Installing 10.4 on an eMac

[Joe Redifer]

Not sure if this should be in the here or the Hardware forum, but here it is.

I have an eMac that for whatever reason doesn't like the install DVD. It usually just spits it back out, but sometimes it boots up and installs around 50% before giving me an error. I figured it has a bad optical drive. Note that this is a true 10.4 install DVD and not a "System Restore" disc.

So using my Mac Pro, I copied the 10.4 install DVD to an external firewire drive using SuperDuper. The Firewire drive is formatted for Mac and has nothing else on it but what SuperDuper copied over to it, no additional partitions or anything. I connect it to the eMac, hold ALT/OPTION at startup and the Firewire drive is not recognized at all.

I tried booting the eMac into Target Mode and that mounts the machine on my Mac Pro's desktop, but my Mac Pro Refuses to boot from the 10.4 disc since the machine is "too new".

Bottom line: How can I get 10.4 installed on this eMac with what I have?

eMac specs:
CPU Type: PowerPC G4 (1.2)
Number Of CPUs: 1
CPU Speed: 1.25 GHz
L2 Cache (per CPU): 512 KB
Memory: 1 GB
Bus Speed: 167 MHz
Boot ROM Version: 4.8.8f0

 

[hughvane]

A few questions:
1. Shouldn't it be just the Option key? I note you says "Alt/Option", which indicates you're using a Win keyboard (as do I). The Option (only) key on startup searches for drives with an OS on them (or so I understand).
2. Does your eMac "spit out" any other regular disks?
3. What state is that 10.4 install disk in? I ask that because you mention that it "installs around 50%" before quitting the task. This could indicate a disk fault somewhere between the innermost and outer edges.

Keep us posted.

 

[Joe Redifer]

1. I use a Mac keyboard. It says both ALT and OPTION on the same key. Not sure why it has two labels.

2. It reads CDs great, but DVDs not so well.

3. It is a 10.4.0 install disc on DVD. There could be a fault somewhere but if there is, I surely can't see it. I was able to clone the whole disc over to a Firewire drive using my Mac Pro's optical drive and it didn't give me an ounce of trouble doing to. Should I try copying the disc to a DVD+R instead?

 

[hughvane]

Okay, answer No 2 indicates to me that there's a fault with the eMac optical drive. It's a serious task to replace it, but not impossible. PM me if you want a link to a technical manual.

You've already tried the external optical drive option, and I don't know why it won't work.

What OS is currently on the eMac, and do you have the install or restore disks for that OS? My thinking is to boot from Disk 1 and run a hardware check from Disk Utility. There may be something amiss on the eMac hard drive. Incidentally, trying to boot from a current OS disk should test the failing optical drive theory.

I believe you're entitled legally under the EULA to burn one backup copy of your Tiger disk. Check the forum for advice about what applies in respect of that procedure under US law.

 

[Collin Bl]

I tried booting the eMac into Target Mode and that mounts the machine on my Mac Pro's desktop, but my Mac Pro Refuses to boot from the 10.4 disc since the machine is "too new".

Bottom line: How can I get 10.4 installed on this eMac with what I have?

This guy here does a video of turning install discs into a .dmg using Disk Utility, you could try that. SCO0165 chapt 5 covers dmgs

 

[Joe Redifer]

I got it working. The optical drive was indeed bad (in a sense). I still don't understand why it wouldn't recognize perfectly bootable external USB or Firewire hard drives, though.

The OS that was on it was 10.3.9. Tried to to boot and install 10.4 from the DVD and it got about halfway through, resulting in a computer with no usable OS. But with a simple cleaner (the one with the little thingies on the disc which "dusts" the laser) it was able to work... at least well enough to get 10.4 installed.

Thanks!