Hi

Skype can launch only once under Leopard latest seed (edit: and the retail GM) when OSX built-in firewall is enabled with "set access for specific services and application".

It happens in both Skype 2.6 and 2.7BETA.

Subsequent launches will fail with "Check 1 failed" message in the console.

I realised that somehow the skype executable (Skype.app/Contents/MacOS/Skype) is replaced with another file when it is first launched.

So, re installing skype from the dmg fixes the issue, but it can only be launched once.

Current workaround is to disable the built-in firewall, but it's not really a good idea...

I hope Skype fixes this issue asap.

This post has been edited by raingrove: Thu Nov 1 2007, 05:48

I would like to confirm that I am seeing this too. Can we get this fixed pretty soon please!

Ben

I would like to confirm that I am seeing this too. Can we get this fixed pretty soon please!

Ben

Confirm this also with the latest Skype Beta....

Yes, I have the same issue. Tried both Skype latest release 2.6.151 and Bèta release 2.7

Working once and then have to re-install.

Regards

Quoted from another thread:

There seems to be an incompatibility with Leopard's built-in firewall. Temporary solution is to disable the firewall or use a 3rd party firewall.

Yeah... hopefully a fix will be out soon. As for now, I'm just keeping an extra copy of Skype and replacing it everytime I need to restart it. Luckily copying 40+MB of file doesn't take very long.

Yeah... hopefully a fix will be out soon. As for now, I'm just keeping an extra copy of Skype and replacing it everytime I need to restart it. Luckily copying 40+MB of file doesn't take very long.

It's probably simpler to keep Skype running in the background than it is to reload the software after a shutdown. Rather like keeping the car running because the battery's dead. Just guessing here; I don't have Leopard installed...It isn't an elegant solution, but I suspect a cure will be forthcoming in the near future.

Same issue here. Re-install after reboot is a pain in the you know what.

With me traveling it is important to run a firewall especially when on a hotel network, or coffee shop hotspot. Dropping the firewall isn't a great option everytime I want to run Skype.

This needs to get fixed, and quickly.

If the firewall is turned on, the OS signs the Skype app with the system key when it starts. This allows the OS to detect if the app has changed.

Skype has all sorts of protections built into it, and since signing the app involves modifying it, Skype fails to start on account that it has been modified.

This post has been edited by plop_____: Sun Oct 28 2007, 00:08

Yes I noticed that as well, maybe Skype is being a little too paranoid implementing all these checks.

This post has been edited by raingrove: Sun Oct 28 2007, 08:53

No Skype for me until next update
I'm not taking off the firewall altogether.

Hope they fix it soon and many post their reply here!
Thanks for the post.

I don't know if lots of "me too" postings are any help here, nor if anyone from Skype is necessarily listening, but "me too!"

The fix (when it comes) can't be promulgated in the usual way, because Skype won't run far enough to perform a search for updates. Statement of the obvious, but a lot of non-tech users are going to be stuck over this.

-Gary

I am so disappointed to see that no Skype developer is responding to this thread.

I am so disappointed to see that no Skype developer is responding to this thread.

Hopefully they are busy working on a quick fix because I'm not going to be turning off my firewall just to use Skype, even though Skype is my only phone.

This post has been edited by AdamSimpson: Sun Oct 28 2007, 21:13

Hi people.

Just to let you know we're aware of this and know why it's happening. We're working on this right now, and will come out with a fix as soon as possible.

Please note this only happens when the firewall is enabled (default is off). If you want to use Skype on 10.5 (Leopard) you will need the firewall disabled (turned off). I've also updated the forum thread about MacOS 10.5.
We're working as hard as we can to get this fixed as soon as possible.

Thanks for the information guys, it's users like you that really help grow the skype experience!

Ryan

x

This post has been edited by pwilcox: Mon Oct 29 2007, 15:28

My work around:

The skype application is a folder (the real name is skype.app). Put a "fresh" copy of the skype.app into your programs folder and right click the skype icon. Select "Paketinhalt zeigen" (sorry, I have a german localization. Maybe there is an entry like "Show package").

Then open the Contents Folder and select the subfolders Frameworks, MacOS and Resources. Right click it and select "Information". (three panes appear with the folder settings)

Select "Geschützt" ("Protected"??) - so that these folders became write protected.

After that, you can keep your firewall running. Drawback is, that with every start, you must aggree/deny outside access to the application.

Maybe it is not necessary to modify all these folders but only one. And maybe it has other side effects - but for me it is working fine and I want not spend more time to investigate this issue

Good luck,
Martin

Hi people.

Just to let you know we're aware of this and know why it's happening. We're working on this right now, and will come out with a fix as soon as possible.

Please note this only happens when the firewall is enabled (default is off). If you want to use Skype on 10.5 (Leopard) you will need the firewall disabled (turned off). I've also updated the forum thread about MacOS 10.5.
We're working as hard as we can to get this fixed as soon as possible.

Thanks for the information guys, it's users like you that really help grow the skype experience!

Ryan

Thanks Ryan,

good to hear that you at Skype are working on it

Since you started working there, the Skype Client for MAC just got better and better

Cheers,

Z1

Then open the Contents Folder and select the subfolders Frameworks, MacOS and Resources. Right click it and select "Information". (three panes appear with the folder settings)

Select "Geschützt" ("Protected"??) - so that these folders became write protected.

Good luck,
Martin

Just to add what Martin has described.... First do a clean install from the disk image. Then before running Skype, open the package. Find the MacOS folder, do a Get Info, and then set the folder to Locked. You will be prompted by the firewall every time it starts but at least you now have Skype running again.

P.

I did a little diagnosis on this and it appears to be a Skype issue to resolve. Not an Apple bug. Apple has a new facility that digitally 'tags' all applications that are run. This performs a digital signature check on all files in an application bundle (/Applications/Skype.app in this case). If any files in the bundle are modified they will no longer run. The root cause of the issue seems to be that Skype is modifying its own primary executable the first time it is run (thats why it works the first time you run it with the firewall on and not the second). This is a no-no.

Here is the message I sent to skype support with the details. Hopefully they will get on it fast. Why is it taking them so long to respond or provide a fixed version??? :-/

-----

I think I have found the root cause of the issue. Please provide the information below to you head of QA or the head of the Dev Team. Skype will not work in the current version of OS X 10.5 if the firewall is on. I think I provide the reason why below.

Versions:

Mac OS X 10.5 Production release (Leopard)
Leopard installation was not an upgrade of an existing system OS. It was an 'erase and install' clean install (formatted HD)
Skype Version: 2.6.0.151
Intel Mac-Mini (core duo) and Intel Macbook Pro (core2 duo)

Steps to reproduce:

Install Skype. Do no start yet.
open System Preferences > Security > Firewall
Select radio button for "Set Access for specific services and applications"
Add Skype to the list of allowed applications with access through the firewall if it is not already

Start skype
A security dialog will pop asking : "Do you want the applications "Skype.app" to accept incoming connections?"
Say "Always Allow"
Skype will be started and appear to be running normally.

Quit skype
Start Skype again
ERROR : Skype icon in the dock will bounce twice and Skype will fail to start

view OS X system log (/var/log/system.log)
You will see the following entries logged for each time you try and fail to launch skype:

Oct 30 14:38:49 mac-mini [0x0-0x1a81a8].com.skype.skype[36821]: Main starting
Oct 30 14:38:49 mac-mini [0x0-0x1a81a8].com.skype.skype[36821]: Check 1 failed. Can't run Skype

Workaround : How to resolve
--------------------
open System Preferences > Security > Firewall
Set radio button to "Allow all incoming connections"
Note : If you try to run skype at this point it will STILL fail. You must drag a new copy of skype and replace the 'old' one.
Drag skype app from installer .dmg to /Application folder, replacing the old one.
Start skype. (runs normally)
Quit skype
Start Skype again (runs normally)
So all is ok now EXCEPT your machine is now exposed to the internet as you cannot use the OS X firewall with Skype.

Suspected root cause:
-------------------------------

OS X 10.5 now digitally signs all applications. The first time you run the app OS X will confirm that you want to run the app downloaded from the internet and will apply a digital signature to the app.

If the digital signature of the app changes (by even one byte) the app will no longer run as it no longer matches the signature originally approved. OS X will prevent it from running. If Skype is making ANY change inside the /Applications/Skype.app bundle when it runs it would cause this issue.

See the following link for more information:

http://arstechnica.com/reviews/os/mac-os-x-10-5.ars/11

Specifically the text in the "code signing" paragraph:

"Code signing also means an end to the practice of applications modifying themselves (e.g., saving custom theme files inside the application bundle itself rather than in ~/Library/Application Support/MyApp or another user-specific location). This practice has always been discouraged by Apple, and now there's another reason avoid it."

I have CONFIRMED that the contents of the Skype application bundle are changing after the first start of the program.

I did the following to diagnose this (you can also do so on your own system):

do fresh install of skype.app to the /Applications folder
cd /Applications/Skype.app
find . -type file -print | xargs md5 > ~/skype_virgin_md5.txt
(run skype from dock, and quit)
find . -type file -print | xargs md5 > ~/skype_start1_md5.txt
diff ~/skype_virgin_md5.txt ~/skype_start1_md5.txt

[glenn@mac-mini ~]$ diff skype_virgin_md5.txt skype_start1_md5.txt
0a1
> MD5 (./Contents/CodeResources) = 53615af04b1f7cba5861c5cccb1b1426
13c14
< MD5 (./Contents/MacOS/Skype) = 4245cb201a94c76ddcb54b1cc1e58cfa
---
> MD5 (./Contents/MacOS/Skype) = 9d7fa7f77b8dc2a3c2ae61737a373c11
[glenn@mac-mini ~]$

As you can see, the file CodeResources was added (this is an XML file and is added I believe by OS X and contains the code signing information as well as a hash checksum of all of the files in the application).

MOST IMPORTANTLY: Notice that the file ./Contents/MacOS/Skype which is the main Skype executable NO LONGER MATCHES ITS ORIGINAL SIGNATURE. This means that when you first run Skype your code is modifying the skype binary file. This has long been discouraged by Apple, and now breaks your app under OS 10.5.

After this first run no modifications are made inside the Skype app bundle.


IMPLICATIONS:
----------------------
Skype will no longer work more than one time on the current version of OS X (10.5) if the firewall is turned on.