This issue seems to happen after OSX updates via Software Update. It's strange how the recent version works for some people but not for others. I've noticed this has been the case for a no. of versions that have been released. Reinstalling Java using the Standalone installer or OS Combo often fixes the bouncing in dock problem. (Standalone a.k.a. "Offline" means the installer program is saved to your computer & thus not installed over the net such as the Software Update does. Sometimes Java becomes damaged/incomplete which is why reinstalling it works. Sometimes the OS update has bugs or results in bug issues in Java)

1. (a) Make sure you have the most recent version of Java. (b) Try the Standalone Java installer & Panther users can also see THIS article by Apple, OR Tiger users see Bouncing Limewire fixed OK for me or get most recent Java installer again (or equivalent "Offline" Java version as you already have) because installing over the net can cause side fx. Tiger users using Java 1.5 get the offline version HERE! (you can use the Java Utility to force LimeWire to use Java 1.5 as described here Setting up Java 1.5). Java 1.5 is only available for OSX 10.4 or OSX 10.5. ___ For Leopard OSX 10.5, see Java preferences. _ Making sure your Java version is up to date is very important, see Java version used & Updating Java. ___ (J2SE 5.0 = Java 1.5, SE 6 = Java 1.6, etc.) LimeWire 5 requires Java 1.6

2. Do a (a) Safe Mode start & (b) Repair Permissions, & then if necessary check with (c) Disk Utility & fsck, & if necessary run all other mac & 3rd party utilities (eg: DiskWarrior, Norton Utilities & AV, TechTool Pro) on your computer. &/OR (d) Resolving Disk, Permission, and Cache Corruption. For those of you who are not sure, see THIS post about using Disk Utility to Repair Permissions after a Safe Boot

3. Uninstall LW completely (do a complete search to make sure you have trashed every single LW item incl. prefs. - though you could move the incomplete files including download.dat & bak somewhere else temporarily.) Then reinstall.

4. Try out the LW Beta version (Pro users will find download link at bottom or right side of their personal dwnld page)

5. Install in a new admin user account to isolate a home account problem (Setting up a Test Account in OSX instructions)

6. Go back to earlier version of LW until a new update comes out. (LW site have removed the older version link, we supply a few here.)

7. (a) Be radical & start completely over by reinstalling OSX & updates & then LW (as last resort only.) (b) Else, & probably 'preferable' is to install the Apple Combo Standalone installer. Updating over the net can sometimes cause issues so using a standalone installer & in one installation hit such as the combo seems to overcome some of those issues.

8. Try the Jum Nightly Builds which is a beta (more experimental than the regular LW beta) but easier to install. (No totally built versions have been made for a while unfortunately.)

9. * This option only applies to users of Mac intel computers with OSX 10.5 or later. OSX users who cannot run LW 4.18 or 5 on their systems when they do have intel computers & do have Java 1.6 may need to reinstall OSX from scratch. An 'Archive & Install' option will not fix the problem. The problem extends from the original OSX installation. So you will need to choose 'Erase and Install' with the installer. You would need to back up all your files before doing this because the process will totally erase your OSX drive!!! Please back up all personal files first onto an external storage device, including those from other accounts on same computer. (To check if you do have Java 1.6, see Setting up Java for Leopard.) To reiterate, double & triple check you have backed up all personal files before using this option, please.

All these suggestions have worked! But they don't all work for everybody. One of them should/will!

* NOTE: You get the "Null error" message in the Apple installer when a OS X thinks a more recent version is installed. Double-click the harddrive icon, open the Library, open the Receipts folder, then find the file: Install LimeWire.pkg, delete it and try again. (Go to OSX>Library>Receipts folder & view in list mode. Then delete any old LW versions listed. Then try to install.) This same principle also applies to the Standalone Java installer. Sometimes the OS says it's already up to date ... so you dump that particular Java or whatever installed version from the receipts folder.(But only in this case since the receipts packages are normally very important for OSX such as to refer to when repairing using Disk Utility.)

(click to see larger view of sample image (OSX 10.3 Panther sample))

Some people have been confused by the icons so I'm reposting so the icons are how many people would expect to see them. I have simply listed these in Column view mode to make it easier to show where to find the receipt package files. These receipt files are necessary for the system & should not be deleted under normal circumstances. Location is: OSX -> Library -> Receipts

(click thumbnail to see sample image in full size)

For Equivalent for Tiger 10.4.x sample image, click thumbnail to see larger view:
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Try setting up a Test account & try opening LW from there & see if it has same problems. Sometimes problems can be account specific. Use your System Preferences to set up a new account.

In sample image below, you see I already have an account set up called Test. And one of the test accounts is active at that time. Easy to swap between accounts using login window at top right of screen.

(click to see larger view of sample image)

Next to mac clock is Account drop down menu so you can swap between accounts with ease:

(click to see larger view of sample image)
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LW must be CLOSED before you delete your LW preferences folder. To find your LW preferences folder, open your osx hard disk drive, open the Users folder inside, then open your name account folder (eg: lord rings), then open the folder called Library, then open the folder called Preferences. You will find the LimeWire folder inside the Preferences folder. Select it & press delete button or drag & drop to the trash. Empty the trash before opening LW again. Next time you open LW you will need to reset your options & LW will create a fresh set of preferences. We recommend deleting LW prefs folder before upgrading to Pro because Pro sometimes does not behave well with the older preferences. Make a note of any important settings from your LW settings before doing this. Once you open LW next time, you will need to reset all your options again.

* Note: If you are using LW 4.18 or 5, deleting your LW preferences folder will also delete your download preferences file. We recommend you find the file called Downloads.dat within the Limewire preferences folder, remove it & put it somewhere safe. Then trash the preferences folder whilst LW is closed. Open LW, re-do the setup questions, then close LW. Now, go back to the 'new' preferences folder, replace the new Downloads.dat file with the old one. This will return your download history. Remember only do this whilst LW is closed. This does not apply to LW 4.16 or earlier because the downloads.dat file was stored in the incomplete folder in those older versions. (Step 7 in sample image shows where to find the Downloads.dat file for LW 5 & 4.18 users. Step 7 of course should be done before step 8.)

OSX -> Users -> Account Name -> Library -> Preferences -> LimeWire

eg: OSX -> Users -> lord rings -> Library -> Preferences -> LimeWire

(click to see larger view of sample image, click the pop-up attachment again to see in full window of its own)

Or via OSX Terminal: open ~/Library/Preferences/LimeWire

You might also consider backing up the Library.dat and Library5.dat files and the xml folder which keeps a record of your shares and your previous downloads within Library. The xml folder contains specifics and descriptions of library & shared files but might also be guilty of becoming corrupted.
If you do backup the Library.dat, etc. files then upon re-opening LW the program will re-create the preferences folder. You will then need to shutdown the LW program and then return the items you backed up earlier. Do not return the items whilst LW is open otherwise LW will simply ignore them and overwrite them.

Or via OSX Terminal: and simply locate the folder from there.

Or automatically delete the folder without removing items:
Warning: The rm command is a potentially risky command because the item is instantly deleted and no recovery is possible (does not go to the Trash.)
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Tiger users should update their Java to 1.5 / Leopard users check their Java version used if problems for better efficiency with LimeWire. You can tell the Tiger OSX 10.4 system whether to use java 1.4 or 1.5 About Java 2 Platform Standard Edition (J2SE) 5.0 Release 1 for Tiger. More instructions here Setting up Java 1.5 for Tiger OSX 10.4 users. ____ For Leopard OSX 10.5 users, see Java Preferences for Leopard OSX 10.5 users, as swapping from Java 1.5 to 1.6 or back may fix your problem.

Whichever OSX version you are using, make sure you have the latest Java version on your computer by going to Apple icon drop-down menu at top left of menu bar, choose Software Update. After it searches, select the Install button. After any updates of this kind, always Repair Permissions.

(click to see larger view of sample image)
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All LW 5 users should replace their gnutella.net file so LW will be able to connect. LW 4 users may occasionally have a problem with needing this file to be replaced.

Connection problems? Try replacing the gnutella.net file from inside the LW preferences folder. This should only be done whilst LW is closed. The following link will take you to a file hosting site where you can download a file named gnutella.net. Gnutella.net & an alternative is RapidShare - gnutella.net
If that link doesn't work, try this other one. gnutella.net.


To replace your old gnutella.net file, find your LimeWire (LW) preferences folder:

OSX -> Users -> Account Name -> Library -> Preferences -> LimeWire

eg: OSX -> Users -> lord rings -> Library -> Preferences -> LimeWire

Or via OSX Terminal: See sample image below about an example of how to replace the file. You can simply drag & drop the file onto the LW preferences folder & choose to replace the file.

(click to see larger view of sample image)



Alternatively, you can open the LW preferences folder, trash the gnutella.net file inside, and move the one you downloaded into the folder.

(click to see larger view of sample image)
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