Update crashes Safari - Version 3.2 (5525.26.12)

Today morning an update notification popped-up on my Leopard. It was for Safari - Version 3.2(5525.26.12). This version addresses a number of bugs including - image handling, XML file processing, and several security vulnerabilities. In addition, the update adds support for anti-phishing technology to help protect users from malicious websites.

Looking at all the enhancements made available to the newer version I decided to update my Safari to the newer Version 3.2 (5525.26.12). This is how I updated my Safari.

1. Exit Safari, if using.
2. Upgrade your Safari to Version 3.2 (5525.26.12) by downloading and installing update from Apple just as you would do for any normal Apple application.
   
3. After you download and install the update, it will ask you to reboot your machine for update to take effect.
4. Reboot your machine.

While update provides the necessary bug fixes and enhancements, I have started seeing Safari crashes in about every 30 seconds. After much of digging at the crash reports, I realized that a third-party plugin called PithHelmet was the culprit.

I thought of reinstalling the PithHelmet to get it working again. But it seems I'd have to wait for an update from the plugin developer to restore the functionality. 

I installed PithHelmet on suggestion that this will effectively block ads while using Safari. Unfortunately, that was not the case. All in all, PithHelmet was making the browsing experience worse. So, I decided to uninstall the PithHelmet plugin.

Now, the question arises for me is "How do I uninstall PithHelmet?"

From the site:

Trashing the PithHelmet.bundle from /Library/Application Support/SIMBL/Plugins/ folder will effectively remove PithHelmet from Safari...Unfortunately, it did not solve the problem.

With the help of Pacifist, I started analyzing PithHelmet. I found out that it comes with 2 packages. PithHelmet and its secondary component DuctTape.

To delete all remains of PithHelmet from your system, trash the following files/folders:

1. Exit Safari
2. Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/SIMBL/Plugins/PithHelmet
3. /Library/Application Support/PithHelmet
4. Macintosh HD/Library/Receipts/PithHelmet.pkg
5. Macintosh HD/Library/Receipts/DuctTape.pkg
6. Macintosh HD/Library/Frameworks/Ducttape.framework
7. Start Safari...and....you are good to GO.

The same technique should be used to uninstall other plugins. "Concierge" -  the bookmark manager and "AcidSearch" - the search enhancement software may be other plugins for Safari crash.

Hope this would help and solve your Safari crash issues.