darko66
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Re: High Sierra Security Update has broken my SheepSaver

Post by Darko66 »

All my drives are still HFS+.

I guess sometimes software updates break the patches, so I ran the post-install tool again to see if that would help. It didn't.

I used the v2.4 July 2018 build today w/o any issues, so I'll probably just stick with that for now. Maybe when the next security update comes along we'll see what happens and I'll report back.

Thanks
Darko66
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Re: High Sierra Security Update has broken my SheepSaver

Post by Darko66 »

Follow up as promised after installing a new security update.

Still no luck getting the newer versions to run, but old 2.4 version still works and is sufficient for my needs.

If I had more gumption I'd learn how to build from the source code and try kanjitalk755's suggestion, but for know I guess I'll slide by.

Thanks again
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Re: High Sierra Security Update has broken my SheepSaver

Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

I will post a new build soon. The change by kanjitalk755 will be in there.
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Re: High Sierra Security Update has broken my SheepSaver

Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

Here is a new build. It contains the change that kanjitalk755 announced above.
You can simply replace the existing application by this build.

https://www.emaculation.com/sheepshaver ... 200726.zip

Before you launch it, first add this line to your ~/.sheepshaver_prefs file:

Code: Select all

sdlrender software
Does this solve the issue you have with the newer builds?
kanjitalk755
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Re: High Sierra Security Update has broken my SheepSaver

Post by kanjitalk755 »

You don't need "sdlrender software" if it's due to a fixed issue in the new build.
Try the new build as is, and if that doesn't work, try "sdlrender software".
Darko66
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Re: High Sierra Security Update has broken my SheepSaver

Post by Darko66 »

The new build is a winner. I didn't need to amend the preferences.

Thanks for sharing
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