Clean install on my "new" used PowerBook

Hi all, new to the forum and new to Mac.

I bought a used Powerbook G4 1.25Ghz/1G RAM/80G HD today. It's running Tiger 10.4.11, but I'd like to do a clean install.

The install discs the seller included are the ones that originally shipped with this machine: Panther 10.3.2.

If I do a clean install from these discs, then update the OS online, how high will Apple's automatic update take me? I assume below Tiger and not all the way to where I am now. But not being accustomed to how the MAC OS updates work I don't know what to expect.

If I only get to the highest 10.3.XX upgrade, should I buy Leopard? Or will it slow down this machine?

Thanks in advance for your advice and help.

Your machine sounds like it'll run Leopard just fine. It's up to you whether you want to spend the $129 on Leopard, or you could find a copy of Tiger for cheaper somewhere else.

FYI, if you use those install disks that came with the Powerbook, your OS X version will go no higher than 10.3.x. Tiger begins with 10.4.x, and that's a new OS.

Thanks snoslicer

This is very helpful.