Sky Go On Mac app bounces from menu bar - Won't launch

[mttJames]

Same issue as previously (which took an age to fix), where the app just bounces a couple times and then disappears.

Previous thread was locked as it was fixed, but it's broken again following what I assume to be a recent update.

A bit ridiculous now?

Moderator note: Amended title to better reflect query

[caesarome]

Does this work for you:

https://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Sky-Go/unable-to-download-Sky-Go-app-to-new-MacBook-Pro/m-p/4691789/hig...

If not you can report this issue to the apps team via this email address so if you do make sure you give them the details of what you mac is running - apps@sky.uk

[mttJames]

Yup. Tried installing with Rosetta and nothing.

[amanneedsnoname]

Same for me, although I'm on an Intel Mac so there's no option presented to me to open with Rosetta.

Exactly the same issues as described by me and several others in the locked thread mentioned by @mttJames (or at least I'm assuming you meant https://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Sky-Go/Sky-Go-macOS-app-does-not-open-after-latest-update/td-p/4650130). It took 3 months to fix it last time, and now we've had less than 3 months of being able to use it before we're back here again.

As a workaround, disabling wifi before launching the app and then re-enabling once it's open will skip attempting to download the broken update. Hardly ideal though - as mentioned by @J4ckski who originally suggested it.

Hoping this gains some traction again. Instructing us to contact the apps team individually and directly is all well and good, but the only reason it got fixed last time seemed to be due to the sheer volume of people reporting the same complaint on the same thread. Surely that's the whole point of having the forum?

I did a search before posting and it seems that others may also be having the same problems, but thanks to the forum's sub-optimal organisation and the fact that the previous thread detailing this issue was locked, people are either posting their own individual threads or reviving other loosely related / unrelated old threads from a year ago or more.

@Molly53, @niarobi, @DLM, does the thread linked above describe the issue you're having?

I'm also curious if @jlolol or @BriggsBridget from the other thread might be having the same experience?

[DLM]

No mine either got stuck looking for an update, or in a loop looking for update, downloading app again, looking for update, downloading app again...

I seemed to remember there was a way to download Rosetta on intel macs, but I also remember a post saying that if the "get info" of an app describes it as "universal" (which it should be if it's the August 2nd 20.33 uploader), then it should work with Intel and Apple silicon.

[amanneedsnoname]

Thanks for the reply.

No mine either got stuck looking for an update, or in a loop looking for update, downloading app again, looking for update, downloading app again...

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Interestingly, that was also my initial experience when it first attempted to download the latest 24.2.3 update. After the 3rd or 4th time it went through the loop you describe, I decided to check in my `myusername/Applications` folder rather than in the regular `Applications/` folder, and sure enough the new version had been downloaded - just to the wrong location. As always happen when Sky attempts to update itself. Every. Single. Time.

I quit out of Sky Go and the installer, moved the new version across to the correct location, opened it and immediately hit the wall of the new version just bouncing once in the dock and then silently quitting itself. I've tried removing all the installation files across the various locations mentioned in the proposed "solutions" in the other thread, restarting, reinstalling via direct download from the Sky website etc., but I'm always met with the same single bounce and quit. Just like the last time this happened.

Fortunately I had zipped a backup copy of v24.1.3-3 so I can still access via the wifi-off workaround for now. Anyone else following the usual proposed fix of "delete everything then empty the trash" would possibly benefit from doing the same.

My "Get Info" description for v24.2.3 shows as "Application (Intel)" and a creation date of 18th October.

In any case, I still can't fathom why we're always instructed to open an Intel app via a translation layer designed to make Intel apps compatible with Apple Silicon, and that's somehow meant to fix the problem of an app supposedly specifically written for an Intel processor failing to open on my machine which has an Intel processor.

[TPD]

I've got this problem. Intel Mac, Sky Go working fine, Sky Go stops.  Error message ambiguous, so researched on here. Advice was to unistall, reboot and reinstall.  Uninstalled, rebooted and now new SkyGoInstaller.app simply doesn't install.  It stalls with the download bar not moving, and then times out, a minute or so later claiming the wifi was interrupted (which is wasn't, but that's Sky as well, so .......).

I've tried every single action suggested on the multiple threads here (several times as I'm not a techie), none work, same result every time.

Sky, you need to sort your tech support out and actually offer a service, not rely on your customers for self-help solutions.

[DLM]

I left mine in User/applications, and seems ok there. To clarify that August build was for the initial SkyGo installer from the Sky website, not the actual app. There are threads recommending that particular installer.

[amanneedsnoname]

To clarify that August build was for the initial SkyGo installer from the Sky website…

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Weird, when I download the Installer from Sky's website, it does indeed say it's Universal - but it states version 1.1.0, with a creation date of 18 October 🤷‍♂️.

[amanneedsnoname]

Taking another brief look at the other recently active threads, it seems maybe @jrb123, @aradam, @maddap, @Marek222  might also be experiencing this problem?

[amanneedsnoname]

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@aradam wrote:

I have an intel macbook pro 2011 and 2012 running open source Sequoia and after yesterdays update I have Sky down on both macs again I used to be able to fix this by zapping the Pram then installing an older version and then got the update but that is not working anymore.

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I wonder if the devs have for whatever reason reenabled the requirement for SIP again. I require SIP disabled so unfortunately I have no way of checking if this is in fact the case. I believe this is also the case if you're running MacOS via Opencore on an older machine.

Perhaps @david21g (who was very helpful in discovering this aspect within the previous thread linked above) might be able to weigh in again?

[aradam]

I switched sif off by booting from my memory stick and running the command csrutil disable in the terminal but that didn't change anything.

[amanneedsnoname]

Just to clarify, the previous issue detailed requiring SIP to be enabled (ie. csrutil enable) for Sky Go to work (see post https://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Sky-Go/Sky-Go-macOS-app-does-not-open-after-latest-update/m-p/4676533#M...)

I don't know if that's the case again here and my mac setup means I can't check it directly myself. I don't have any experience as to whether or not Opencore itself requires SIP to be fully or partially disabled.

I'm just spitballing ideas in the absence of anyone official chiming in with any solutions beyond the usual goto of "delete everything, restart, reinstall, click the option to open with Rosetta (if it even exists on your machine), keep your fingers crossed etc.". @Daniel-F  was particularly helpful in coordinating all the efforts last time this happened.

[Daniel-F]

HI everyone, 

Thanks for coming to Community and sharing this information about Sky Go.

I want to be clear on everyones specific experience and ensure they all match up.

Can everyone please explain to me the issue from launch of app to occurance of faultstep by step including any error messages seen in full?  If you are seeing someones explanation of their own issue matches exactly your own, please refer to them in your answer.

Also, I would like you to confirm your Mac Model and current software version of your MACos

Putting this to the top of the thread as the marked answer (for now) just so it's easy to see for new users joining the thread.

Thanks,

[amanneedsnoname]

Thanks for coming back on this quickly @Daniel-F.

Can everyone please explain to me the issue from launch of app to occurance of fault step by step including any error messages seen in full? 

The first thing that alerted me to there being any problem was when I opened Sky Go on Monday(28/10) evening and it attempted to auto update, but got caught in the endless loop as described by @DLM. The updater started, v24.2.3 was downloaded successfully (but to `~/Applications/` rather than the standard `Applications/` folder) and then it would simply reopen the existing v24.1.3-3 and repeat the whole update process again and again.

After quitting both v24.1.3-3 and the installer app, whenever I open the newly downloaded v24.2.3 it just bounces in the dock and then closes itself. I've not been presented with any error messages at any point, it just quits itself silently every time - the exact same symptoms as I described in the previous thread linked above, and also as mentioned again here in the OP by @mttJames.

Also, I would like you to confirm your Mac Model and current software version of your MACos.

Intel-based Mac running Ventura 13.6.4.

What I've attempted so far:

- Deleted Sky Go app  (and any previous instances of SkyGoInstaller)

- Removed Sky Go files (ie. from `~/Library/Application Support/`  etc.)

- Empty Recycling Bin 

- Restart the Mac (including resetting NVRAM / PRAM)

- Download and reinstall Sky Go (directly via the installer available from the Sky website)

Other possibly pertinent info:

- I'm unable to "Open with Rosetta" as @caesarome originally suggested - there is no option for me to do so when viewing "Get Info" for the Sky Go app.

- If I put my backup of the previous v24.1.3-3 back in my `Applications/` folder and turn wifi before launching it, it opens without issue. But the newer v24.2.3 is completely dead in the water and always quits itself silently after bouncing in the dock.