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Why won't AirPort Utility 5.6 install on OS 10.7.5? Have tried several times on 2 computers and continually get error

I have an older airport express that cannot be configured with 6.2. I have tried to install 5.6 as instructed on 2 computers, both with OS 10.7.5 and in both cases repeatededly get an error during installation saying to contact software manufacturer.

Posted on Mar 24, 2013 10:31 AM

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Posted on Mar 24, 2013 10:33 AM

If you are already running AirPort Utility 6, you can't install AirPort 5.6 using the installer because you are trying to install an older version than the one you have.


You have to do different steps in order to install that version. See > http://frank.is/mountain-lion-and-the-old-airport-utility/

16 replies

Mar 24, 2013 10:40 AM in response to tswygert

Yes, installing it is not as simple as you may think. First you need to remove AU 6.2. Then you have to use Pacifist 3.0.10 to install AU 5.6.


Open the Terminal in your Utilities folder. Enter or paste this line into the Terminal window:


sudo rm -rf


Put a space after "rf" then drag the Airport Utility icon from your Utilities folder into the Terminal window. Press RETURN.


Now open Pacifist and drag your AU 5.6 installer into Pacifist to open the installer. Select the topmost entry in the window, then click on the Install icon in the toolbar. This will install the older version. You may get message dialogs about overwriting existing files with the same name. Let Pacifist overwrite those files.

Mar 24, 2013 10:47 AM in response to tswygert

Catch 22. Apple is the software manufacturer, so you may need to contact them for this specific issue.


AirPort Utility 5.6 will not install on Mountain Lion 10.8.x either, using Apple's installer. But, there are several workarounds that seem to allow this.


One of them is discussed in this article:


http://www.macworld.com/article/1167965/mountain_lion_and_the_ancient_airport_ba se_station.html


I do not have a Lion 10.7.5 Mac here to test, but can say that the workaround does work on Mountain Lion for me. Follow the instructions in Pacifist to manually "extract" the AirPort Utility 5.6 application and install it in the Utilities folder on your Mac.


It might work on Lion, if you want to give it a try. Otherwise, if you do not want to contact Apple, you could use another Mac....if available.... running an earlier operating system to configure the Express. Even a PC would work for the same purpose.

Mar 24, 2013 10:46 AM in response to tswygert

Thank you for your answers. My frustration prompted the question and your answers are appreciated. While waiting for answers I continued searching and discovered a free application from another thread called unpkg that allowed me to unpack the 5.2 files bypassing the installer. The unpacked 5.6 worked and I still have 6.2 on my system.

Thanks again

Sep 15, 2014 11:41 AM in response to tswygert

Here's the fix, gents...


1. Download airport utility 5.6

2. Download and install Pacifist

3. Open Pacifist.

4. Choose open package and navigate to the downloaded airport utility 5.6

5. Download airport utility 5.6 into Pacifist

6. Navigate to airport 5.6.app in Pacifist menu and drag and drop into Applications/Utilities folder

7. Open Airport Utility 5.6 from Applications/Utilities folder

Why won't AirPort Utility 5.6 install on OS 10.7.5? Have tried several times on 2 computers and continually get error

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