fixed: SPSS 17 / Mac OS X Snow Leopard issues

9. Dezember 2009

SPSS 17 refuses to run or even install under Snow Leopard, due to incompatibility/neglect of Java 6 JRE. This can easily be fixed:

STEP 1:
run the following commands in Terminal or as a shell script (can be copied and pasted without individualization to your System)

cd ~/
curl -o java.1.5.0-leopard.tar.gz http://www.cs.washington.edu/homes/isdal/snow_leopard_workaround/java.1.5.0-leopard.tar.gz
tar -xvzf java.1.5.0-leopard.tar.gz
sudo rm /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.5
sudo rm /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.5.0
sudo mv 1.5.0 /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.5.0-leopard
sudo ln -s /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.5.0-leopard /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.5
sudo ln -s /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.5.0-leopard /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.5.0
say "Now, in Utilities - java preferences edit the list entailing what your computer should use with programs: drag java1.5 32bit onto the top of the list. Happy analysis."
echo "Now, in Utilities - java preferences edit the list entailing what your computer should use with programs: drag java1.5 32bit onto the top of the list. Happy analysis."

STEP 2:
Please make sure to follow the suggestion this script outputs in the end: “Now, in Utilities -> java preferences edit the list entailing what your computer should use with programs: drag ‘java1.5 32bit’ onto the top of the list.”

What will this do to my machine? This will download and ‘install’ Java Version 5, which comes with OS/X Leopard on your machine bypass the reason for Snow Leopard incompatibility. Don’t worry, as V. 6 remains installed, no incompatibility issues will arise elsewhere.

STEP 2.1:
Install SPSS17 (if not already installed prior to Snow Leopard upgrade).

STEP 3:
edit /Applications/SPSSInc/Statistics17/SPSSStatistics17.0.app/Contents/bin/jvmcfg.ini (make sure to modify this path in case you decided not to install SPSS to the default directory):
nano /Applications/SPSSInc/Statistics17/SPSSStatistics17.0.app/Contents/bin/jvmcfg.ini and change line

jvm_lib_path1=/System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/CurrentJDK/Libraries/

to

jvm_lib_path1=/System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.5/Libraries/

STEP 4:
edit /Applications/SPSSInc/Statistics17/SPSSStatistics17.0.app/Contents/Info.plist (make sure to modify this path in case you decided not to install SPSS to the default directory):
nano /Applications/SPSSInc/Statistics17/SPSSStatistics17.0.app/Contents/Info.plist
and change

<key>CFBundleIdentifier</key>
    <string>com.spss.SPSSStatistics.17.0</string>

to

<key>CFBundleIdentifier</key>
    <string>com.spss.SPSSStatistics.17.1</string>

SPSS will now start without errors.
Bildschirmfoto 2009-12-09 um 15.12.36

Credits: This is a summary of tips I found here, here and here, where you will find further assistence in case this fails, which I am sure it won’t.

By the way, IBM! Feel to take this as inspiration for a patch/bugfix other than “purchase SPSS 18″!

Dieser Beitrag wurde vor am Mittwoch, 9. Dezember 2009 um 15:30 Uhr veröffentlicht und unter Allgemeines gespeichert. Sie können Kommentare zu diesem Eintrag über den RSS-2.0-Feed verfolgen. Sie können einen Kommentar hinterlassen oder einen Trackback von Ihrer Website hierher setzen.

30 Kommentare zu „fixed: SPSS 17 / Mac OS X Snow Leopard issues“

  1. Dominik sagt:
    15. Februar 2010 um 12:50 Uhr

    Danke für die Anleitung.

    Im letzten Schritt schein sich ein Syntax-Fehler eingeschlichen zu haben “<string<".

    Grüsse aus der Schweiz

  2. Linus sagt:
    15. Februar 2010 um 21:47 Uhr

    Halo Dominik, vielen Dank für den Hinweis!
    Ich habe den Fehler korrigiert!

  3. IQ sagt:
    20. August 2010 um 16:37 Uhr

    I’ve been trying to install SPSS 17 on my Mac (Snow Leopard) for weeks and finally found your page, it solved my problems in under 10 minutes! Brilliant! Thank you for writing this up!

  4. Elizabeth sagt:
    1. Oktober 2010 um 10:19 Uhr

    Danke Schön Linus!

    I can’t believe SPSS 17 is working now for me – it finally installed and actually opened :D I took a look at the wiki link to fix up the minor problem of telling Java 5 that is was actually Java 5 though.

  5. Anita sagt:
    24. Oktober 2010 um 01:07 Uhr

    Linus, you are a hero and have saved two of us already – but I, third student with SPSS 17/Snow leopard am getting ‘error writing file’ at your step 4… Any thoughts? I’ve unchecked all the locks on the files, any thoughts why I can’t save the version change? Thank you!!!! Anita

  6. Linus sagt:
    24. Oktober 2010 um 20:39 Uhr

    @ Anita: Open Terminal, and edit the file by typing sudo nano /Applications/SPSSInc/Statistics17/SPSSStatistics17.0.app/Contents/Info.plist
    You will be asked for your User-Password and then edit the file with root-privileges. This way it should definitely work.

  7. BUSGPY sagt:
    7. November 2010 um 11:07 Uhr

    EXCELLENT GUIDE!!

  8. José Navarro sagt:
    9. November 2010 um 20:11 Uhr

    The fix worked fine with me, i could install and run the program in snow leopard. Now I have a little problem, SPSS w’ont display any graphics. When I asked to do so in the results page tells me that the Java virtual machine can’t be opened.

    Any idea?

    Thanks…

  9. Linus sagt:
    9. November 2010 um 20:27 Uhr

    @José: This sounds like you have missed out on this part:
    Now, in Utilities -> java preferences edit the list entailing what your computer should use with programs: drag ‘java1.5 32bit’ onto the top of the list.
    Make sure you to apply this setting…

    Linus

  10. José Navarro sagt:
    11. November 2010 um 21:06 Uhr

    I finally could. Actually I was missing step 3, didn’t know how to edit the file .ini (I’m a recent mac user). But only worked until I wrote 1.5.0 (instead of 1.5) which was the actual name of the folder I downloaded.

    Anyway, thanks a lot for the post and your quick response.

    Regards from Barcelona, josé

  11. Jeff sagt:
    26. November 2010 um 17:04 Uhr

    I don’t have a content folder in my PASWStatistics17 folder so I can’t run step 3 and my graphics are not showing. SPSS works fine by I would like to know how to have the graphics. I did put J2SE 5.0 on top of my java preference. Thx!

  12. Daina sagt:
    16. Dezember 2010 um 19:00 Uhr

    Yes! Thank you thank you thank you! I didn’t think anything would work!

    I have OS X 10.6.5 and had to follow the suggestions of both Linus (Oct. 2010) and Jose (Nov. 2010) to get it to work. Good luck!

  13. ar.pablo sagt:
    20. Dezember 2010 um 03:57 Uhr

    How to run SPSS on Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6

    Seen on http://bit.ly/gXDUOK

    SPSS 17 works perfect on Leopard 10.5
    On Snow Leopard, there are two ways to run SPSS 17.

    Way 1
    This is how I have installed it on my mac. You can check the versions 10.6.5 and 17.0.3 are working onand onand on http://bayimg.com/KAbgIAADI. On my mac -at least- SPSS 17.0.3 works flawlessly.

    1) Make a partition of your hard disk and install Leopard 10.5.8 on it.
    2) On Leopard, disable Internet access of your computer.
    3) Install SPSS 17. You can activate the modules in any moment.
    4) Install SPSS patch 17.0.1
    5) Install SPSS patch 17.0.2
    6) Install SPSS patch 17.0.3
    7) Check SPSS is working properly.
    8) Enable the Internet access.
    9) Boot on Snow Leopard (I think it should also work on Lion).
    10) Right clic any .sav file. Select “open with” and “other”, select “All applications” (or whatever, my mac OS language is set in Spanish, sorry); select the SPSS app that is installed on Leopard “PASWStatistics17.0″ and clic on the “Open” button.
    That’s all.

    Way 2:
    One of my classmates has tested this one. It also works fine on his computer.

    1) Install Leopard 10.5.8 on your hard disk drive.
    2) Disable Internet access of your computer.
    3) Install SPSS 17. You can activate the modules in any moment.
    4) Install SPSS patch 17.0.1
    5) Install SPSS patch 17.0.2
    6) Install SPSS patch 17.0.3
    7) Check SPSS is working properly.
    8) Enable the Internet access.
    9) Upgrade from Leopard 10.5 to Snow Leopard 10.6 on the hard disk that also has SPSS 17.0.3 Important: just upgrade the OS, do not format the hard disk drive. Now your mac computer will have the Java versions 5 and 6, and will be able to open SPSS 17.0.3
    10) Check SPSS is working properly.
    That’s all.

  14. Wei sagt:
    7. Januar 2011 um 15:25 Uhr

    I’ve managed to get SPSS installed and running but I’m frustratingly still having problems with it – I can’t seem to import excel files and draw graphs, the error being “Error starting the Java Virtual Machine”.. Any ideas why and/or fixes?? I installed till the SPSS Patch 17.0.3 and followed the instructions above but still no luck!

  15. ena sagt:
    11. Januar 2011 um 22:18 Uhr

    ich habe noch mac osx 10.4. ich kriege den installer absolut nicht geöffnet. was kann ich da machen? hat jemand das gleiche problem? does anyone have the same problem with tiger and spss and knows how to solve it?

  16. João sagt:
    20. Januar 2011 um 02:50 Uhr

    excelent.

    many thanks man

  17. SPSS 17 on Snow Leopard « gayusheboh sagt:
    17. Februar 2011 um 05:42 Uhr

    [...] the suggestions at the this link – but then also create a symbolic link CurrentJDK -> 1.5 in directory [...]

  18. SPSS « MelaTorrent Forum sagt:
    16. März 2011 um 02:16 Uhr

    [...] http://www.linus-neumann.de/2009/12/09/fixed-spss-17-mac-os-x-snow-leopard-issues/ [...]

  19. ster sagt:
    5. April 2011 um 11:53 Uhr

    THANK YOU! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!

  20. Naomi sagt:
    8. April 2011 um 10:14 Uhr

    Hi!

    I have a small problem: when I change the line and then press ^X to exit, it asks me if I want to save. I type in Y but then it says this: File Name to Write:$ntents/bin/jvmcfg.ini
    I guess I have to write something, but I don’t know what..
    Same if I try to change that other line..
    What should I do? (don’t know if you can see the email-adress, but can you mail me the answer?!)

    Thanks a lot!

  21. Tristan sagt:
    16. Juni 2011 um 09:21 Uhr

    Many thanks, this worked perfectly!

  22. fanny sagt:
    17. Juni 2011 um 19:45 Uhr

    i am confused about step 3 and 4. how can you find the line?

  23. mass sagt:
    18. Juni 2011 um 16:00 Uhr

    my problem is the same as Jeff. I also cannot find the content folder so I can’t do step 3 and 4.

  24. mass sagt:
    18. Juni 2011 um 21:13 Uhr

    finally it work! thanks to Jose because after I changed the line, it still telling that the Java virtual machine is still the problem then I realize that i also download the file as 1.5.0
    thanks a lot!

  25. mass sagt:
    18. Juni 2011 um 21:16 Uhr

    @Jeff: simply right click on the “SPSSStatistics17.0.app” then click “Show Package Contents” where the Contents folder will appear.

  26. charley varrick sagt:
    20. Juni 2011 um 20:10 Uhr

    Thank you very much, man. All worked flawless, just as you wrote You’ve just become my personal hero.

  27. bas sagt:
    28. August 2011 um 20:37 Uhr

    via via op de site gekomen en het werkt perfect!

    works perfect !!!!!!

    thanks….

  28. LM sagt:
    8. September 2011 um 20:24 Uhr

    After running the initial script the java.1.5.0-leopard.tar.gz is downloaded in the user folder, whereas in Utilities -> java preferences there is no trace of java1.5 32bit

    MacOSX 10.6.8 on a 2.26 GHz Intel Core Duo MacBook

    Any help or suggestion?

    Thanks

    Luigi

  29. LM sagt:
    8. September 2011 um 21:08 Uhr

    after pw a receive the following message:

    Password:
    rm: /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.5: No such file or directory

  30. gvacchiano sagt:
    2. Oktober 2011 um 21:46 Uhr

    I also had to change BundleVersion from 17.0.0 to 17.1 in info.plhist.
    Thank you forthe useful tip!

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