I was asked to take a mac g4 and install either windows or linux on it. The problem that I am running into is that there is no operating system on the mac, just a blank drive, so when I turn it on I get the " ? " in the center of the screen. Can not get it to boot from the CD, I have tried every combonation of keys that I have come across and notheing works. I was able to press apple+alt+p+r and got to a blue screen that had two buttons on it, 1 was a refresh button and the other was an arrow pointing to the right like a next button. Next button did nothing and refresh button just refreshed but I had nothing on the screen other than the two buttons. apple+alt+z got me to user abort but that was of no help.. Anyone have any ideas of how I can go about this and get this MAC to bot from the cd or is there a way that I can use my PC to setup the hard drive for the mac?
What CD are you trying to boot from? I'm assuming it is an OS install CD (what OS version).
If the CD is grey colored...it probably won't work in the G4 you have. You need the retail OS install disk(s)...which are black with a big X on them.
If you do have the proper OS install disk(s)...then the hard drive may need to be formatted. Go to the menu's in the installer, open Disk Utility, and format the drive.
Hope this helps,
- Nick
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Mac Specs: 2000 Power Mac G4 "Sawtooth" w/ Mac OS X 10.4; 500mHz
Also, to correct your post here, since the Mac is not an Intel Mac, you simply cannot run Windows on it. Linux maybe, but not Windows. What OS version are you using (the CD) and if it is black, then it should work, though if it's grey, it won't. Take the black disc and select "Disk Utility" and format the drive. Then proceed to reinstall the OS. More than likely on a G4, you'll either end up running Mac OS X "Tiger" 10.4 or Mac OS X "Leopard" 10.5.
As for setting up from a PC, not going to work, probably without hacking.
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Vista? Zune? Microsoft Store? Who the heck thought up those? FAIL!
“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” -Steve Jobs
Mac Specs: B&W 350 G3, upgraded to 1ghz G4 with Sonnet Zif.
And to answer your question...try holding down C or option when it starts up.
Apple-option(alt)-P-R is to reset the pram.
Apple-alt-z is a new one for me. Never heard of that one.
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Have you ever noticed that anybody going slower than you is an idiot and anyone going faster than you is a maniac? (George Carlin)
Are you trying to boot from the Linux CD...If you made the CD it may not be a boot CD..If you bought it, its a DVD. Hold down the C key before the chime.
Thanks all,
I am trying to load Linux Xandros and it is a factory cd not a dvd. When I installed it on his pc it booted up from the cd with no problems. I just can't get this mac to boot from it. I don't have a copy of a mac OS. Do I need to buy one just to get the system up and running in order to switch to Linux? I would preferr to reinstall a mac OS for him but he's old and has his mind set on Linux, thinks Linux is the best thing out there. I will be getting a copy of the new Linux (Dreamweaver) don't know if that will work any better. I am just totaly lost with this mac, I never even saw a mac untill this one...
The iMac has a PowerPC G4 processor. You will not be able to run Xanrdros, Windows or any other OS that requires an Intel or AMD processor on that iMac.
You will need to find a Linux distribution that supports the PowerPC processor.
i've been havin the same issues with the grey screen and the two buttons; refresh and arrow right. clicking on either does nothing. i got a powermac g4 M5183 ...i think this is the AGP graphics one...but that family number has been throwing me off what model it actually is...
what do those two buttons mean? and what do they do?
i've been havin the same issues with the grey screen and the two buttons; refresh and arrow right. clicking on either does nothing. i got a powermac g4 M5183 ...i think this is the AGP graphics one...but that family number has been throwing me off what model it actually is...
what do those two buttons mean? and what do they do?
Theres something wrong with your hard drive. Its either can not find the system or its crashed. Use an install boot disc to start the machine. Use disk utilities to check out the hard drive. Its in the menu in the installer window.
The iMac has a PowerPC G4 processor. You will not be able to run Xanrdros, Windows or any other OS that requires an Intel or AMD processor on that iMac.
You will need to find a Linux distribution that supports the PowerPC processor.
cheers mac sk. i reckon a simple hard drive replacement and os install would do the trick
If you got nothing to lose...Try to reformat the drive and reinstall the OS. If that fails you can replace the drive. Check you model to see what the drive size limit is.
MAC G4, several issues
