How to tell what packages are installed?

[siiquence]

Finally, iAtkos v7 (10.5.7) installed on my Dell Precision with full video, sound, wireless, etc.. but I cannot remember what packages I chose at installation. Is there a way for me to tell for future reference in case I need to re-install?

 

I know I should have recorded the info, but I went through so many attempts at installation with each one failing that I didn't bother after a while.

 

 

 

Thanks, Ed.

[cap737]

Finally, iAtkos v7 (10.5.7) installed on my Dell Precision with full video, sound, wireless, etc.. but I cannot remember what packages I chose at installation. Is there a way for me to tell for future reference in case I need to re-install?

 

I know I should have recorded the info, but I went through so many attempts at installation with each one failing that I didn't bother after a while.

 

 

 

Thanks, Ed.

 

 

Great question! I would like to know this as well! Any help?

[siiquence]

Great question! I would like to know this as well! Any help?

 

 

I was hoping that if I placed the DVD in again and went through the motions prior to the install, the packages would be hi-lighted.

[Beerkex'd]

They won't.

 

There is no user-friendly point-and-click way to tell.

 

Even an experienced veteran would have to do lots of manual work in order to discover which extensions are unmodified and which ones aren't.

 

If you can, compare the contents of your extensions folder with the contents of the extensions folder on a vanilla install of the same version of Leopard.

Look at the dates and the contents of the extensions themselves.

 

You can use an app called Pacifist to examine the contents of installation packages - for example you could use it to look at the extensions folder on an original Apple 10.5.6 install DVD. Use a plist editor (Apple XCode comes with one, or you can google for one) to view the info.plist inside an extension (right click the kext, and click Show Package Contents to open it).

 

In most cases that I've seen a hacked distro will install some patched kernel extensions even though your system might not need them, or in some cases even omit some. If you're feeling adventurous (or if you have a second installation just for experimenting) you can use Pacifist to replace your patched extensions with vanilla extensions. Say you have a hacked 10.5.6 distro installed and it is upgraded to 10.5.8 for example. Open your original Leopard 10.5.6 install DVD with Pacifist, navigate to where the extensions are, pick one or more (after careful scrutiny and weeks of searching and reading ) and use Pacifist to install them. Then, you open the 10.5.8 update package from Apple with Pacifist and install the same kernel extension(s) on top, effectively updating them to the 10.5.8 versions. Then reboot and cross your fingers. Of course you should always make backups of the extensions you are replacing so that you can restore them if needed. This can be done via terminal, booting from your hacked distro DVD for example.

 

Read LOTS of posts in the community forums and look for the kernel extensions that are most commonly patched when running OSX on a PC to get a general idea.

 

Also run System Profiler and click 'Extensions' in the pane to the left to see which extensions are loaded on your system. Be aware though that even if it says extension so and so is made by Apple, it doesn't necessarily mean that it is unmodified.