Biggins1112

Q: old school computers

We were donated some old imac powermac4,2 from a school. The internet works on them, but when i try to update the software on them it says " Software Update can't find the update server. Make sure you're connected to the internet, then try again." When i click on network diagnostics it says "Cannot connect to server. Network diagnostics was able to connect to the internet, but not to the server "school server name". How do I stop it from trying to connect to the old school server when trying to update software? Thanks

iMac, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Jan 24, 2015 10:49 AM

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Q: old school computers

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  • by Kappy,

    Kappy Kappy Jan 24, 2015 10:52 AM in response to Biggins1112
    Level 10 (270,283 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 24, 2015 10:52 AM in response to Biggins1112

    Apple no longer provides support for them. If you wish to update software then you will need to shop for it on eBay.

  • by rccharles,

    rccharles rccharles Jan 24, 2015 12:31 PM in response to Biggins1112
    Level 6 (8,464 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    Jan 24, 2015 12:31 PM in response to Biggins1112

    Lots of schools usea  proxy server.  Check out your ethernet configuration.

     

    blue apple > system preferences > network

     

    check on the proxy tab see what you have.

     

    Post back for other ideas.

  • by Biggins1112,

    Biggins1112 Biggins1112 Jan 24, 2015 1:11 PM in response to rccharles
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 24, 2015 1:11 PM in response to rccharles

    Under proxies it has configure proxies manually and the only other thing that is checked is use passive FTP mode (PASV)

  • by rccharles,

    rccharles rccharles Jan 24, 2015 2:09 PM in response to Biggins1112
    Level 6 (8,464 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    Jan 24, 2015 2:09 PM in response to Biggins1112

    Well, get rid off all that.  I do not know what checking the box will do and not configuring.  Keep the connection away from proxies.

     

    Robert

  • by rccharles,

    rccharles rccharles Jan 24, 2015 3:15 PM in response to rccharles
    Level 6 (8,464 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    Jan 24, 2015 3:15 PM in response to rccharles

    We were donated some old imac powermac4,2 from a school.

    This is the mac:

    http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/specs/imac_800_fp.html

     

    The internet works on them, but when i try to update the software on them it says " Software Update can't find the update server.

    I check for updates on my 10.4.11 system.  I didn't find any update.  No problems with the check. If you are running 10.4.11 you have the latest software.  There could have been security fixes.

     

    Network diagnostics was able to connect to the internet, but not to the server "school server name".


    What your saying is that it tries to connect to the school server instead of the apple update server. There are network caching servers, but I didn't think that the individual mac computer would notice them.  Maybe they messed with the Internet routing.

    Check out /etc/hosts.  One could redefine the meaning of an internet address.  Crazy to do this.

     

    Here is my terminal command.

    /Application/Utilities/Temrinal

    Press return to run command.


     mac $  cat /etc/hosts
    ##
    # Host Database
    #
    # localhost is used to configure the loopback interface
    # when the system is booting.  Do not change this entry.
    ##
    127.0.0.1    localhost
    255.255.255.255    broadcasthost
    ::1             localhost 
     mac $  
    
    

     

     

    How do I stop it from trying to connect to the old school server when trying to update software? Thanks

     

    School do all sorts of crazy stuff. To protect themselves from the internet.

     

    Perhaps you should re-install.

    Restore Tiger 10.4 & Leopard 10.5  DVDs may be available/are available from Apple by calling  1(800) 275-2273. Have your serial number ready. Have your credit card ready too.  There may be a small fee.

    Another number to try is 800-767-2775.

    https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4720126?tstart=0  -- January 20,2013

    https://discussions.apple.com/message/24588313#24588313 -- January 22,2014

     

     

    --------------------------------------------------------------

     

    TenFourFox -- It's a port of the latest FireFox to run on older hardware and software.

    "World's most advanced web browser. Finely tuned for the Power PC."

        --  works for me on 10.4.  Supports 10.5

    http://www.floodgap.com/software/tenfourfox/

    alternative download site:

    http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/37761/tenfourfox

     

    Turn on pipelining.  This will allow Firefox to make simaltaneous requests to the server.  Chrome has pipeling turned on. Some sites could fail to load with pipeling set on. The site will be old. See "Increase pipelining" in:

     

    http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/firefox-optimization-tips/

     

    OmniWeb uses the lastest Safari framework.  The open source WebKit. Other browsers like Safari and iCab use the OS version of WebKit.  The OmniWeb downloaded dmg includes it's own copy of the latest WebKit.

    http://www.omnigroup.com/products/omniweb/

     

    Safari 4.1.3 for Tiger

    http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1069

  • by Biggins1112,

    Biggins1112 Biggins1112 Jan 24, 2015 7:44 PM in response to rccharles
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 24, 2015 7:44 PM in response to rccharles

    Thanks for all the help. Since I have the latest software I guess thats as good as its going to get.

  • by rccharles,

    rccharles rccharles Jan 25, 2015 12:14 PM in response to Biggins1112
    Level 6 (8,464 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    Jan 25, 2015 12:14 PM in response to Biggins1112

    You do want to check out what and if the school is playing around with the ip addresses.

     

    Another thing to look at is your DNS address.  Could be going to their own server and altering addresses.

     

    Change to the google DNS server.

     

    8.8.8.8

    8.8.4.4

     

    I've switched to google it is faster and more secure.

     

    see here:

     

    tigerethernet.png

     

    Robert