A security update to Apple's QuickTime media player software is being blamed for causing problems for some Mac OS X and Windows users.
People have Web site. Mac OS X users appear to be having the most trouble, including deleted applications and files, unplayable movie files and the disappearance rights to use the professional version of QuickTime, according to postings on Apple's support forum.
Apple released the update, QuickTime 7.0.4, on Tuesday to fix a handful of serious security vulnerabilities. The flaws put computers running Microsoft's Windows and Apple's Mac OS X at risk of being commandeered by an outsider. An attacker could exploit the flaws by tricking the user into opening a malicious file, according to Apple.
But Apple's patch apparently has bugs of its own. One user, "Erik Nanstiel," wrote on an Apple forum: "I'm having lots and lots of problems after upgrading to the latest QuickTime. Now I'm contemplating reinstalling my entire system just to get rid of the cursed upgrade."
A woman who said she is a film director wrote that she uses Final Cut Pro and lost all the QuickTime Pro features after installing the update. "Anyone with any clue on how to regain my pro features in QuickTime without buying Steve Jobs another turtleneck?" she asked in the support forum.
Some who installed the new version of QuickTime on Windows PCs say the media player is having trouble connecting to the Internet after installing the update. Other Windows users report not being able to download the software at all when they use the update feature in QuickTime itself.
Apple has published a tool for Mac OS X users that removes the suspected culprit, QuickTime 7.0.4, and restores QuickTime 7.0.1, according to the Mac maker's Web site. People in the forums also report that QuickTime 7.0.4 was pulled from Apple's Web site for some time and then reposted.
An Apple representative was unable to respond to a request for comment.
Talkback
I think it's pretty goofy of you to say that apple is providing a tool to remove quicktime 7.04, and not telling us where to get it.
I had none of these problems.
Well, it's obvious that the best security measure overall is to insure that deviants are not allowed to access ANY of the software's functionality. So people can't play video anymore, so what! At least they know they're safe and secure. A small price to pay, as neo-conservatives will always remind us.
>I think it's pretty goofy of you to say that apple is providing a tool to remove quicktime 7.04, and not telling us where to get it.
Bravo! I went to this page based on the same info - a link saying, "QuickTime patch on the rocks: Apple has offered a removal tool for its latest media player patch after users reported problems" -- and not a word of it. The usual quality of reporting from this joint. Get a clue, folks.
Aparently the big problem was in fact a 3rd party plug-in to run Windows Media Player files (WMV) on the quicktime program called flip4mac (now distributed by Microsoft). After removing this plug-in my system came back to life, and I am still using the latest version of QT.
The update was fine for me and many other users. You are making a mountain out of a mole hill and propagating a false hatred for Apple.