Does the 8G iPod nano work with 10.3.9 Panther?

woffl · #1 December 10th, 2007, 02:07 PM

Hi there,

Probably this has been asked before, but I can't find the thread. I'd like to give an 8G iPod nano to a person that runs an iBook G4 under 10.3.9 and I wonder whether the nano and Panther are compatible.
Because: The Apple Store lists iTunes 7.4 and System 10.4.8 as minimum requirements. However, iTunes 7.4 itself runs fine under Panther. So I do not understand why 10.4.8 should be needed.

Any hints very welcome, I don't want to make a gift that causes only trouble...

Woffl

**Giaguara** · #2 December 10th, 2007, 02:51 PM

iTunes adds part of the functionality, but Mac OS X system and updates need another part to the system, for telling not only iTunes but Mac OS X that the device connected is an iPod nano.

Maybe the install discs (not bundled with any hardware model) for Mac OS X 10.4 could be got for cheap e.g. from ebay. If your friend's iBook G4 runs 10.3 fine, 10.4 has about the same system requirements. (10.5 would be a bit slow on it so I believe 10.4 would be a better choice).

woffl · #3 December 11th, 2007, 04:22 PM

Thank you for your reply. Apparently Panther and the new nano really do not work together. It's a pity.

During my searches I found this official compatibility chart and I think it is worth to spread the link:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=60971

What can I do now? Buying Tiger on eBay could be a solution, but a 'real' license costs nearly a hundred bucks. What sells for less are installation CDs that came with some Mac. I doubt that it is 100% legal to sell them without the computer they shipped with, so I could just as well use my own Tiger install CDs to update my friend's iBook. The point is: I wanted to give an iPod, not to steal software :-)

I recommended Apple through a feedback form on their website that they should offer Tiger as a $20 option to iPod customers. How knows, maybe ...

Otherwise it will probably be the iPod shuffle. According to some forums, changing the colors did not break Panther compatibility (after all...)

Wolf

nicoatridge · #4 December 25th, 2007, 01:16 PM

Yes, I gave the Mrs an iPod for Xmas and was horrified to discover I had to move from my lovely stable Panther to a more recent OS. Shame on me or not reading the small print. Shame on Apple for using the iPod as a ploy to get people to upgrade needlessly. Panther does everything I want it to do, including sync with my old iPod, but now I've got to through the hassle of shelling out for software I don't otherwise want and poring over my computer doing backups and installs, and I probably have to go to buggy, bloated Leopard rather than sleek, stable Tiger because I won't be able to source a copy of Tiger in Switzerland, where I ive. Then again I can sync the iPod to XP... never thought I'd be saying good old Windows! Or maybe it's time to ditch both Windows and Mac, get off the marketing machine's bandwagon and install Linux - there's even a Linux for iPods now.

scarybeary_100 · #5 April 3rd, 2008, 04:19 AM

you can sync your ipod classic/nano/touch with mac os x panther if you download the application "floola" (http://floola.com/) you might need to connect it first to a mac 10.4 (maybe you can do it at a friend's house?) im not sure but after that (if you do have to do that) then it WILL WORK! Hope this helps.