macOS Xcode install -- something strange!

[mward333]

Greetings! I have installed Xcode on a variety of Macs in the past (I've been using it since Xcode 1.0, in fact). I've done this dozens of times in the past, and I've never had trouble installing or using Xcode, or using gcc from the terminal prompt (which is my usual method of programming).

This weekend, I tried to install Xcode 2.4.1 on my wife's iBook 1.42 GHz (1.5 GB of RAM, 100 GB hard drive). It had plenty of room for the install, but the install died a couple of times in the middle. I was persistent, and about the 3rd time I tried installing, it finally worked.

I am able to use Xcode to compile C++ programs within the Xcode program itself (hooray!).

Unfortunately, I usually write programs using "gcc" at the command prompt. I know where "gcc" is in the UNIX file system, and I've run it directly from the prompt many times, but it fails on my wife's iBook. Strange, since Xcode itself works! I can't even load the UNIX "man" page for "gcc", so I know that something about "gcc" is installed incorrectly.

Any advice here?

 

[HiRez]

You might try running Repair Permissions on her disk from Disk Utility (and verify the disk while you're in there). Often when apps won't launch, permissions are the culprit. If that doesn't work it sounds like something might have gotten corrupted and you may need to try to uninstall it first, then reinstall.

 

[mward333]

You might try running Repair Permissions on her disk from Disk Utility (and verify the disk while you're in there). Often when apps won't launch, permissions are the culprit. If that doesn't work it sounds like something might have gotten corrupted and you may need to try to uninstall it first, then reinstall.

Hmmm.... That's a good idea. I'll try to repair the permissions.

How do I "uninstall" Xcode, by the way? I don't see any easy way to do that! It puts programs all over the disk, and I don't see any uninstaller.

Thank you for your advice.

 

[kainjow]

How do I "uninstall" Xcode, by the way? I don't see any easy way to do that! It puts programs all over the disk, and I don't see any uninstaller.

There is a script at /Developer/Tools/uninstall-devtools.pl - run that in the Terminal.

BTW, is the iBook running 10.4?

 

[mward333]

There is a script at /Developer/Tools/uninstall-devtools.pl - run that in the Terminal.

BTW, is the iBook running 10.4?

Excellent. I'll give it a try this evening. Thank you so much!!

Yes, by the way, the iBook runs 10.4.10 with all of the updaters from Apple installed. The machine has never given me any trouble, and my wife doesn't do anything strange on it. Just typing, email, etc. She doesn't install anything herself, and she doesn't do anything that should interfere with Xcode at all. So it is really weird to have this happen, eh?

 

[iSee]

Hmm, maybe the media is bad (or at least the iBook's drive thinks so).

I am sometimes able to get deteriorating media to work in a picky drive by duplicating the CD on a less picky machine (and then using the new disc with the picky machine). You could also try creating a disc image of the media if you have an easy way to make it accessible on the iBook.

 

[mward333]

Hmm, maybe the media is bad (or at least the iBook's drive thinks so).

I am sometimes able to get deteriorating media to work in a picky drive by duplicating the CD on a less picky machine (and then using the new disc with the picky machine). You could also try creating a disc image of the media if you have an easy way to make it accessible on the iBook.

In fact, I actually downloaded Xcode 2.4.1 directly onto the iBook from the Internet. After the installation failed the first time, I trashed the binary file, downloaded it again, and tried the installation again. Failed again. Third time was a charm, although (as you see above), the gcc compiler still doesn't work from the UNIX prompt, but only within Xcode itself. Ugh.

So no media was involved at all.... I didn't use an installer CD. I had the luxury of a high-bandwidth connection, and I just re-downloaded the Xcode installer (in fact, three times!). I know it was wasteful bandwidth, but I was willing to try almost anything!

 

[kainjow]

Next time you install it, keep Console.app open and see if Installer logs any errors during the installation.