This Mac user is particularly cranky today. I got my copy of Mac OS 10.5 Leopard like a good little Mac user and installed it on my aluminum 24-inch iMac via the Archive and Install option. I then went through the process of creating a new user account, copying over my bookmarks, mailboxes, address book, calendar, files, etc., as well as reinstalling all of my apps.

My OCD felt much better having a nice, clean, system. After reinstalling the iLife apps from my System Restore discs, there were some updates available, so I started the system update process. Halfway through, my system took a hard freeze and I couldn’t do anything. I even connected via SSH from another machine and tried to kill potential suspects that might have been causing the freeze. Nothing. I tried to reboot from the command line. Nothing.

With no other recourse, I did the unthinkable: I held down the power button. Not a terribly big deal, right?

Upon rebooting, I was welcomed with the registration window that appears the first time you boot up a new Mac. “Weird, but that’s fine,” I thought. I filled it out. Upon finishing, the window disappeared and reappeared, asking me to fill it out all over again. And again. And again.

I’m completely locked out of my computer because I can’t get past that registration window, and don’t know what to do without reinstalling the OS again.

Here’s one cranky Leopard user. At least, I wish I could use it.

UPDATE: This issue is confirmed on Apple’s support page. I discovered this from Ars Technica’s Infinite Loop blog (ironic, isn’t it?) in the iMac 1.2.1 Update article.