iMac WiFi drivers mystery

[retta283]

I have two Aluminum iMacs, both running Tiger Server 10.4.11, installed from 10.4.7 media and updated.

The first is an Early 2008 20", which has working WiFi, but no sound or graphics drivers. It is Penryn, so I know it's a 2008.

The second is a Mid 2007 24", which works entirely, but WiFi does not work. I've installed the latest AirPort drivers I could find, and it still does not detect the WiFi card. I cannot source the install discs, nor can I find them online. Any clue what I can do to get the WiFi working on this thing?

 

[Amethyst1]

The second is a Mid 2007 24", which works entirely, but WiFi does not work. [...] I cannot source the install discs, nor can I find them online.

Mac OS X 10.4.10 - iMac Restore DVD - 2Z691-6104-A - 2Z691-6113-A : Apple Computer, Inc. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Mac OS X 10.4.10 - iMac Restore DVD - 2Z691-6104-A - 2Z691-6113-A

archive.org

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I suggest also using this as a baseline on the 2008, but updating to 10.4.11 before booting up. Does yours have the Radeon 2600? I don't think the 2400 will work.

 

[retta283]

Mac OS X 10.4.10 - iMac Restore DVD - 2Z691-6104-A - 2Z691-6113-A : Apple Computer, Inc. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Mac OS X 10.4.10 - iMac Restore DVD - 2Z691-6104-A - 2Z691-6113-A

archive.org

[automerge]1586507151[/automerge]
I suggest also using this as a baseline on the 2008, but updating to 10.4.11 before booting up. Does yours have the Radeon 2600? I don't think the 2400 will work.

Mine is a 2400, so from what I've read, the sound will never work on that one without an external DAC.

 

[Amethyst1]

Mine is a 2400, so from what I've read, the sound will never work on that one without an external DAC.

I was thinking of the graphics. Tiger has drivers for the 2400/2600 - but that's only if you use either the 10.4.10 discs for the 2007 iMac or install the following update which Software Update pulls down automatically on the 2007 but not on the 2008. (Thanks to @LightBulbFun for pointing this out.)

http://macintoshgarden.org/apps/imac-2007-software-update-121

It includes files superseded in 10.4.11, so I'd crack it open with Pacifist and "install" only the files meant to go into /System/Library/Extensions, leaving the other folders untouched.

 

[LightBulbFun]

I think the 2400 XT should work as that shipped with the lower end 2007 iMacs as well

 

[Amethyst1]

I think the 2400 XT should work as that shipped with the lower end 2007 iMacs as well

That is correct, of course. Thanks!

 

[retta283]

Currently I have GPU acceleration on both, but still, no sound on the 20", and no WiFi on the 24".

I'm more concerned with getting the WiFi working on the 24", as it's the machine I'm more interested in using. So far I have not found any reason why it won't work with me, but I am assuming my only chance is to reinstall using the provided media.

 

[AphoticD]

@retta283 it might seem like a silly question, but is the WiFi card in your 24" iMac known to work in later OS versions? It wasn't uncommon for the WiFi boards to burn out in the Early intel Macs. I've replaced a few of these little cards in the black-back Alu iMacs.

 

[retta283]

@retta283 it might seem like a silly question, but is the WiFi card in your 24" iMac known to work in later OS versions? It wasn't uncommon for the WiFi boards to burn out in the Early intel Macs. I've replaced a few of these little cards in the black-back Alu iMacs.

Yes, it works under all other versions of the OS. I'm not sure why it doesn't work in Tiger, yet the 2008 does.

 

[Amethyst1]

Can the new Penryn Macbook Pro's run Tiger?

I know this is an OLD thread, but I wanted to say, I have Tiger working perfect now. I have an external drive with 4 partitions (one for each OS X release since and including Tiger). I use to test apps I make among other things. OK, on how to do it... I used a MacBook2,1 disc. I am using a...

forums.macrumors.com

This post talks about WiFi. Might be worth giving a shot.
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reinstall using the provided media.

That's what I'd do.