Re-install OS 10.4 on PowerPC G4

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Okay.. I'll start from the beginning.
I purchased a used MAC from a guy for fairly cheap - great deal I thought. However, he never cleaned up the computer; meaning he left it as is - with all of his stuff on it. User settings, HD name, passwords, etc....

So here are the highlights of the problem:
The computer only has a CD drive
He had upgraded the OS to 10.4
10.4 comes in dvds
I've read that this OS won't boot from an external dvd drive
But it will using firewire
I do have a macbook at home that I could do this with

My question(s):
Is there a way to wipe out everything, back to just the OS - but the updated one (10.4) and not back to the original one it came with?
Is the only way to do this to re-install an OS?
If it is the only way - I've read in several places that it doesn't matter what computer is used as the host/target servers - it can work either way - but what is the best way to do this?
And how do you do this?

Thanks in advance!
 

pigoo3

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10.4 comes in dvds

My first thought is...10.4 does also come in CD's (a 4 CD set)...but they are hard to find & expensive.

Second thought...do you actually have an OS 10.4 install DVD?

Third thought...if you do have an OS 10.4 install DVD...what color is it?

Thanks,

- Nick
 

pigoo3

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Yes, I do have a 10.4 install DVD - it's black

Good deal...that sounds great. Yes...I have been successful installing OS 10.4 (via DVD) on older Macintosh computers that only had a CD drive. I've been successful on Mac's as old as iMac G3's.

As you mentioned...you can do it via firewire from your MacBook to the G4 (you didn't say if this computer was a Powermac G4, an iMac G4, or an eMac...they all have PowerPC G4 cpu's)...via Target Disk Mode:

How to use and troubleshoot FireWire target disk mode

HTH,

- Nick
 
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Nick - my apologies. This is an iMac G4

Is this the best way to accomplish what I want - to re-install the OS?

Thanks for the info!
 

pigoo3

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Nick - my apologies. This is an iMac G4

Is this the best way to accomplish what I want - to re-install the OS?

You must have an older model iMac G4 (one of the first models). In fact...only the 700mhz iMac G4 (out of like 8 different iMac G4 models) only has a CD drive. All the rest of the iMac G4 models had a "Superdrive". Of course if this is not a 700mhz iMac G4, maybe it's optical drive was replaced (since the computer is 8-9 years old)...it may have been replaced with a CD only optical drive.

In any case...yes...if your iMac G4 only has a CD drive, and you have OS 10.4 on DVD...then installing 10.4 (on DVD) via firewire on your MacBook (Target Disk Mode) is the only way I can think of to do the install.

Another possibility...is to replace the optical drive (CD drive) on your iMac G4 with a DVD drive. I'm guessing this is a less desirable option than doing the "Target Disk Mode" procedure.;)

HTH,

- Nick

p.s. Actually...I did a little more research...and the 700mhz iMac G4's came with a "combo" drive...which is supposed to be able to read DVD's.:) So if your iMac G4's optical drive doesn't read DVD's...it may have been replaced with a CD only optical drive.
 
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You're right - it is the 700MHz model - guess I went for the best of the bunch! ;D

So just to be clear - I need to have my macbook in target mode and the iMac as the host... correct?
 

pigoo3

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So just to be clear - I need to have my macbook in target mode and the iMac as the host... correct?

Other way around:

- Macbook is the host computer
- iMac is the target computer

Think of it as the iMac is the "target" of the OS install.

Good luck,

- Nick
 

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