Cannot connect to the internet. network preferences config is blank

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Cannot connect to the internet. network preferences config is blank

Hi, Happy New Year to everyone It would be much appreciated if someone could help me.

I cannot connect to the internet. I am using an IMAC with OSX 10.5.8.but cannot even connect to a LAN or ping a router. I have triedto configure both the ethernet (wired) and Wirless port but can't even see any of these in the network configuration.If I select locations and try to add, it doesnt give me any option to type something in but, the system hangs with the spinning wheel. The configure button is set to OFF but if I select DHCP when I apply settings it goes back to off. If I try to change it manually with a static IP address it also goes to off after applying settings. I have run both Disk Utility and Onyx which fixed an error with the system disk. I have tried renaming the preference pslist & network interfaces.plist files, rebooted but these were not rebuilt as per mentioned in other forums. If I run Network diagnostics all devices have a red "FAILED" flag (Ethernet, Network Settings, ISP, Internet & Server) It says the computer has multipe locations set, current location is "%@" but no locations are listed in the select table.I have even gone back to a time machine backup ( 3 months old) and copied the pslist files to no abvail.

If anyone has any suggestions it would be fantastic.

Kind Regards Shanden

iMac, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Jan 5, 2013 5:38 AM

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Answer 1

BDAqua

Level 10

238,967 points

Jan 5, 2013 10:59 AM in response to shanden1

Hi Shanden,

To find out if it's system wide or user specific, try this...

Open System Preferences>Accounts, unlock the lock, click on the little plus icon, make a new admin account, log out & into the new account.

Does it work in the new account?

If not...

Try to get the big 10.5.8 combo on to it so we can reapply it afterwards...

1058 Combo Update, 10.5.8...

http://support.apple.com/downloads/Mac_OS_X_10_5_8_Combo_Update

Safe Boot from the HD, (holding Shift key down at bootup), run Disk Utility in Applications>Utilities, then highlight your drive, click on Repair Permissions, then move these files to the Desktop, then trash the originals since move only copies them...

/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/preferences.plist

/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.airport.preferences.plist

/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/NetworkInterfaces.plist

/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.nat.plist

Then move these to the Desktop if they exist...

/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/ByHost/com.apple.networkConnect.<12 digit number>.plist

/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.internetconnect.plist

/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist

/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist

/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.desktop.plist

/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.recentitems.plist

Reboot.

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Answer 2

shanden1 Author

Level 1

0 points

Jan 7, 2013 5:31 AM in response to BDAqua

Thank yo BD Aqua.

I tried all of your suggestions but still have the same problem. I downloaded the 10.5.8 combo on another PC then copied to the Imac using a USB key. I tried to download the Update Installer which I beleive will allow me to install this as a standalone s I dont have the interne. I cant get the update started as the instaler wont allow me to select the drive where to install it. Message says " This volume does not need installer update."

Also, a number of the plists above did not exist on my mac.

Thanks again for your help, look forward to any new suggestions.

Shanden

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