Here some tips when you are upgrading your system:

(a) Before upgrading : open the program "disk utility" and "repair permissions" (and do the same after you have upgraded your whole system)

(b) If you are having a problem with a system upgrade, download the stand alone "combo installer" from Apple's website ( http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/ )

(c) After you have upgraded the system (OS), you can upgrade the other programs (including Safari) you want to upgrade through "software update" (under the apple on the left upper corner of the screen). Or by downloading the stand alone installers at http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/ .

(d) As you are on a dial-up connection it can take very very long to get the installers donloaded (the Combined Update 10.3.9 alone is 117MB!). Do you know someone with a DSL- or Cable connection? You can download it much faster on his/her computer and burn the installers on a cd. If not, you can download everything at night when you are asleep or when you are out at daytime.