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10.5.6 Laptop Airport Issues

  • April 8, 2009
  • 8 replies
  • 28 views

We are having a problem with imaging machines using a 10.5.6 base image.
Specifically, when the image is deployed onto newer Macbooks (both
plastic and aluminum) and MacBook Pros, the airport configuration does
not work. The WEP keys are still registered in the system keychain, and
the airport PLIST is correct, but the laptop will not join either
wireless network. I have tried using an external keychain install
package at imaging time paired with an On-First-Run configuration
AppleScript (using Keychain Scripting), but it does not work in
production, presumably due to limitations of keychain scripting (the
technique worked perfectly when run locally on affected machines).

This base image includes all of the latest software updates as of
yesterday (including the AirPort client update). Is anyone else
experiencing this issue, and (more importantly) have you found a fix
that works consistently?

Evan Wade

TIS Support Technician - 949-234-5500

Capistrano Unified School District

8 replies

  • April 8, 2009

Silly question, but did you build your image using the latest OS DVD in the
UniBody box? I found that if I used the Retail DVD to image the new Uni MB
And MBP machines that I would have some funky things happening. The easiest
way I've found to tell on a Uni if you've got the right OS software is to
check the Sys Prefs and see if the Energy Saver is the new icon (looks like
a compact fluorescent bulb).

Steve Wood
Director of IT
swood at integerdallas.com

The Integer Group | 1999 Bryan St. | Ste. 1700 | Dallas, TX 75201
T 214.758.6813 | F 214.758.6901 | C 940.312.2475


  • April 8, 2009

Steve

I agree.. we had the same issues here. Something about the unibody OS restore cd is different then the retail DVD and the retail DVD won't even boot our Unibody machines. So for us I have multiple configurations.. one for unibody and one for the other machines.



Kathie Iorizzo
Lower School Technician
The Latin School of Chicago
kiorizzo at latinschool.org
312.582.6136


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  • Honored Contributor
  • April 8, 2009

We had the same problem but it is because the password for the keychains don't match. I posted a link to a script a week or two ago that would allow you to script SSIDs, keychains, and all of that jazz out to the end user. It should be in the casper mail archive.



Thomas Larkin
TIS Department
KCKPS USD500
tlarki at kckps.org
blackberry: 913-449-7589
office: 913-627-0351


  • April 8, 2009

We have been successfully running our generic 10.5.6 build on all macs
including new unibody macbooks.

As for the Energy Saver prefs, you can use pacifist to grab the
EnergySaver.prefpane from a unibody Install DVD and add it to your old
image. I'm crossing my fingers that 10.5.7 will update Energy Saver so
its consistent on all 10.5 machines.

Chad


  • April 8, 2009

Which installer did you use to create this image? Retail or what came with
the machine. If retail, which version of OS was it?

Thanx


  • April 8, 2009

This is our build that started as 10.5.0 Retail and has slowly been
updated and tweaked since.


John_Wetter
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  • Hall of Fame
  • April 8, 2009

Apple and JAMF both say you must always use the most recent hardware to build your image. Not all 10.5.6's are created equal. It's important to look at the build number. The build is what is important. On the new macbooks and MBP's you'll notice that the build of the OS is 9S2110 or larger. The actual release of 10.5.6 available is 9S55. 9S55 will not have the drivers for the latest white macbook or the latest iMac and also the latest MBP. So... you'll need to make a new base from that new hardware. If it isn't really time sensitive I'd do yourself a favor and wait until 10.5.7, but if like me you didn't have that option, you'll need to make a new base image. I names mine 10.5.6_base_build9S2110.dmg instead of the normal 10.5.x_base.dmg name scheme so that I know it's a special build.

Apple usually updates all the drivers at the next dot update. 10.4.11 did not include these drivers, which means the aluminum iMacs that shipped with Tiger will forever need a special build unless you purchase the Leopard update.

John

--
John Wetter
Technology Support Administrator
Educationsl Technology, Media & Information Services
Hopkins Public Schools
952-988-5373


  • April 9, 2009

I know its not officially supported but I have the newest white macbooks
running 10.5.6 9G55 instead of the 9G2110 build they came with. I havn't
noticed any problems with it so I figure they will be fine until 10.5.7
comes out.

Chad