HELP: Restore software OS X

[Ines]

Hello, just joined today as my ibook bought Sept 2003 suddenly wont connect to the internet. I have broadband and its working fine on my work PC, but on the mac it cant find server. I have been told to restore my software - does any one know what to do please and will I lose all my files, iphotos etc?
I have been told to call a number but its £1.50 per minute!
Also the 3 year extra cover I bought (expensive) does not cover software problems (TYPICAL)!
thanks in advance
Ines

 

[wrldwzrd89]

Hello, just joined today as my ibook bought Sept 2003 suddenly wont connect to the internet. I have broadband and its working fine on my work PC, but on the mac it cant find server. I have been told to restore my software - does any one know what to do please and will I lose all my files, iphotos etc?
I have been told to call a number but its £1.50 per minute!
Also the 3 year extra cover I bought (expensive) does not cover software problems (TYPICAL)!
thanks in advance
Ines

This isn't too hard. Do you know if a reinstall of Mac OS X was suggested or just a restore of the other software? If it's a reinstall, as long as you select "Archive and Install", you won't lose anything. I wouldn't choose "preserve users and network settings" - you can always retrieve your important user data from the archive, which will be located in the top of your hard drive in a folder called "Previous System" (Previous System 1,2,3,etc. if you've archived before - whichever has the highest number is the most recent archive).

 

[Ines]

thanks for your help .. I am not sure, I have the following disks:

ibook Mac OS X Install
ibook Applications
ibook Software Restore 4 disks

what do you reckon I should try first?

Will I have to do the Apple updates afterwards again?

 

[wrldwzrd89]

thanks for your help .. I am not sure, I have the following disks:

ibook Mac OS X Install
ibook Applications
ibook Software Restore 4 disks

what do you reckon I should try first?

Will I have to do the Apple updates afterwards again?

I'm assuming a full restore is needed, in which case you'll need to do the disks in this order:
1. Mac OS X Install
2. Software Restore (all 4, if needed)
3. Applications

After that's done, apply all updates from Software Update, restore your important user data, reinstall any other applications you may have installed (such as Microsoft Office), and finally test everything. After that, you'll be good to go.

 

[Horrortaxi]

Reinstalling the OS will probably fix your problem, but it's kind of like shooting your dog to get it to stop barking. Before you go through all that trouble, tell us about the problem you're having getting online. It's probably something you can fix in under 5 minutes.

 

[Ines]

thanks ... ok had broadband internet with NTL since Sept 2003. Internet worked fine with Internet explorer version 5.2 and also safari 1.0.2 but all of a sudden got "the specified server could not be found" on internet explorer and safari error message says "server not found". However when looking in utilities and network utility it confirms that the computer is connected and NTL confirm that they can see the Mac online at their end. So something on the Mac is suddenly not connecting.
HOPE THIS MAKES SENSE?

Many many thanks for you help, suddenly losing the internet is like not being able to breathe you take it for granted ... on my horrible work PC at the moment.

 

[AliensAreFuzzy]

This may seem like a very stupid thing to say, but I know even the best of us sometimes forget this...
But, is the ethernet cable pluged in all of the way?

 

[Ines]

Yep, and network utilities show that its receiving packets ... and it works fine on the PC still.

 

[Ines]

Going to bed now as its 23:50 UK time ... hope someone can help further whilst I am sleeping and dreaming that the internet works on the MAC again!
thanks
Ines

 

[wrldwzrd89]

thanks ... ok had broadband internet with NTL since Sept 2003. Internet worked fine with Internet explorer version 5.2 and also safari 1.0.2 but all of a sudden got "the specified server could not be found" on internet explorer and safari error message says "server not found". However when looking in utilities and network utility it confirms that the computer is connected and NTL confirm that they can see the Mac online at their end. So something on the Mac is suddenly not connecting.
HOPE THIS MAKES SENSE?

Many many thanks for you help, suddenly losing the internet is like not being able to breathe you take it for granted ... on my horrible work PC at the moment.

I've had this problem before, and I know exactly how to fix it. Usually, resetting the network hardware can fix all sorts of problems, including this one. The way you reset the network is as follows:
1. Unplug the hub (if any).
2. Unplug the router (if any).
3. Unplug the cable/DSL modem.
4. Plug in the cable/DSL modem, and wait for it to initialize itself.
5. Plug in the router (if any), and wait for it to initialize itself.
6. Plug in the hub (if any), and wait for it to initialize itself.
7. Do all computers connect now?

 

[Ines]

I dont have a hub or anything just the ethernet cable going directly into the mac?

 

[rand()]

I dont have a hub or anything just the ethernet cable going directly into the mac?

Okay, so is this DSL or Cable? That is, do you have some modem that you're plugging the ethernet into?

Many MANY DSL and Cable modem's only allow one MAC address to work at a time. So if you're leaving the modem on, and unplugging the cable from the PC into the Mac, then the Cable modem rejects your new MAC address and gives you a crap IP address. It's still on the network, but the Cable Modem refuses to allow it access to the internet.

The solution is to unplug the Cable/DSL modem and let it set for a moment so that its memory clears out. Then when you plug it back in, make sure that it's connected to your Mac, and problem solved. However, it will then reject your Windows machine!

At that point, if you need internet access on both, you're better off getting a router.

Hope that helps.
-rand()

 

[Ines]

hi, yep i always did that, its through a cable set-top box and only one can be connected. So i always have to reset the box when switching between the PC and Mac. The PC still works, its just the MAC doesnt. Should I try the software restore then? I am VERY NERVOUS .. especially about itunes and iphotos.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

hi, yep i always did that, its through a cable set-top box and only one can be connected. So i always have to reset the box when switching between the PC and Mac. The PC still works, its just the MAC doesnt. Should I try the software restore then? I am VERY NERVOUS .. especially about itunes and iphotos.

I'd say the odds are good that a software restore would be overkill, and might not actually help you. I suspect either an addressing issue or a software incompatibilty is to blame. To determine if an address issue is the cause, check the Network pane of System Preferences. If your Built-in Ethernet has a green circle next to it, then addressing is NOT the cause. If you see yellow or red, then suspect an address problem. I'd highly recommend purchasing a Linksys or similar router and hooking up both computers to it, then hooking it to the cable modem if an address issue is to blame - this will not only eliminate further addressing problems, but will also permit the PC and Mac to use the internet simultaneously. You said you connect through a cable box - does it require any special software to connect? If it does, and there isn't a Mac version, then there's your problem.

 

[phonemonkey]

Don't know what service you have or what company its through but you might want to try to manually set the dns addresses if you are receiving packets.
phonemonkey

 

[Ines]

SORTED YIPEE!

Hi, and thanks for all your help and patience ... I had been through all the manually reset DNS addresses and I was still receiving packets.

Anyway I decided to simply re-install NTL's (the cable provider) broadband installation CD and it worked straight away .. so no restore of software and no costly call to £1.50 help line.

Thanks for your help .. see it wasnt the mac afterall!
Ines

 

[Horrortaxi]

I'm glad you got it working, but why use your provider's software? It seems like an extra unnecessary layer. Apparently nobody even thought of that as an option, if that tells you anything.