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TICKET ARCHIVE -> Installing OSX
itsmesilly - May 28, 2006 - 7:36 pm
Hi i just bought a g4 powerbook (secondhand) and am having dramas installing osx 10.2 and 10.4, firstly im a new mac user so i probably did the wrong thing somewhere along the line, well heres my problem; i formatted my drive so i can install a fresh copy of osx probably a bad idea because i cant boot from the dvd drive i have tried holding down c when loading with no luck i just get a little folder with a question mark in it.NO IDEA..PLEAZE HELP..
thx
thx
DeltaMac - May 28, 2006 - 7:44 pm
Please describe your PowerBook G4 a little more, such as the processor speed, if you know it. Unless yours is one of the older titanium models, you might be wasting your time with OS X 10.2. The OS X 10.4 will be OK, and should install. What exactly is happening if you have the disk in the drive and restart, holding the C ?
itsmesilly - May 28, 2006 - 8:00 pm
unable to give full details as i have formatted my drive no idea how to get the specs up, what i do know is that it has an 75gb hd, dvd-rw, and i think 512mb ram maybe 1gb.. When i start with the disk in the drive i hold C and i get a little folder with a question mark in and changes to another pic of 2faces and it does that back and forth?
DeltaMac - May 28, 2006 - 8:11 pm
You should be able to discover a little more by describing the Powerbook itself. Is it all one aluminum color, or is it 2-tone light and dark grey (titanium model)? You can also remove the battery on the bottom, and look for a small sticker on the inside of the battery compartment. This will show the serial number, and some other details about how it originally shipped. I can even provide you with that info, if you can see the serial number, and leave it here (it will be an 11-character alpha-numeric)
You can also try holding the Option key while starting. You will get a blue screen with 2 arrows, and any boot device will show, allowing that to be selected.
If you get a window asking for a password - - come back here, and I will help you with that, too.
- Dale
You can also try holding the Option key while starting. You will get a blue screen with 2 arrows, and any boot device will show, allowing that to be selected.
If you get a window asking for a password - - come back here, and I will help you with that, too.
- Dale
itsmesilly - May 28, 2006 - 8:27 pm
1.67 ghz/512MB/80G/Superdrive 15" all one aluminum color..
i held down the option key on start up it took me to a blue screen with 2 options a right arrow and a half circle arrow, i could not select either one..
i held down the option key on start up it took me to a blue screen with 2 options a right arrow and a half circle arrow, i could not select either one..
DeltaMac - May 28, 2006 - 9:33 pm
Yes, 10.2 cannot work with your model.
The main difference is if your G4 has a dual-layer burner, or the older single-layer burner.
The older one requires at least 10.3.7, so 10.4 is OK
The newer Dual-layer model (both are 1.67 GHz) requires at least 10.4.2
Did you get the restore DVDs with your Powerbook (they will be grey in color) or are you trying the commercial install DVD, which is black with a big silver X?
Put the 10.4 install DVD in the drive, and restart holding that Option key.
You should see the OS X install disk icon, in addition to the 2 arrows. The curly one allows you to re-scan for booting disks. Wait for the cursor to change to an arrow, and click on the install disk icon, then click on the right-facing arrow. You should then boot to the installer DVD.
I want you to post the serial number here (if you feel comfortable doing that) - I can definitely identify your PB, and give you better information about which operating system version you need. Right now, I almost know what you have, but an OS X version that is too old will not help you at all. You may find that you don't have anything that will boot your system, and that may be the problem.
The main difference is if your G4 has a dual-layer burner, or the older single-layer burner.
The older one requires at least 10.3.7, so 10.4 is OK
The newer Dual-layer model (both are 1.67 GHz) requires at least 10.4.2
Did you get the restore DVDs with your Powerbook (they will be grey in color) or are you trying the commercial install DVD, which is black with a big silver X?
Put the 10.4 install DVD in the drive, and restart holding that Option key.
You should see the OS X install disk icon, in addition to the 2 arrows. The curly one allows you to re-scan for booting disks. Wait for the cursor to change to an arrow, and click on the install disk icon, then click on the right-facing arrow. You should then boot to the installer DVD.
I want you to post the serial number here (if you feel comfortable doing that) - I can definitely identify your PB, and give you better information about which operating system version you need. Right now, I almost know what you have, but an OS X version that is too old will not help you at all. You may find that you don't have anything that will boot your system, and that may be the problem.
itsmesilly - May 28, 2006 - 10:01 pm
I got a few cd, none of them seem to work, i have (grey disks) mac os 9 install, powerbook g4 Software Restore 3 disks, mac osx developer tools, applications....Mac OS X v10.2install cds (2) there white with a tiger colored x, and i borrowed a restored disk of osx 10.4 from a friend to see if that would work...none of the above boot up....no idea pc's are so much easier...
DeltaMac - May 28, 2006 - 10:14 pm
You cannot boot or install with a disk that is too old. You cannot install OS 9. 10.2 is too old.
Tell me what is on the label of Disk 1 of the PowerBook G4 restore disk set. It will list the OS X version number there. Your PowerBook must be 10.3.7 or higher, or it won't work. The borrowed restore disk, unless it is for your model PowerBook G4, will not work.
The PC is not easier, but you have to know that you have the right disk, and nothing you have mentioned is new enough (but check the label on the restore set.)
Too bad you didn't get actual disks with the PowerBook when you bought it. This process would be simple, then.
Can you give me your serial number, so I can give you completely accurate info for the operating system that you need to find?
- Dale
Tell me what is on the label of Disk 1 of the PowerBook G4 restore disk set. It will list the OS X version number there. Your PowerBook must be 10.3.7 or higher, or it won't work. The borrowed restore disk, unless it is for your model PowerBook G4, will not work.
The PC is not easier, but you have to know that you have the right disk, and nothing you have mentioned is new enough (but check the label on the restore set.)
Too bad you didn't get actual disks with the PowerBook when you bought it. This process would be simple, then.
Can you give me your serial number, so I can give you completely accurate info for the operating system that you need to find?
- Dale
itsmesilly - May 28, 2006 - 11:46 pm
its mac os v 10.14, 9.2.2, i think i have the wrong disks 4 my laptop. Would it be easier if i was to but the latest version of osx. Appreicate your help...
DeltaMac - May 29, 2006 - 6:18 am
I assume you meant 10.1.4, not 10.14
If that's the Powerbook G4 set that you have, then it can't work. Seems you have nothing that will install an OS on your 'new' PowerBook. The restore DVD that shipped with yours originally will be 10.3.7 listed on Disk 1. If you didn't get that disk, then, yes, the easiest way will be to purchase OS X latest, which you will find is version 10.4.6 - it comes in the new small box. There's not too many apps that come with OS X commercial install, so pick up iLife '06, also. This is not an advertisement, just that you might not have apps to install.
Good luck!
- Dale
If that's the Powerbook G4 set that you have, then it can't work. Seems you have nothing that will install an OS on your 'new' PowerBook. The restore DVD that shipped with yours originally will be 10.3.7 listed on Disk 1. If you didn't get that disk, then, yes, the easiest way will be to purchase OS X latest, which you will find is version 10.4.6 - it comes in the new small box. There's not too many apps that come with OS X commercial install, so pick up iLife '06, also. This is not an advertisement, just that you might not have apps to install.
Good luck!
- Dale
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