How to create a start up cd of OS X?

[Benny7440]

I've this iBook G4 that was given to me by a nephew that bought it used some years ago. Has no manual inside nor outside & no cd came with it. I want to dual boot it and for it need to make a new partition. Today learned that for partitioning the HD need to boot from an external source and for that need to have a cd with OS X inside or something else.

This laptop has no tour as usually one find in a windows machine, at least I've searched for it without any luck. So I need to ask here how can I make/burn a cd that will boot OS X?

Thanks to anybody with an answer to the issues above!

 

[pigoo3]

So I need to ask here how can I make/burn a cd that will boot OS X?

No need tp "make" a bootable CD/DVD for a G4 iBook…you purchase an official OS X install disk. eBay is probably your best bet to get one.

Depending on the exact model…OS 10.4 would probably be your best bet. But if it's a faster iBook…10.5 would be the way to go.

- Nick

 

[pm-r]

You don't mention which iBook model you have, but you can check the various specs here:
Apple iBook Specs (All iBook Technical Specs) @ EveryMac.com

And as far as live partitioning goes, "...Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard added the ability to create, resize, and delete disk partitions without erasing them, a feature known as live partitioning."

And OS X 10.5.x is the most recent version the latest iBooks can even run, so that feature would be included with the install disk. And I'm not sure that Apple still sells one or even makes it available.

 

[harryb2448]

Just a note if you wish to go the Leopard OS X.5 way, you will require at least the 900MHz G4 model, or faster. Select your model from this list and download the user manual:-


http://www.everymac.com/mac-manuals/index-mac-manuals.html

 

[Benny7440]

Thanks to all of you for replying, pigoo3, pm-r & harryb2448!

Sorry for not giving all the machines' details. It's an 800 mhz cpu, 394 MB RAM iBook G4 running OS X 10.2.*. A few times I've checked for new updates to the OS and there's nothing to be downloaded.

AFA Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard goes I'm not sure this machine can support this OS but believe it's one that's at the other side of the fence for me. BTW, the other day I tried to upgrade its RAM to 1 GB but the module I received wasn't to trhis slot & it can't be inserted in. So, I've a low spec laptop.

Apparently, from your posts it appears that I'm in a more or less dead end with my endeavor. If I'm deducing a wrong conclusion let me know and thank all of you for participating!

 

[pigoo3]

Sorry for not giving all the machines' details. It's an 800 mhz cpu, 394 MB RAM iBook G4 running OS X 10.2.*.

Yes…with this computer…max OS is 10.4.11 (no OS 10.5).

A few times I've checked for new updates to the OS and there's nothing to be downloaded.

For this computer...OS "updates" are free…OS "upgrades" are not.

For example…going from 10.2.0 to 10.2.1…is an "update". Going from OS 10.2 to 10.3 or 10.4…is an "upgrade" and is not free. You need to purchase an install disk for upgrades.

- Nick

 

[pm-r]

Thanks to all of you for replying, pigoo3, pm-r & harryb2448!

Sorry for not giving all the machines' details. It's an 800 mhz cpu, 394 MB RAM iBook G4 running OS X 10.2.*. A few times I've checked for new updates to the OS and there's nothing to be downloaded.
… … ...

Once you've got and installed all and any old updates for that old and dead OS X version as far as Apple's concerned, you're not going to see anything more or later with Software Update. Apple put it out to pasture years ago and wired the gate shut!!

 

[Benny7440]

Thanks for replying pigoo3! Your points are very clear & precise, very good to know these things.

The apparent end result of my quest to dual boot with this devive is that it's an almost impossible thing to do unless one is willing to invest some cash on a very old equipment that's almost obsolete.

Am I right?

 

[pigoo3]

The apparent end result of my quest to dual boot with this devive is that it's an almost impossible thing to do unless one is willing to invest some cash on a very old equipment that's almost obsolete.

Am I right?

On old computers this old…spending money on ram upgrades, replacement hard drives, and even OS install disks is not really worth it. Personally I wouldn't pay more than $40 bucks for an 800mhz iBook G4.

The idea with old old computers like this is…buy them at a super price...fully ready to use (maxed out on ram, good HD, already have OS install disks). Or if someone can get parts REALLY cheap…or has the proper parts just laying around the house. Otherwise…financially speaking…putting money into these old computers isn't worth it.

Now if we weren't talking a purely financial situation…and it was someone's desire to "bring back to life" one of those old computers…that's ok. Many of us spend money on useless things all the time…so what the heck.

But at the end of the day. An old 800mhz iBook G4 running OS 10.2 (or even maxed out with OS 10.4) has limited usefulness in 2015.

If someone was a Mac Collector or Mac Enthusiast…putting some money into an old Mac can be justified to bring it "back to life". But if you're trying to get this computer operational for "real world everyday computing"..it's not really worth it.

Many times…the money you would spend on upgrades + the money received from selling it…would be enough money to purchase a newer & better used computer.

- Nick

 

[Benny7440]

Thanks again pigoo3!

The points you bring out are almost smashing arguments for my quest. Even so, I'm going to take some days away from it & reconsider all from the very beginning.

Not later than next weekend I'm deciding if to pursuit it further or not. Until then I might not come back to the forum because that would mean that I'm not really disconnected... Nevertheless, I'm planning to come back with whatever I decide to do about it & to give this, if that's going to be the case, a closure status.

Again, thank you all for the info given so far!