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TICKET ARCHIVE -> Installing OS X Panther on iMac G3

jokersson - Sep 10, 2006 - 5:23 am

I've been trying to install OS X on a used iMac G3 for quite some time now, with no success. It was running OS 9.2 when I got it. Since then I have tried almost everything. The iMac always hangs when "Processing OS X" - "running installer script". (5 times now) I've run Disk Utility - repair disk and repair disk permission a bunch of time, but the result is always the same.

I've successfully installed the firmware upgrade (4.1.9) as suggested. The result is the same even after I've upgraded the memory to 640MB (128MB + 512MB). I'm now at a lost, so any help is appreciated.

bobw - Sep 10, 2006 - 6:00 am

Hi Rizal

Is the 10.3 a Retail Apple system, or is it from another machine?

Do you have at least 3.5GB of free space on your drive?

bobw
http://www.macosx.com

jokersson - Sep 10, 2006 - 6:42 am

Yes, it's a retail disc (3 discs). And yes I have the free space in my blank 60GB HDD (formatted to Mac OS Extended). I'm now trying to install OS 9.2 back off the CD, thinking I can test the newly installed memory on it. But even that has not worked as the installer stalled while installing Apple Remote Access. Pls help. Thanks.

jokersson - Sep 10, 2006 - 6:52 am

Yes, it's a retail disc (3 discs). And yes I have the free space in my blank 60GB HDD (formatted to Mac OS Extended). I'm now trying to install OS 9.2 back off the CD, thinking I can test the newly installed memory on it. But even that has not worked as the installer stalled while installing Apple Remote Access. Pls help. Thanks.

bobw - Sep 10, 2006 - 7:28 am

Rizal

Boot from the 10.3 disc (#1) and open Disk Utility under the Installer Menu. Format the drive as Extended, then try installing OS X.

If that doesn't work, reformat the drive again and partition it into two partitions, making the first partition a little less than 8GB and then try installing OS X on that partition.

bobw
http://www.macosx.com

jokersson - Sep 10, 2006 - 6:14 pm

I have partitioned the drive and did as suggested, with the same result (the installer freezes 2 minutes before completion).

jokersson - Sep 11, 2006 - 2:53 am

Something new happened just now upon my latest attempt. The installer hanged like always, but I got a popup window telling me essentially to shut down the iMac, in English and several other languages.

bobw - Sep 11, 2006 - 3:27 am

Rizal

Take the added 512MB of memory out and try.

bobw
http://www.macosx.com

jokersson - Sep 11, 2006 - 3:33 am

Have tried that, same results. The new memory is good, since it is recognized when I had OS9.2 installed.

bobw - Sep 11, 2006 - 4:25 am

Just because the memory is recognized and works under OS 9 doesn''t mean it's good under OS X. OS X is finicky about ram.


This - shut down the iMac, in English and several other languages. - is a kernal panic, which is usually caused by hardware.

bobw
http://www.macosx.com

jokersson - Sep 11, 2006 - 5:49 am

It's a Kingston Apple RAM, KTAiMAC100/512, which I bought from an official Apple reseller. Perhaps if I switch out the old RAM for the new on the first slot, it'll be different. I will try that out and let you know. Thanks so far.

jokersson - Sep 12, 2006 - 2:33 am

I will try replacing the old 128MB RAM with the new 512MB RAM and see what happens. I will post again the results.

jokersson - Sep 12, 2006 - 4:57 am

No luck. The installer again stalled as before, but this time with the popup kernal panic. Is there any hardware test that I can run to pinpoint the problem. The machine did emit two short beeps while starting up. Pls help.

bobw - Sep 12, 2006 - 9:11 am

Rizal

Two beeps on startup, according to Apple, is incompatible RAM types.

bobw
http://www.macosx.com

jokersson - Sep 12, 2006 - 3:00 pm

It's a new Kingston Apple certified RAM! I'll try to swap it to the 2nd slot, and if that fails too, I guess I'll have to order a replacement.

jokersson - Sep 13, 2006 - 7:17 pm

Same results. I'm now running OS 9.2.2 smoothly, just to test things out. Everything seems fine, except it hangs in the middle of downloading the iCab browser. Otherwise it runs just fine..

bobw - Sep 14, 2006 - 3:08 am

Rizal

Open the machine to get to the Logic Board and press the PMU reset switch (S1) once on the logic board and
then proceed to step 3. Do NOT press the PMU reset switch a
second time because it could crash the PMU chip.

WAIT ten seconds before connecting the power cord and powering
the computer on.

Try installing 10.3 now.

If the same problem is there, see if you can exchange the Kingston memory.

Another thing you can try if possible, get another set of 10.3 discs and try installing.

bobw
http://www.macosx.com

jokersson - Sep 14, 2006 - 5:56 pm

Seems a bit more complex than what I'm used to, but I will try that. Let me run by you again:

1. Open up the machine
2. Press the PMU reset switch (S1) ONCE
3. Wait 10 seconds and connect the power cord and start the machine
4. Install Panther.

I'm not quite sure how to open up the machine, since it doesn't come with the manual. Any help is greatly appreciated.

bobw - Sep 15, 2006 - 4:10 am

I have a service manual you can download from this link;

http://homepage.mac.com/maktek/imac_sl.pdf

This should help in opening the machine, even if yours' isn't the exact same model.

bobw
http://www.macosx.com

jokersson - Sep 15, 2006 - 6:05 am

Turns out resetting the PMU switch was very simple, because it is reachable from the memory access door. I did it, and had to reset the time and date in OS9.2, which meant it was successful. Sadly my installation woes continue, with the Panther installer telling me there were errors with the installation and asked me to try again.

Is there any hardware test that I can run to see what the real problem is? I just want to make sure it was the RAM before I exchanged it for a new one.

bobw - Sep 15, 2006 - 6:16 am

TechTool Pro runs all hardware tests

http://micromat/index.php?option=com...d=31&Itemid=83

I would also try getting another set of 10.3 discs incase they're the problem.

bobw
http://www.macosx.com

jokersson - Sep 15, 2006 - 6:48 am

Well, I don't think the discs are the problem because Tiger didn't install to vie Target Disk Mode from my iBook.