Leopard 10.5.1 is now available

Leopard bugs got you down? Apple just pushed out its first update for the new OS, 10.5.1. It looks like it cures a whole laundry list of niggles with Leopard, including that nasty "potential data loss" issue with partitions in Finder. We heard about most of these fixes last week when the first build was seeded to developers, but there's a rundown of what actually made it after the break. Highlights include a fix to Time Machine drive limitations, a bunch of improvements to Finder's Shared Sidebar, and good old fashioned spanking of Mail.app's issues. Let us know if Apple didn't fix what ails you and we'll be sure to have our people talk to Steve's people.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

AirPort

• Allows password-protected accounts on AirPort Disks to show up on in the Finder's Shared Sidebar.
• Resolves an issue with saved passwords for wireless networks.

Back to My Mac

• Improves the reliability of Back to My Mac-enabled Macs appearing in the Finder's Shared Sidebar.
• Improves compatibility with D-Link NAT gateways.

Disk utilities

• Restores the functionality of the progress bar during permission repairs in Disk Utility.
• Addresses an issue that could produce an alert when creating disk images using Disk Utility or Terminal.
• Improves disk partitioning when multiple RAID sets are created on the same disk.

iCal

• iCal alarms are now more reliably delivered via email.
• Resolves an issue when inviting attendees via a CalDAV account.

Mail

• Improves stability when resizing columns in the message viewer or switching between Stationery templates in email messages.
• Addresses an issue in which attachments enclosed inside an HTML link may not be clickable in email messages.
• Fixes an issue with email accounts added using the "Simple Setup" feature in which messages cannot be sent due to an SMTP connection failure.
• Improves Smart Mailboxes compatibility with .Mac Sync, and addresses an issue with To Do's disappearing when using Smart Mailboxes.
• Resolves an issue with syncing Mail accounts with .Mac in which multiple On My Mac folders appear in the Mailbox pane.

Networking

• Addresses an issue in which Microsoft Windows shared folders may be read-only when connected via SMB.

Printing

• Resolves an issue in which user-selected values on Paper Feed PDE are reset to default while saving a custom preset.

Security, Firewall

• Addresses a code signing issue; third-party applications can now run when included in the Application Firewall or when whitelisted in Parental Controls.
• In Security preferences' Firewall tab, the "Block All" option is now called "Allow Only essential services"
• Includes recent Apple security updates.

System and Finder

• Addresses a potential data loss issue when moving files across partitions in the Finder.
• Resolves an issue with login after turning off FileVault for a specific user account.
• Improves compatibility with Adobe Flash-based uploaders used by .Mac Web Gallery and certain other websites and applications.
• Resolves a potential text drawing issue with certain Adobe Flash-based websites and applications.

Time Machine

• Addresses formatting issues with certain drives used with Time Machine (specifically, single-partition MBR drives greater than 512 GB in size as well as NTFS drives of any size and partition scheme).
• Resolves an issue in which files restored in Time Machine may be restored to the backup hierarchy rather than the folders to which they belong.

[muddyh2o @ Nov 15th 2007 1:57PM]

be still my beating heart.

[Constable Odo @ Nov 15th 2007 3:36PM]

The best just got a whole lot better. Is that even possible? Of course, it's an Apple product. Wow! It's like adding a cherry on top of whipped cream.

Another Leopard upgrade, another nail in Vista's coffin.

[Nick @ Nov 15th 2007 4:01PM]

I didnt see an listing for iTunes and on the apple discussion boards there have been some iTunes problems, my machine included. I haven't gotten to check out 10.5.1 yet,but i hope it fixes my iTunes from freezing up every 4 minutes.

[Ty @ Nov 15th 2007 5:00PM]

"Another Leopard upgrade, another nail in Vista's coffin."

Did I miss something or was "Leopard now seamlessly supports all third party hardware" listed in the patch notes? I can't wait to find Leopard drivers for my Turtle Beach sound card and GeForce8800 GTX. Oh and RAID drivers too!

Wake up, champ. Leopard and Vista are competitors in only one, very small place: on the machine that can actually run both operating systems. The Mac.

[Dirk @ Nov 15th 2007 5:19PM]

As soon as I find a way to fit a Turtle Beach sound card and GeForce8800 GTX into my laptop, I'll let you know.

Love,

Champ

[ssuk @ Nov 16th 2007 4:36AM]

... Wow, that was a good come back! I mean, you completely missed the point he was making. There's no SOFTWARE support for his soundcard and graphics card in Mac OSX, not that the hardware is a problem. There is easily a way to put his cards into a mac pro, but there's no support in OSX for them... Where as in a normal PC desktop running Vista, there is. So good job there.

[Alex Padilla @ Nov 15th 2007 2:01PM]

will it fix the major flaw in Stacks (that is, their existence)?

[JimD @ Nov 15th 2007 9:29PM]

It would be nice if you could turn stacks off and go back to the old way.

[acidscan @ Nov 15th 2007 2:02PM]

Isn't supposed to be this the infallible OS made by God with no problems at all ?

[Tid @ Nov 15th 2007 2:06PM]

@acidscan

No, it isn't

[Sam @ Nov 15th 2007 2:06PM]

somebody's been living in the RDF for far too long.
time to step out and smell...reality? or fresh air, oh wait, christ you need a shower, damn!
go back inside!

[jpo1962 @ Nov 15th 2007 2:08PM]

You've GOT to be kidding me. OS X isn't perfect--just forgivable.

[McGinley @ Nov 15th 2007 2:25PM]

Firstly,"Isn't supposed to be this the infallible OS"???

ROFL

Someone,I'm assuming a windows user,sounds bitter.

Made by God?

No,im pretty sure its made by apple.Big difference.

You foolish fool you.

[Se7en @ Nov 15th 2007 2:27PM]

Always refreshing to see Mac-haters acting just as smug and snotty as Mac fans:p

[Tim Yu @ Nov 15th 2007 2:50PM]

Methinks someone reeks of sour grapes.

10.5.1 up and running. Happy so far -- so far it's even more infallible.

[Constable Odo @ Nov 15th 2007 4:09PM]

Every once in a while (a couple of eons or so) even God changes the rules of perfection. He didn't bother with fixing Vista because it would take too much time for even Him.

[AlexP @ Nov 15th 2007 4:51PM]

I'm hoping they fixed the USB power issue.

It affects both my iMac and Macbook Pro.

To sum up the problem: it doesn't send a constant flow of energy to USB devices and it's primarily an issue with hard drives and USB hubs (I made sure it wasn't the hub and hard drive that were broken, they work fine in Tiger machines, in Windows and Linux), causing them to disconnect frequently (to a point where I can't even access my important files at school :S) and can even cause hubs to short (read Apple's support forum).

If it hasn't, I guess I'll have to do something about it because it's crippling me.

[TJ @ Nov 15th 2007 9:33PM]

LAMO!! God wouldn't have needed that 7th day of rest had it not been for Microsoft.

Yet, there is one OS more infallible than OS X and it's name is Gutsy.

[EEaudio08 @ Nov 15th 2007 2:03PM]

niggles? wtf?

[zabador @ Nov 15th 2007 2:29PM]

must be the new slang all the cool kids are using these days

[Brooks @ Nov 15th 2007 2:46PM]

(to) niggle - intransitive verb
1 a: trifle b: to spend too much effort on minor details

[Dale @ Nov 15th 2007 3:07PM]

It's a word I've heard my parents and grandparents use since I was a child, so it's not that hip and happening.

[phlavor @ Nov 15th 2007 3:42PM]

it's a word that people stopped using because it sounds too much like a word that should never be used.

[Anton @ Nov 15th 2007 3:44PM]

What's up my niggle!

[Simon @ Nov 15th 2007 3:46PM]

For gods sake its only english! Damn american english! Damn you to hell!

[Ty @ Nov 15th 2007 5:00PM]

Niggle what?

[Chris @ Nov 15th 2007 5:41PM]

Niggle please

[Dave @ Nov 15th 2007 7:02PM]

Fo Shiggle my niggle! Im in da higgle!

[James @ Nov 16th 2007 1:16AM]

NIGGLE STOLE MY BIKE! D=

[Guido Rosso @ Nov 15th 2007 2:05PM]

Does this fix the Spaces issue with Windows disappearing?

[JugoGoya @ Nov 15th 2007 2:07PM]

Hip Hip Hooorayyyyyyyyy, time to fix a herd of issues on my Imac.

[Josh @ Nov 15th 2007 2:08PM]

Hmmmm...surely something from Apple isn't having problems. Just further proof that the Engadget people are Microsoft Zealots. I, for one, demand an investigation.

[Greg @ Nov 15th 2007 2:16PM]

Who notified the religious right of this website? The comments section has been a mess recently -- so many fails.

[TJ @ Nov 15th 2007 9:33PM]

For those of you too dense to take this comment seriously read:

google --> define --> satire

[Tom McNicholas @ Nov 15th 2007 2:13PM]

looks like they fixed the dataloss issue when copying files...

[Jason Carroll @ Nov 15th 2007 2:16PM]

It still did npt fix the p buttpn pn my keybpard. This keybpard tptally pwns me!

[DoctaDJones @ Nov 15th 2007 2:21PM]

"Addresses an issue in which Microsoft Windows shared folders may be read-only when connected via SMB."

Bah! I've been messing with the permissions on my file server for weeks now thinking that it was Windows causing that problem.

[getz76 @ Nov 15th 2007 2:24PM]

Ironic, no? Maybe the DOJ needs to get involved and file an antitrust motion against AAPL.

[shishyan @ Nov 15th 2007 2:24PM]

I haven't applied the patch yet. I hope "Spaces" doesn't hang the finder & other applications anymore. I had to relaunch the finder every time I use the spaces.

Also, does anyone know how to bring back my disappeared hard disk/icon? The poor icon replacement application didn't work as intended.I can access the files in the finder though. But wondering if anyway to bring it back? (Didn't turn on the TimeMachine until a week after this happened)

[farfisa @ Nov 15th 2007 2:33PM]

hey, did you do an "upgrade," "clean install" or "archive and install?"
I did an "upgrade" on one machine and that's the one having trouble with spaces (and time machine, for that matter).

[shishyan @ Nov 15th 2007 2:46PM]

Did the "Archive & Install" at first (didn't try the upgrade due to widespread bluescreen issues). Then recently did the "Clean Install" to cleanup the clutter.

Spaces is a great feature but not well-implemented/tested.

Stacks - hm..Apple must have taken a day off during the design and testing phase.

[John @ Nov 15th 2007 3:25PM]

@shishyan

if you're talking about your desktop icon, right click on the desktop and go to view options. Leopard lets you decide what to show and hide on the desktop, which is nice when I have 50 billion mounted network disks.

[shishyan @ Nov 15th 2007 4:35PM]

@John

That actually works only if everything seems to run normal. My icon replacement tweak spoil that. I can't even find my OS X drive in the finder. (But I can access the sub folders from Documents/Applications/etc).

I remember trying a workaround (from some blog/site). But didn't work that well for me.

[Guido Rosso @ Nov 15th 2007 8:44PM]

Ever seen disappearing windows caused by Spaces? It's really weird, happens about once a day for me. Have to restart the app to get the window to show again. Show/Hide through the dock doesn't work...

[spacegravity4me @ Nov 15th 2007 2:28PM]

ok, i'm not a microsoft fan boy or anything, i'll buy anything as long as it works, i just want to say that I'm upset that microsoft hasn't released it's update yet. True, they do have constant updates, but vista is still givin me probs.

[natenovielli @ Nov 15th 2007 2:49PM]

they release updates once a month. check your update history, there will be hundreds of them. apple just labels them.

[Don Corleone @ Nov 15th 2007 2:33PM]

You can feel the love.

[websyndicate @ Nov 15th 2007 2:42PM]

Safari is much more Snappier

[decypher44 @ Nov 15th 2007 3:22PM]

I hope that's true. Since th eupgrade, Safari 3 has been slow. I'll find out tonight!

[remslie @ Nov 15th 2007 2:44PM]

This'll shut up those Zune fanbois.